Process by which mothers of children requiring medical homecare practice medical care

Abstract

  Objective: To elucidate the process by which mothers of children requiring medical care practice medical care at home.

  Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 15 home-living mothers of children requiring medical care. Data were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach.

  Results: The three categories of “realize the foundation of care”, “learn to think analytically”, and “become able to sense changes” were generated. Immediately after the child was discharged, mothers judged the child’s status based on oxygen saturation values. Mothers engaged in exploratory behavior, and “realized the foundation of care”. Mothers were subsequently able to “learn to think analytically” during exacerbation of the child’s status, and to “become able to sense” subtle changes in the child.

  Conclusion: The process by which mothers practice medical homecare consisted of three steps, and appropriate nursing support for each step is necessary. During the final step, mothers became more proficient than experts at providing care to their children, and the nurses’ roles were to provide practical support and to make judgments during emergencies.