Effectiveness of a discharge-planning program and home visits for meeting the physical care needs of children with cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a discharge-planning program on helping caregivers meet the physical care needs of children with cancer.


METHODS
This research is a quasi-experimental type of study in a pediatric oncology clinic at a university hospital in Izmir/Turkey. The control group had 25 and the experimental group had 24 patients with their caregivers. For the experimental group, discharge planning, discharge teaching, home visits, and telephone consultation were provided and has been planned to investigate the effectiveness of a discharge-planning program on helping caregivers meet the physical care needs of children with cancer between 0-18 years of age.


RESULTS
In the third assessment, the number of patients that needed physical care needs in the experimental and control groups was decreased, and children in the experimental group had a lower number of physical care needs. A decreased number of unplanned admissions to the hospital at the first and third follow-up times, a decrease in unplanned admissions, and higher satisfaction rate were seen in the experimental group caregivers.


CONCLUSIONS
A discharge-planning program and a hospital-based home care model had a very significant effect on the care needs of children with cancer and their caregivers. Our findings indicate that a discharge-planning program and a hospital-based home care model had a very significant effect on the care needs of children with cancer and their caregivers.
Caliskan Yilmaz
Medine
M
Pediatric Oncology Clinic, Ege University, 13500, Izmir, Turkey. medineyilmaz@mail.ege.edu.tr
Ozsoy
Suheyla A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000359:Aftercare / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000145:classification / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006792:House Calls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey