Children with chronic illnesses and disability are surviving prematurity, trauma, and congenital disorders once thought to be fatal and are becoming a larger part of core nursing practice. Increasingly, these children are being cared for in their homes. However, traditional nursing educational programs do not offer courses in the management of children with chronic conditions, nor do they provide clinical experiences in home settings. This article discusses the need for courses that increase awareness, sensitivity, and knowledge about children and families with special needs and suggests a family-centered approach for preparing nursing students to provide home care for children with disabilities that focuses on the strengths and abilities of the children and their families to manage their own situations. Students are encouraged to “think S for success”— symptoms, safety, sequellae, strengths, and satisfaction. These five Ss provide an easy system for remembering what is important in chronic care management.
Bergman, M. , & Hanson, C. (2000). The relationship between participation in a sports camp and students’ attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Occupational Therapy in Healthcare, 12(4), 51-63.
2.
Card, D. , & Huffstetler, W. (2002). Home health care. In I. Lubkin & P. Larsen (Eds.), Chronic illness: Impact and interventions (4th ed., pp. 513-530). Boston: Jones and Bartlett.
3.
Coffman, S. (1997). Home-care nurses as strangers in the family. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 19(1), 82-95.
4.
Eberhardt, K. , & Mayberry, W. (1995). Factors influencing entry-level occupational therapists’ attitudes towards persons with disabilities. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 49(7), 629-636.
5.
Faux, S. A. , & Seidman, R. Y. (1996). Healthcare professionals and their relationships with families who have members with developmental disabilities. Journal of Family Nursing, 2(2), 95-106.
6.
Gabe, M. , Perry, C., Castillo, S., Santina, B., & Werner-McCullough, M. (1997). Clinical issues: Nursing student practicums in home care. Caring, 16(5), 66-68.
7.
Goddard, L. , & Jordan, L. (1998). Changing attitudes about persons with disabilities: Effects of a simulation. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 30(5), 307-313.
8.
Guillett, S. (1998a). Assessing the child with disabilities. Home Healthcare Nurse, 16(6), 403-409.
9.
Guillett, S. (1998b). Quality of life among children with physical disabilities. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, George Mason University.
10.
Jackson, P. L. (1996). The primary care provider and children with chronic conditions. In P. L. Swanson & J. A. Vessey (Eds.), Primary care of the child with a chronic condition (2nd ed., pp. 3-15). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
11.
Loughman, K. (1997). The essentials of managing student home healthcare experiences. Home Healthcare Nurse, 15(3), 189-196.
12.
Mahoney, M. , & O’Brien, L. (2000). Lessons learned from home care: Reflections of nursing students. Massachusetts Nurse, 70(2), 8-9.
13.
Martin, R. , & Ligon, J. (2000). Using the Americans With Disabilities Act to influence student attitudes toward people with disabilities: Comparing classroom and experiential teaching approaches. Rehabilitation Education, 14(2), 181-186.
14.
Michael, S. , Candela, L., & Mitchell, S. (2002). Aesthetic knowing: Understanding the experience of chronic illness. Nurse Educator, 27(1), 25-27.
15.
National Academy on an Aging Society . (2002). Chronic conditions: A challenge for the 21st century (Profile 1). Washington, DC: Author.
16.
Neal, L. (2000). On becoming a home health nurse: Practice meets theory in home care nursing. Washington, DC: Homecare University.
17.
Newacheck, P. , Stein, R. E., Walker, D. E., Gortmaker, S. L., Kuhlthau, K., & Perrin, J. M. (1996). Monitoring and evaluating managed care for children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Pediatrics, 98(5), 952-958.
18.
Oermann, M. H. , & Lindgren, C. L. (1995). An educational program’s effects on students’ attitudes toward people with disabilities: A 1 year follow up. Rehabilitation Nursing, 20(1), 6-10.
19.
Olkin, R. (1997). The human rights of children with disabilities. Women and Therapy, 20(2), 29-43.
20.
Patterson, J. , & Blum, R. (1996, July). Risk and resilience among children and youth with disabilities. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 150, 692-698.
21.
Raeburn, J. M. , & Rootman, I. (1996). Quality of life and health promotion. In R. Renwick, I. Brown, & M. Nagler (Eds.), Quality of life in health promotion and rehabilitation (pp. 14-26). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
22.
Schuman, A. J. (1997). Home sweet home: The best place for pediatric care. Issues in Contemporary Pediatrics, 14(3), 91-95, 100-104.
23.
Scorgie, K. , & Sobsie, D. (2000). Transformational outcomes associated with parenting children who have disabilities. Mental Retardation, 38(3), 195-206.
24.
Taylor, J. , & Baglin, C. (2000). Families of young children with disabilities: perceptions in the early childhood special education literature. Infant-Toddler Intervention: The Transdisciplinary Journal, 10(4), 239-257.
25.
Van Boxtel, A. , Napholz, L., & Gnewikow, D. (1995). Using a wheelchair activity as a learning experience for student nurses. Rehabilitation Nurse, 20(5), 265-267, 272-272.
26.
Vessey, J. , & Swanson, M. (1996). Chronic conditions and child development. In P. Jackson & J. Vessey (Eds.), Primary care of the child with a chronic condition (2nd ed., pp. 16-40). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
27.
Webb, M. , Tittle, M., & VanCott, M. (2000). Increasing students’ sensitivity to families of children with disabilities. Nurse Educator, 25(1), 43-47.
28.
Whitehead, A. , Jesien, G., & Ulanski, B. (1998). Trends in professional education. Weaving parents into the fabric of early intervention interdisciplinary training: How to integrate and support family involvement in training. Infants & Young Children, 10(3), 44-53.
29.
Wilson, J. , & Merrill, A. (2002). Teaching students to care for and about people with disabilities. Nurse Educator, 27(2),89-93.
30.
World Health Organization . (1974). Constitution of the World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
31.
Yoder, M. , Hoffman, J., & Wollen-Olson, M. (1997). Agency-university collaboration: Home care early in the student curriculum. Home Healthcare Nurse, 15(7), 493-499.
32.
Yuker, H. , & Block, J. (1988). Research with the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons scales (ATDP) 1960-1985. Hempstead, NY: Hofstra University.
