Daily care demands of children with complex chronic conditions at home: a scoping review.
Tânia Barroso Barreto, Viviane Medeiros Machado, Mariana Setúbal Nassar de Carvalho and 1 others
PMID 42788570WHAT IT FOUND
Seven studies identified critical home care needs for technology-dependent children: respiratory management, ostomy care, and skin protection.
Nurses must coordinate hands-on caregiver training during hospitalization to ensure safe discharge and prevent complications.
Key findings
01Five of the seven included studies highlighted the need for daily respiratory care, including mechanical ventilation management, suctioning, and recognizing alarms.
02Caregivers require training in ostomy management, specifically tracheostomy and gastrostomy care, as well as skin integrity preservation and pressure injury prevention.
03Family caregiver preparation should occur in the hospital setting, with nurses coordinating the educational process to ensure families can manage complex care at home.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only seven studies, limiting the breadth of evidence. The majority of included studies had low levels of evidence (IV to VII), relying on expert opinion, qualitative data, or observational designs rather than controlled trials. Five of the seven studies originated from the United States, which may limit the applicability of specific care protocols or resource availability to other healthcare systems like Brazil's. The search was restricted to the last ten years, potentially missing foundational literature on long-term home care.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira (IFF-FIOCRUZ). No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that specific nursing interventions improve clinical outcomes compared to other care models. The review maps care needs based on low-level evidence and expert consensus; it does not test the effectiveness of any particular training method or care protocol.