2019 Volume 39 Pages 137-146
Purpose: This study aimed to describe the process of nurses’ preparing for sudden health deterioration in children with medical technology dependence in special needs schools.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 nurses with work experience of more than 3 years at special needs schools, and obtained data were analyzed using the modified grounded theory approach.
Results: Nurses felt a strong sense of responsibility and expressed difficulty in assessing and responding to children’s sudden health deterioration; therefore, they tried to know each child individually. After getting to know the children, nurses could predict how a child’s health could change, including sudden health deterioration. Nurses were prepared to work together with teachers when sudden health deterioration occurred, and they made plans to prevent it. While preparing for sudden health deterioration, nurses faced conflicts because of accepting requests of parents and teachers and school rules. In such situations, nurses reconciled these requests while maintaining children’s health and safety. Nurses expressed the necessity of working with school staff as a team to address sudden health deterioration. Therefore, nurses built mutual relationships with school staff and parents, improved skills of teachers in caring for the children, and prepared to work together with teachers.
Conclusion: To prepare for sudden deterioration in a child’s health, it is necessary for nurses and teachers to learn by sharing their experiences.
