Facilitating the transition of adolescents with chronic conditions from pediatric to adult health care and community settings.

This article provides an overview of the health care issues and concerns of adolescents with special health care needs and disabilities who are in transition from pediatric to adult health care settings. Adolescents and their families face numerous challenges in accessing adult health care providers who can give adequate primary and specialized health care services to this growing population of youth. Navigating the myriad new and unfamiliar adult services available can be overwhelming for adolescents, their families, and pediatric providers. Assessment and intervention strategies are described that can be used by the pediatric nurse to facilitate successful transitions to adult health care and community-based services.