Aims and objectives: To explore what it means for parents to participate in their children's paediatric perioperative care.

Background: Allowing parents to participate in paediatric perioperative care can make a major difference for children in terms of their well-being, a decreased need for painkillers, fewer sleeping disorders and a more positive experience for both parties. The nurse anaesthetist should have a holistic view and develop a shared vision for the child, the parents and for themselves to perform successful paediatric perioperative care.

Design: Descriptive qualitative study.

Methods: The study was conducted in 2014. Data were collected in 20 narrative interviews with 15 mothers and five fathers who had experience of participating in their child's paediatric perioperative day surgery. The analysis was carried out with qualitative content analysis to describe the variations, differences and similarities in the experiences.

Results: The analysis revealed a main category that describes that parental participation in the context of paediatric perioperative care in day surgery meant 'having strength to participate despite an increased vulnerability'. Three generic categories with additional subcategories explained what was essential for the parents to be able to preserve this strength and participate in their child's care despite their increased vulnerability. The generic categories were named, 'gaining information about what will happen', 'being seen as a resource' and 'gaining access to the environment'.

Conclusion: Efforts should be made to improve parents' roles and opportunities to participate in paediatric perioperative care.

Relevance to clinical practice: Nurse anaesthetists have a crucial role in enabling parents' participation and need knowledge to develop strategies and nursing interventions that meet parents' needs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.