Nurse case management in a rural parent-infant enrichment program

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Pediatric Nursing
• Family-Centered Care

Background:

• Children with special health-care needs often require complex services.
• Accessing these services can be challenging, particularly in rural areas.
• Effective case management is crucial for coordinating care and supporting families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the characteristics of families and services within a rural parent-infant enrichment program.
• To highlight the application of a supportive, interdisciplinary case management model.
• To explore how this model empowers families as advocates for their children.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of families and services in a rural parent-infant program.
• Implementation of an interdisciplinary, parent-provider supportive case management model.
• Assessment of family participation in the case management process.

Main Results:

• The program served families with children facing special health-care challenges.
• A supportive case management model was utilized, considering family capacity.
• Families were empowered to actively participate and advocate for their children.

Conclusions:

• A parent-provider supportive case management model can effectively assist families with children's health-care needs.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration is key in rural settings.
• Empowering families enhances their role as advocates in pediatric care.