ABSOLUTE INVOLVEMENT - THE EXPERIENCE OF MOTHERS OF VENTILATOR-DEPENDENT CHILDREN

Home care for a technology dependent child is stressful, costly, and t ime consuming, yet there is Little research concerning the maternal ca regiver experience. Sixteen mothers whose children required ventilator s participated in this study. Using grounded theory methods, 32 interv iews were examined to identify the core variable of absolute involveme nt, describing the provision of a mother's self-determined standard of care for her child. The Model of Absolute Involvement consisted of th e attributes of mothering, meeting the demands of caregiving, and empl oying strategies of care. Implications for nursing practice are discus sed in terms of skills and strategies mothers used during day-to-day a ctivity.