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Planning an outing from hospital for ventilator-dependent children
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Medical School, Downey.
Insights
Discharge planning for ventilator-dependent children includes hospital-based community outings. This preparation aids medical safety and family adjustment to life outside the hospital.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Child Health
Background:
- Home care for ventilator-dependent children is common.
- Successful home transition requires comprehensive pre-discharge planning.
- Early community integration is crucial for adjustment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the planning and goals of an inpatient community outing for ventilator-dependent children.
- To assess the feasibility of integrating community activities into hospital-based rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of nine ventilator-dependent children participated in an inpatient outing.
- The outing was part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
- Detailed planning and goal setting for the outing were documented.
Main Results:
- The study describes the planning process for taking ventilator-dependent children to Disneyland.
- The outing aimed to prepare children and families for community life.
- Specific goals related to medical safety and social adjustment were outlined.
Conclusions:
- Inpatient community outings can be a component of rehabilitation for ventilator-dependent children.
- Such activities support the transition to home and community life.
- Careful planning is essential for the success of these outings.
Abstract:
Returning ventilator-dependent children to the home environment has become a well-accepted occurrence. The success of a home program depends on careful pre-discharge planning in order to ensure the child's medical safety, and adequate preparation to ensure the child's and family's adjustment to an active community life after discharge. To achieve this, involvement in community activities must begin while the child is still in hospital. As part of a complete rehabilitation program, nine ventilator-dependent children were taken on an inpatient outing to Disneyland. The planning and goals of the outing are described.