OC12 - A journey suspended in time: parents' experiences of caring for their child who is 'technology dependent' with complex ongoing healthcare needs at home.

UNLABELLED: Theme: Complex health care and chronic disease management.

INTRODUCTION

Increasing numbers of children with complex healthcare needs who are also dependent on medical technology are surviving and being cared for at home by their parents.

AIM: To gain an in-depth understanding of the lives of parents and the impact of their caregiver role on their family when they care for their child at home.

METHOD: An interpretative phenomenological design was deployed to interpret the narratives of sixteen parents through interviews and digital audio diaries.

DISCUSSION: The complex journey parents undertake as caregivers to their child at home.

CONCLUSION

The understanding revealed will prompt practitioners to reflect on how to promote best practice for this group of children, their parents and their families by recognising the complexity of the care parents provide for their child and the support required in order to sustain their caregiver role at home.