Daily struggles: living with long-term childhood technology dependence.
With advances in technology, children with chronic illnesses are surviving longer. This improved survival rate has resulted in a growing population of families caring for their children with complex needs at home. This grounded theory study explored how caring for a child who requires home ventilation affects family members. Families moved through a process of struggling daily as they cared for their child with complex needs. This ongoing struggle was characterized by three distinct dimensions: getting over the hump, starting to breathe, and having to deal with a subsequent event. Implications for practice and future directions for nursing research are discussed.
Alexander
Eren
E
School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Rennick
Janet E
JE
Carnevale
Franco
F
Davis
Michael
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based; D006801:Humans; D011792:Quebec; D012121:Respiration, Artificial