Psychological preparation practices for children undergoing medical procedures in Japan and Germany

The present study aimed to clarify the current status and awareness of psychological preparation for children undergoing medical procedures in pediatric nursing in Japan as compared with that in Germany. An original questionnaire about the current status and awareness of psychological preparation for children in hospitals was distributed by mail to nurses’ working on Japanese pediatric wards in 2010. The same questionnaire, translated into German, was distributed to nurses working on German pediatric wards via the internet in 2010. A large majority of respondents strongly agreed that children have a right to informed consent. German nurses expressed a longer-term viewpoint on the effects of preparation than Japanese nurses. Japanese nurses recognized a greater need for improvement in their duties than German nurses. The results suggest that we should consider our own country’s nursing practices and need for improvement, but also learn from studies of other countries to address each culture and medical situation appropriately.