Abstract
In order to evaluate small infant experiences of medical students before their pediatric course a questionnaire was made in Oulu University Hospital.
227 out of the 241 (94,2 %) medical students participating clinical pediatric courses between the autumn 2004 and 2006 fulfilled questionnaire forms about their experiences. 32,6 % of students were male and 67,0 % female, and one (0,4%) unknown. 7,5 % of the answered students were the only offspring in their native families. The rest 96,5 % had one to 14 siblings. 18 students had own children.
Five students had never kept an infant in lap. 86(37,9 %) had never fed infants, 22(9,7 %) had given bottle feeding, and 117(51,5 %) of the students had given solid food.
4,4 % of the students hadn't dared to touch infants. 6,6 % felt it frightening to handle infants, and 40,1 % marked to feel tense to handle infants. 140 (61,7 %) thought they can manage with infants, and furthermore 58,6 % gave voice to waiting for permission to handle infants. Only 11,9 % acknowledged to be quite familiar with handling infants. 22,9 % had cared for their infant siblings, and 20,7 % had been working occasionally as a babysitter.
Almost all students had worked as a doctor before clinical pediatric courses. If they have had to care infants, they had felt themselves sensitive and careful, used self-studying and supervising possibilities. Almost a half of the students had consulted pediatricians.
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Valkama, M., Mäkelä, M. Small Infant Contacts of Finnish Medical Students before their Clinical Pediatric Course. Pediatr Res 70 (Suppl 5), 593 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2011.818
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2011.818