Adolescent's Experiences of Hospitalization in Pediatric Ward: A Phenomenological Study

Adolescents have unique developmental requirements and medical needs which make them different from adults and children. In addition, they have problems of different natures, but they receive health services from common service. The aim of this study was to describe the hospitalization experience in adolescents.
Using qualitative method, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 9 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years, who were hospitalized in Zabol hospital pediatric ward, Zabol City, Iran. The data were analyzed based on Colaizzi's method. Rigors of the study were achieved by paying attention to four criteria: real value, applicability, consistency, and factuality.
Adolescent's experience of hospitalization was constructed by four main concepts concluding separation from family and friends, staying on an unfamiliar environment, fears of treatment, and limitation of individual autonomy.
Adolescents mostly are afraid of anonymous routines, procedures, and hospital personnel. Before the hospitalization of adolescents, there should be preparation plans for them; they often look for discipline and security in an unfamiliar environment. Therefore, hospital should be a safe place; so that, the adolescents` anxiety and worries can be reduced on the way from home to the hospital. It is suggested that professional staff view the design and routines of the ward from the perspective of adolescents; also it is better to perform adolescent-centered activities.