Development of an Effective Support System for the Families with Children with Severe Disabilities that Need Lone- Term Hospitalization

1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08672695
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Nursing
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: MORI Hideko Kitasato University, School of Nursing, Professor, 看護学部, 教授 (30276167)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAHASHI Izumi Kitasato Univ., School of Nursing, Lecturer, 看護学部(当時), 講師(当時) (10206790) ; HONMA Teruko Kitasato Univ., School of Nursing, Lecturer, 看護学部(当時), 講師(当時) (80209337) ; TORII Hiroko Kitasato University, School of Nursing, Professor, 看護学部, 教授 (10227671) ; HIRAI Ruri Kitasato Univ., School of Nursing, Instructor, 看護学部(当時), 助手(当時) (70265726) ; YAMAZAKI Michiko Kitasato Univ., School of Nursing, Instructor, 看護学部(当時), 助手(当時) (80276170)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1998
• Keywords: Children with severe disabilities / Long-term-hospitalization / Family system nursing / Home care / Development of family support system / 看護継続教育

Research Abstract

There are many children with severe disabilities who require long-term hospitalization in spite of their families' desire to take them back home. The goal of this research was to find factors that enabled earlier discharge of these children, and a system model was organized that supported both the families as well as the health professionals. The research proceeded in two ways. First, interviews were held with families that had long-term hospitalized children with severe disabilities, primary nurses, and physicians in charge following the interview guidelines. The second way entailed meetings for research and practices in family nursing. The results were as follows : (1) The crucial factor was the severity of the children's conditions or symptoms that needed high technology medicine, however, these children were already out of the acute phase of their illness and new therapy was not necessary. It was only necessary to wait for their condition to improve. Therefore, a support system was concidered for the families and the health professionals to have mutual confirmation in their decision-making to discharge and arrange home care. (2) From a systemic point of view, there were several systems (or subsystems) that were functioning separately in the family, in the hospital, and in the community. In order to arrange home care for those children, each system should combine to utilize manpower to support these families.