Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6627-310X

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Problem/Project Report

Degree Type

OTD

College

School of Medicine

Department

Occupational Therapy

Committee Chair

Diana Davis

Committee Co-Chair

Melissa Adrian

Committee Member

Kayleigh Nolan

Committee Member

Heather Livengood

Abstract

Advancements in medicine and technologies have led to an increase in the population of children living with complex and chronic health conditions. Children with medical complexities (CMCs) and their caregivers frequently have challenges navigating home life after transitioning from hospital to home-based care. A 14-week doctoral capstone project was conducted at Dayton Children’s Hospital to improve caregiver readiness for hospital discharge. Project participants included caregivers of CMCs (n = 6) admitted to the hospital and pediatric acute care occupational therapists (n = 4). The Pediatric Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale – Long Form (Peds-RHDS) was used as a pre-and post-intervention measure to evaluate changes in caregiver perceptions of discharge readiness after receiving caregiver education interventions. A post-occupational therapy in-service survey assessed therapists’ perceptions of the impact the resources developed in this project will have on their caregiver education interventions. Resources were developed to aid caregiver education interventions. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test were conducted on the total scores of the Peds-RHDS and Peds-RHDS subscales. Results indicate statistically significant (p < .05) differences between pre- and post-Peds-RHDS total assessment scores and in the Child Personal Status and Knowledge subscales. The results show a significant increase in hospital discharge readiness for caregivers of CMCs after delivering caregiver education interventions and highlights the role of the occupational therapy profession in utilizing a patient and family centered care model to deliver appropriate caregiver education interventions to prepare them for assuming responsibility of the occupations and activities associated with transitioning CMCs to home-based care.

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