Aim: To explore parents\u27 experiences on parental involvement in decision-making about their child\u27s health care at the hospital and to identify how health professionals can improve parental involvement. Design: An explorative descriptive qualitative study within a constructivist research paradigm. Methods: Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 parents. Qualitative content analysis was performed. Results: This study gives unique insight into how parental involvement in children\u27s healthcare decisions influence parents\u27 ability to cope with the parental role at the hospital. The results showed that parents\u27 competence and perceived influence and control over their child\u27s health care appeared to affect how they mastered their role of involvement in decision-making. Individually tailored and respectful facilitation of parental involvement in these decisions by health professionals seemed to improve parents\u27 influence, control and ability to cope with the parental role. Nurses should thus strengthen parents\u27 sense of coherence enhancing the quality of health care
