Home Care of the Ventilator Dependent Child

With continued advancement of medicaltechnology, many children who once hadno chance for survival are now living longer lives at home with their families. Some of the most complex and technology dependent children are those who are discharged into the home with mechan-ical ventilation. When faced with the choice of keeping a child in the hospital or taking that child home, most parents choose to take their child home. Many ventilator dependent children are discharged to home with the support of skilled nursing services. Home care nurses are most times a welcome resource for these families to assist them with the care of their child; however, this too can have its drawbacks. This article addresses the stressors of caring for a ventilator dependent child, the advantages of having them at home, as well as ways for home nurses to make this challenge easier for families.