| Children with medical complex conditions have | | | | skilled care for children should have a pediatric specific |
| different needs to be maintained in the home setting. | | | | orientation plan and skills education program in place |
| These children need care focused on their medical | | | | and should not be afraid to share it with the parents of |
| diagnosis, activities of daily living, and their lack of | | | | the child they hope to care for. |
| growth and developmental abilities. Parents need | | | | 3. Seek agencies that provide pediatric specific care |
| equipment in the home setting that is in excellent | | | | and who have skilled nurses who have the experience |
| working condition and in most cases, a back up plan | | | | needed to meet the child's needs. Most adult care |
| for malfunction. | | | | nurses would need extra training to care for a |
| It can be an emotional and physical challenge to find | | | | medically complex child so make certain the nurses |
| safe and appropriate home care for a child with more | | | | from the agency you choose are trained specifically |
| than one need. Parents do not need a babysitter, but a | | | | for pediatric home care. |
| qualified and trained skilled nurse in their home to care | | | | 4. Choose equipment supply companies that employ |
| for the same needs the child would have if | | | | respiratory therapists and nurses as part of their staff. |
| hospitalized. Parents need reliable companies to deliver | | | | Those companies have a better understanding of the |
| and service things like feeding pumps, respiratory | | | | child's needs and the importance of properly |
| supplies, and life supporting ventilators and suction | | | | functioning equipment. Monitor the company response |
| equipment. And above all, they need skilled nurses they | | | | time when you have a question about equipment and |
| can trust to use the equipment properly and render the | | | | don't be afraid to change companies from the one |
| care their child needs in the comfort of the childs home | | | | assigned at the hospital to a company of your |
| setting. | | | | choosing. Service is everything when your child |
| What Parents need to know...? Parents looking for | | | | depends on the machine to breath and survive. You |
| excellent skilled care for their child in the home setting | | | | must expect excellence. |
| might consider these tips: | | | | Use these tips to get the care your child needs and |
| 1. Check on how an agency is accredited and don't be | | | | the excellence you deserve when bringing your special |
| afraid to ask what state and federal guidelines an | | | | needs child home. Children with special needs reach |
| agency follows to be a provider of pediatric skilled | | | | growth and developmental milestones and require less |
| care. | | | | hospitalization when home care is provided by skilled |
| 2. Ask how an agency trains the nursing staff and | | | | nursing and reliable equipment companies. Make certain |
| how they monitor the skills of the caregivers who | | | | you child is receiving both to ensure their successful |
| come to a home. An agency who claims to provide | | | | transition from hospital to home. |