Nurse and parent collaborative case management in a rural setting

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare
• Case management
• Health services research

Background:

• Children with special health care needs often face complex challenges.
• Access to services can be limited for families in rural and socioeconomically depressed areas.
• Effective support systems are crucial for these families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a collaborative parent and nurse case management model.
• To assess the model's effectiveness in meeting the needs of children with special health care problems.
• To explore the role of nurse case managers in empowering families as advocates.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a collaborative parent and nurse case management approach.
• Focused on families residing in rural areas with socioeconomic challenges.
• Emphasized close interaction between nurse case managers and families.

Main Results:

• The case management model facilitated meeting diverse needs of children.
• Nurse case managers played a key role in assisting families.
• Families were empowered to become effective advocates for their children.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative parent and nurse case management is effective for children with special health care needs.
• This model is particularly beneficial for families facing socioeconomic and geographic barriers.
• Empowering families through nurse case management improves advocacy and care access.