LAUSR

Children with medical complexity have ongoing health needs that may require dependence on medical technologies. While hospital admissions are an important focus of care delivery for these children, a majority of the time they are cared for in their own homes. Parents' report feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the scope of their responsibilities, but they become sophisticated care providers and assume greater authority when providing their children's care at home. Communication, decision making and dealing with conflict with members of healthcare teams, have been central concerns in parents' reports of their home healthcare experiences. The objective is to review literature on relational aspects of parent and home healthcare provider care practices for children with medical complexity receiving home healthcare services. A narrative review was conducted. A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBM Reviews, PsychINFO, ERIC, and CINAHL data bases for English language studies published since database inception was carried out. Eligible studies focused on relational aspects of parent and home healthcare provider care practices for children with medical complexity receiving home healthcare services. Nine empirical studies were selected for this review. Literature describes parents' and providers' experiences managing a child with medical complexity in the home and the effects for the family and the parent-healthcare provider relationship. Parents want to be actively involved in all aspects of care that affects their child and ultimately their family. Further investigation is needed to better understand relational aspects of parent-home healthcare provider care practices to support child/family health and well-being in the home setting.