Parents' daily written reflections are important for clinical practice and provide vital knowledge. Parents need support when focusing on coercing and protecting their children and help with information and routines that enable them gain control.

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The aim of this study was to test age-appropriate information and preparation procedures for children with cancer undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for feasibility and effectiveness in terms of the need for general anesthesia (GA) and anxiety. In a quasi-experimental controlled clinical trial, 17 children aged 3-18 years receiving age-appropriate preparation were compared with 16 children in a control group. Feasibility in terms of recruitment, compliance, and acceptability was assessed. Effectiveness was assessed by the number of children who underwent treatment without GA and their respective fractions and validated instruments measured the children's anxiety and emotional behavior. The preparation parts were delivered as intended without any additional personnel and without dropouts in the intervention group (IG) and therefore found feasible and acceptable. No statistic significances were found concerning the number of children receiving GA or anxiety. However, three children planned for GA in the IG completed their treatments, including 73 fractions awake. Children receiving GA, regardless of group, showed significantly higher negative emotional behavior. Giving children individualized preparation may decrease the need for GA during RT, which gives benefits in terms of fewer risks and restrictions in life for the child and lower costs for health care.

The aim of this study was to describe children's and parents' perceptions after a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. Semistructured interviews with eight children and eight parents were conducted. The interviews were analyzed using a phenomenographical approach. Both children and parents perceived a sense of security when they received preparation/information. The children perceived that it was positive to have their parents present. Children and parents also felt a sense of security from the positive attitude of the health professionals. They perceived anxiety if they felt that the preparation/information they were given was insufficient. The MRI scanner caused anxiety because of its size, design, and sound, and they were anxious about the risk of a failed examination. The children talked much about the difficulty of lying still. The parents perceived that more information about the MRI examination should be offered. By having the knowledge of how children and their parents perceive an MRI examination could help and guide health professionals for better understanding and high-quality care. (J Radiol Nurs 2014;33:30-34.)

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