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Nursing Care Particularities in Children Admitted to Hospital with Autism
SCHÖNBAUEROVÁ, Andrea
The topic of the thesis is the Nursing Care Particularities in Children Admitted to Hospital with Autism. In the theoretical part is found the description of autism causes, clinical manifestation, diagnostics, basic therapeutic measures and nursing care in such children. The thesis has set three goals: Goal 1- finding out problems concerning the hospital admittance of an autistic child. Goal 2- determining the specific features of nursing care in children with autism. Goal 3- creating an informative brochure that would help nurses to gain basic information necessary to provide expert nursing care to autistic children. To gain these goals, a method of qualitative research and the technique of standardized interviews were used. In the frame of the research, two research samples were used. The first one consisted of nurses who work in children´s psychiatric wards and children´s neurologic wards. These nurses were chosen deliberately as they care about autistic children regularly and have a lot of experience in this branch. Altogether ten interviews were conducted and were recorded on the record keeping sheet and consequently processed. The other research sample were mothers of children in whom autism was diagnosed and who experienced hospital admittance either as a diagnostic stay or in connection with acute treatment. Also here ten interviews were conducted. After the completion of qualitative research answers to the set research questions were gained: Research question 1 finds out what are the specific features of nursing care in children with autism. On the basis of the research, it was concluded that nursing care in autistic children has some specific features such as communication, observing rituals, the necessity of a parent´s company, as well as the psychical burden both of children and staff. Research question 2 focused on finding what problems are connected with the hospital admittance of an autistic child. On the basis of the conducted interviews, it was concluded that the biggest problems concerning hospital admittance apply to children´s aggressivity, difficult adaptability to environment changes and problems that occur after the experienced admittance. Further on, it was concluded that also children´s individuality is a serious problem that has to be taken into consideration during nursing care. Research question 3 found out how nurses assess parent´s presence during the admittance of autistic children. All nurses perceive the parent´s presence highly positively. They see the most benefits in passing important information to nurses, accompanying the child during the whole period of admittance, helping with the adaptation to a new environment, providing the common daily care including spending free time and giving the child the feeling of safety and assurance. Research question 4 deals with nurses´ feelings when nursing autistic children. The provided information is individual. The research has found that nurses feel well, do not see problems and the work is routine for them. Negative feelings are influenced by circumstances concerning mood, tiredness or demanding communication with parents. Further, it was concluded that nurses feel insecurity in the period when they start working with autistic children or during the first contact with the child. With regard to high disorder prevalence in the population, it is essential for nurses to know basic information concerning autism and adopt the basis of nursing care in children with this disability type. In this connection, an information material was created that has to help nurses to acquire basic information necessary to provide expert care to autistic children.
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