School adjustment experiences of ventilator-dependent children: A phenomenological study of mothers' perspectives

Purpose

This study aimed to describe the experiences of ventilator-dependent children (VDC) in adjusting to school life from the perspectives of their mothers.

Design and method

This study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. From July 2021 to September 2022, ten mothers of VDC were recruited via purposive sampling and underwent in-depth individual interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. This study adheres to the COREQ guidelines for qualitative study.

Findings

Four themes emerged: (1) the transition and burden of the mother's role; (2) positive adjustment and assessment of resources; (3) develop strategies to meet health and learning needs; (4) expectations for accessible school environments.

Conclusions

The mothers extensively assessed and adjusted their coping strategies on a rolling basis to ensure that their children received the resources that met their individual needs, promoted peer interactions, and helped adjustment to school life. The children's improvement and progress surpassed their mothers' expectations and demonstrated the benefits of a school education. Future educational settings should focus on building accessible school environments for special needs children.

Practice implications

These findings allow healthcare professionals to assess the needs of VDC at different educational levels and create care plans that meet their healthcare and educational needs. This study also provides a reference for amending policies and regulations on individualized educational programs for VDC and developing guidelines for realizing accessible school environments to help them adjust to school life.