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The discharge process for a child with complex healthcare needs dependent on respiratory technology: A scoping review

Cora O'Leary1, Rachel Flynn1, Serena FitzGerald1

  • 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Plos One
|May 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Discharging children with complex healthcare needs who require respiratory technology is challenging. This review identifies barriers and facilitators to improve hospital-to-home transitions for these vulnerable children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Healthcare
  • Respiratory Care
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Children with complex healthcare needs (CHN) experience prolonged hospital stays and discharge delays.
  • Discharge is complicated by fluctuating health, carer training, social factors, housing, and community resources.
  • Effective discharge processes are crucial for timely, coordinated, family-centered transitions for technology-dependent children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a scoping review of the discharge process for children with complex healthcare needs dependent on respiratory technology.
  • To understand the multifaceted barriers and facilitators impacting these transitions.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search of CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, and Embase databases.
  • Inclusion of peer-reviewed, English-language articles from 2015 onwards.
  • Systematic review of titles, abstracts, and full texts by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

  • Synthesis of existing literature on discharge processes for respiratory technology-dependent children.
  • Evidence organized by micro (child/family), meso (healthcare team/institution), and macro (policy/system) levels.
  • Identification of key barriers and facilitators influencing hospital-to-home transitions.

Conclusions:

  • The review will identify current evidence on discharge processes for this population.
  • It will detail essential components and contextual factors for effective discharge planning.
  • Findings will inform clinical practice, policy development, and future research.
Abstract

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