Parents', nurses', and educators' perceptions of risks and benefits of school attendance by children who are medically fragile/technology-dependent.
Few studies have focused on school activities of children who are medically fragile/technology-dependent. This article reports on an exploratory, interpretive study that examined the perceptions of parents, nurses, and educators with regard to their school concerns and strategies for ensuring the safety and health of these students. Informants all believed that attending school provided benefits to most children who are medically fragile/technology-dependent, including opportunities for skill acquisition, socialization, and respite care for families. However, they also perceived that there were real risks involved, including obtaining appropriate care, exposure to infection, and social isolation or teasing.
Rehm
Roberta S
RS
College of Nursing, University of New Mexico, Nuresing/Pharmacy Building, 2502 Marble Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131-5688, USA. rrehm@salud.unm.edu
Rohr
Julie A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002668:Child Rearing; D002669:Child Welfare; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003625:Data Collection; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000193:education*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D012572:School Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D012574:Schools; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity