Daily Struggles: Living With Long-Term Childhood Technology Dependence

Abstract

With advances in technology, children with chronic illnesses are surviving longer. This improved survival rate has resulted in a growing population of families caring for their children with complex needs at home. This grounded theory study explored how caring for a child who requires home ventilation affects family members. Families moved through a process of struggling daily as they cared for their child with complex needs. This ongoing struggle was characterized by three distinct dimensions: getting over the hump, starting to breathe, and having to deal with a subsequent event. Implications for practice and future directions for nursing research are discussed. Keywords: technology dependence, home ventilation, family functioning, children, grounded theory