Children with medical complex conditions have different needs to be maintained in the home setting. These children need care focused on their medical diagnosis, activities of daily living, and their lack of growth and developmental abilities. Parents need equipment in the home setting that is in excellent working condition and in most cases, a back up plan for malfunction.
It can be an emotional and physical challenge to find safe and appropriate home care for a child with more than one need. Parents do not need a babysitter, but a qualified and trained skilled nurse in their home to care for the same needs the child would have if hospitalized. Parents need reliable companies to deliver and service things like feeding pumps, respiratory supplies, and life supporting ventilators and suction equipment. And above all, they need skilled nurses they can trust to use the equipment properly and render the care their child needs in the comfort of the childs home setting.
What Parents need to know...? Parents looking for excellent skilled care for their child in the home setting might consider these tips:
1. Check on how an agency is accredited and don't be afraid to ask what state and federal guidelines an agency follows to be a provider of pediatric skilled care.
2. Ask how an agency trains the nursing staff and how they monitor the skills of the caregivers who come to a home. An agency who claims to provide skilled care for children should have a pediatric specific orientation plan and skills education program in place and should not be afraid to share it with the parents of the child they hope to care for.
3. Seek agencies that provide pediatric specific care and who have skilled nurses who have the experience needed to meet the child's needs. Most adult care nurses would need extra training to care for a medically complex child so make certain the nurses from the agency you choose are trained specifically for pediatric home care.
4. Choose equipment supply companies that employ respiratory therapists and nurses as part of their staff. Those companies have a better understanding of the child's needs and the importance of properly functioning equipment. Monitor the company response time when you have a question about equipment and don't be afraid to change companies from the one assigned at the hospital to a company of your choosing. Service is everything when your child depends on the machine to breath and survive. You must expect excellence.
Use these tips to get the care your child needs and the excellence you deserve when bringing your special needs child home. Children with special needs reach growth and developmental milestones and require less hospitalization when home care is provided by skilled nursing and reliable equipment companies. Make certain you child is receiving both to ensure their successful transition from hospital to home.
No comments:
Post a Comment