Parent education programs for children assisted by invasive mechanical ventilation: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric critical care
• Nursing education
• Family-centered care

Background:

• The number of children requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) at home is increasing.
• Effective parent education is crucial for safe hospital-to-home transitions for these children.
• Current knowledge regarding the delivery of parent education for IMV-assisted children is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and synthesize existing literature on parent education programs for children requiring IMV at home.
• To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of these educational programs.
• To identify gaps in the literature to guide future research.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
• Searches were performed in CINAHL, PubMed, OVID, and PsycINFO for English-language publications from 2010-2021.
• A final sample of 18 articles was included after screening 2472 citations.

Main Results:

• Parent education programs encompassed standardized discharge training, simulation, action plans, disaster preparedness, and symptom/technology management.
• Most programs focused on teaching essential caregiver skills.
• Significant variability was observed in program characteristics and outcome measures.

Conclusions:

• Parent education for IMV-assisted children is diverse, with a primary focus on skill acquisition.
• The heterogeneity in program design and outcome measurement highlights a need for standardization.
• Future research should aim to optimize parent education strategies to improve outcomes for children with IMV at home.