Beaune, L.

Families who have a child diagnosed with a life-limiting illness (LLI) face substantial challenges resulting from the complexity and devastating impact of the condition and potential closeness of death. The experiences of fathers of a child with LLI have been understudied; therefore, this study explored the stresses, experiences, and strategies of these fathers, including their perceptions about support needs. Based on grounded theory, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 fathers of children with LLI. Six fathers had experienced the death of their child.

Objectives: Discharging a child home on long-term ventilation (LTV) via tracheostomy is complex and involves multiple healthcare providers across healthcare sectors. To date, there has been a paucity of data with respect to the experiences of families transitioning a child home on LTV. Our objective was to explore the perceptions of family caregivers (FCs) who have completed a newly developed LTV discharge pathway as they transitioned home. Methods: We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with FCs.