Going Home

No family ever thinks they will be in the position of caring for a child with complex medical needs, but Blythedale’s innovative Parent and Family Education Program divides what initially seems like an overwhelming learning curve into tiny steps.

From infants with complex lung, heart or neurological conditions to the child who has suffered a devastating accident or medical crisis, providing extensive support and training to the child’s parents and caregivers prior to discharge is essential, particularly given the persistent shortage of home care nurses trained in caring for medically complex children. In the Hospital’s Simulation Lab, specially trained nurse educators and therapists use high-tech medical mannequins to teach parents how to insert tubes, suction, respond to alarms, and monitor and interpret their child’s responses. Parents learn everything from how to bathe a baby with breathing and feeding tubes attached to their body to how to manage a portable ventilator and oxygen. The impossible and terrifying becomes familiar and routine.

Watch the inspiring stories of three families and their courageous journeys to bring their children home.