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Description / Abstract
Today, more children in the United States are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. Research is currently being conducted regarding the causes, prevalence and treatment for Autism, however little is known regarding care for this population in healthcare settings. The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological study is to explore the lived healthcare experiences of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The sample for this study was composed of two mothers of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. After rigorous review of the interview material, two major themes were identified regarding the participants’ healthcare experiences. First, the mothers reported that they had to be their child’s main advocate when it came to coordination of care. They did not feel as if their pediatricians’ office was well prepared with information on special services or treatments available. Second, neither mother has noticed any special treatment by the provider or nurses in regards to their child’s diagnosis. The mothers expressed the feeling that their child was treated like they did not have an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis. Both themes provide an opportunity for improvement in proving healthcare to Autistic. Due to the increasing prevalence of autism, additional research is recommended in all areas but specifically in nursing care. This study identifies a gap in educating nurses on the best way to care for this patient population. Caregivers need to feel comfortable with the nursing care their children are receiving, and nurses need to feel comfortable providing safe and effective care to their patients. Increased education and awareness in the nursing community could lead to increased patient advocacy and assistance to parents as they coordinate care for their children.
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KeywordsAutism Spectrum Disorder, Nursing, Pediatrics, Caregiver
Degree AwardedMaster of Science in Nursing
Awarding InstitutionPoint Loma Nazarene University
Supervisor or ChairJeanne Maiden
Peer Reviewed?No
Collections With This Resource
Theses in Nursing
34 Resources
- Medicine and Health Sciences
- English
This collection consists of theses for the Master of Science in Nursing at Point Loma Nazarene University, completed between 2012 and 2016 when the program included a thesis requirement. These items were provided to the library by their authors with the permission required to make them freely available for access. These works remain the intellectual property of their authors.