Estresores hospitalarios percibidos por los padres que influyen en la adaptación de pacientes pediátricos. Hospital del IESS Los Ceibos, 2025.

Abstract

Hospitalized pediatric patients constitute a vulnerable group, as hospitalization involves partial separation from the family environment, exposure to clinical procedures, and adaptation to an unfamiliar setting, which can generate emotional responses that affect their adaptive process. Objective: To determine the hospital stressors perceived by parents that influence the adaptation of pediatric patients. IESS Los Ceibos Hospital, during 2025. Methodological design: A quantitative, descriptive, prospective, and cross-sectional study. Population: 127 parents of hospitalized pediatric patients. Technique: Survey. Instrument: Structured questionnaire and Parental Stress Scale (PSS) administered to the parents of hospitalized pediatric patients. Results: Parents aged 37 to 42 years (32%), female (77%), with secondary education (51%), married (43%), from urban areas (71%), and with family support (71%). Among the main hospital stressors, the most prominent were restricted visits to the child (43%), the presence of medical equipment and monitors (42%), hospital noise (43%), and environmental conditions (46%). Relational factors included strained parent-child relationships (41%), the inability to stay with the child (46%), and a perceived lack of involvement in care (39%). Regarding communication, insufficient information (51%), rushed explanations (47%), and difficulties understanding medical terminology (34%) were the most frequent concerns. Conclusion: Hospital stressors perceived by parents generate a sustained emotional burden that directly influences the pediatric patient's adaptation during hospitalization.