{
  "abstract": "Introduction Paediatric head injuries are common emergency presentations and highly distressing for families. The prehospital phase is often the first point of contact with healthcare, where parents rely on paramedic assessment and decision-making under uncertainty. While clinical aspects of prehospital care are well studied, little is known about how families experience this stage and children’s perspectives are largely absent. This study explores how parents and children interpret and experience prehospital care following a child’s head injury.Methods This qualitative study used semistructured interviews with parents and where appropriate their children following ambulance transport to a regional tertiary children’s hospital emergency department. Purposive sampling captured variation in age, injury severity and family background. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, anonymised and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with reflexivity addressing the researcher’s clinical background. Ethical approval was granted (REC 23/WM/0261; IRAS 329465).Findings 14 parents and three children participated. Parents’ experiences centred on building trust in paramedic decision-making and views on non-conveyance. Trust was shaped by communication, emotional tone, prior experience and recognition of parental instinct. Acceptance of reassurance and non-conveyance depended on transparent decision-making, structured assessment and clear safety-netting, while fear of deterioration and previous negative experiences drove resistance. Children described feeling safe through paramedic presence and communication and valued being spoken to directly, reassured and told what would happen next.Conclusion Families’ experiences of paediatric prehospital care are shaped by both clinical clarity and relational behaviour. Strong communication, shared decision-making and meaningful involvement of parents and children support confidence, perceived safety and overall experience during this critical phase of care.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK",
        "Department of Emergency Medical Services, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences College of Applied Medical Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia",
        "King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"
      ],
      "name": "Sara Alsuwais"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Christopher Wibberley"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK",
        "Emergency Department, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Richard Body"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Parents’ and children’s experiences of prehospital care after a child’s head injury: a qualitative study",
  "uid": "f9686190-25a7-5ac0-b92e-fe0ab1ab19c3"
}