Experiences of South Korean mothers of children with medical complexity under long-term hospitalization.
Ji Young An, So-Hi Kwon, Hye Ri Choi
PMID 36310343WHAT IT FOUND
South Korean mothers staying with hospitalized children described motherhood as total duty, spouses as unhelpful, and support from other mothers, hospital staff, social workers, and faith.
They moved between despair and small hopes toward resilience.
Key findings
01Mothers defined themselves primarily as their child's caregiver and saw their spouses as not sharing the care.
02Staff support mattered in concrete ways: a doctor stayed with the child so a mother could sleep, and a social worker explained financial resources.
03Resilience was not a straight path; mothers moved back and forth between negative and coping states before finding comfort in religion, self-care, and helping other mothers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only seven mothers were interviewed at one children's hospital, so the findings may not transfer to other countries or settings. The study asked about experiences, not child or family outcomes, so it cannot show that any support produced resilience. Participants had to be able to take part in in-depth interviews, and one selected mother was excluded because her child moved to intensive care, so the most acutely distressed families may be missing.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest, and the research received no specific grant from any funding agency.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that peer support, staff kindness, religion, or self-care caused resilience. The study describes seven mothers' experiences in one South Korean hospital and cannot show what works for families or children.