Abstract
Aim: The aim of the present study is to gain insight, through a literature review, into home nursing for children who require home health care as well as to assess future challenges of visiting nurses. Subjects and Methods: A literature review of Japan Medical Abstracts Society Online was conducted for reports published between 1982 and 2013 with the keywords "Visiting Nurse", "Child" (or "Children"), and "Medical Care". Twenty original papers that met the aims of the present study were collected and analyzed. Results: Results showed that the general public and families are not aware that children can qualify for home nursing, and that the mother or the visiting nurse must coordinate on a case-by-case basis because human resources personnel responsible for coordinating home health care are not officially assigned. Visiting nurses provide individualized support and reduce the burden on the family, while also considering potential patient assistance needs. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the role of visiting nurses must be clarified to provide child- and family-specific nursing care. Moreover, greater collaboration should be facilitated between visiting nurses and other professions and facilities.
