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Full text of this paper is not available in the ETD Center. Copies may be available for inter-library loan from University of Cincinnati or may be available for purchase from Proquest/UMI

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THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING AND CARING FOR A TECHNOLOGY DEPENDENT INFANT IN THE HOME

TOROK, LISA SPANGLER
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1005843009

Abstract Details

2001, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Nursing : Doctoral Program in Nursing.
With increasing sophistication and portability of medical equipment and health care advances, infants and children who require technology to survive are cared for at home. Yet little is known about the population of technology dependent infants and their families. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the experience of receiving and caring for a technology dependent in the home. van Manen's phenomenological method was selected for inquiry. Data were collected from interviews with eight mothers, as well as researcher personal experience, etymological sources, idiomatic phrases, and descriptions in literature. The seven common essential themes extracted from the data were receiving and caring for a technology dependent infant in the home is: (1) moving from learning care to making judgments regarding infant's health; (2) getting to know the infant's likes, dislikes, and health related behaviors; (3) recognizing changes in family dynamics and meeting family needs through adjustments in roles, responsibilities, and lifestyles; (4) learning to manage the increased work and time infant care requires; (5) navigating an ever changing array of emotions and concerns; (6) ascribing improvements in infant and family situation to being home; and (7) recognizing differences but seeing similarities when comparing infant to others. When the concepts of the Kenner Transition Model were linked with the essential themes, three overall themes that describe the essence of the phenomenon were extracted: (1) Moving from learning about infant to making judgments regarding infant's health; (2) Recognizing the need for adjustment in roles, responsibilities, and priorities; and (3) Navigating constantly changing emotions to achieve near normalcy. Practice implications include better preparation of the families for home life before discharge. An increase in responsibility for infant care and equipment negotiations before discharge can ease a family into these roles. Encouraging families to have multiple support people trained in infant care who can offer respite to parents. Examination of these families six months to one year after discharge is recommended to assess their personal and home adjustment.
Dr. Margaret Miller (Advisor)
1 p.
Health Sciences, Nursing
technology dependent infant; lived experience; transition to home; phenomenology; Kenner Transition Model

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • TOROK, L. S. (2001). THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING AND CARING FOR A TECHNOLOGY DEPENDENT INFANT IN THE HOME [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1005843009

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • TOROK, LISA. THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING AND CARING FOR A TECHNOLOGY DEPENDENT INFANT IN THE HOME. 2001. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1005843009.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • TOROK, LISA. "THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING AND CARING FOR A TECHNOLOGY DEPENDENT INFANT IN THE HOME." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2001. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1005843009

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1005843009
© 2001, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.