Purpose: To investigate parents’ experiences of being present during anesthesia induction in young infants.

Design: A mixed randomized controlled study.

Methods: Parents of the included infants were randomized to either one parent present during induction or control (not present). In the holding area, parents completed the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) before and after the induction. Differences in APAIS between groups as well as before and after scores were analyzed. Postoperatively, available parents were interviewed, and data were analysed using meaning-oriented thematic analysis.

Results: Pre-induction anxiety was common in both fathers (51 %) and mothers (73 %) but there was no difference in the full APAIS score between present and absent groups. However, the qualitative data revealed that parents preferred to be present despite different levels of anxiety. Being present was to gain certainty, to be able to protect and to be a resource. Being absent was to be floating in uncertainty, not being allowed to protect or to be a resource.

Conclusions: Pre-induction anxiety was common, especially in mothers. If given the choice, most parents would prefer to be present. Parents can be a resource for both the infant and anesthesia team during induction.

Implications for Clinical Practice: Setting up routines for parental presence during anesthesia induction is important. The parents’ message to the anesthesia team and to the organization is let the parents of small infants be present during induction.