Objectives: To determine the utility of the nursing discharge summary and the degree of satisfaction with the information received by the relatives of infants' after surgery.
Method: We conducted an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study in the infants unit at the Juan Canalejo University Hospital Complex in La Coruña (Spain). A total of 110 patients were included, all aged between 1 month and 2 years, who were hospitalized between January and December 2006. A telephone survey was performed among the relatives of selected infants, using an adapted questionnaire consisting of eleven questions related to the aim of this study.
Results: Eighty-five families were surveyed. The nursing discharge summary was given to 98.8% of the families. During hospitalization, 91.8% of the parents received information about the care to be continued at home. The relatives surveyed gave nursing explanations a mean score of 4.6 points (SD = 0.61) (1 "bad", 5 "excellent"); 96.5% considered the contents of the nursing discharge summary to be adequate, and 97.6% found the information easy to understand. A total of 17.6% resorted to the primary health care center to continue with care and 7.1% to clarify doubts. The mean score for overall satisfaction with the summary was 4.67 points (SD = 0.54) out of a possible maximum of 5 points.
Conclusions: The nursing discharge summary used in the infants' unit provides the relatives and guardians of infants with sufficient information that is easy to understand and matches their needs. We highlight the high degree of satisfaction with the summary.