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Paediatrics & neonatal research

Everything we have read on paediatrics & neonatal. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

376 PAPERS · PAGE 2 OF 8 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNCohort2026Model Predicting Positive Aspects of Caregiving Among Family Cares of Persons With Dementia: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.Journal of advanced nursingFamily carers of people with dementia reported more positive aspects of caregiving when they had confidence in controlling upsetting thoughts and getting respite, and when they reframed the situation. Active dementia management strategies did not predict this.
• RNQualitative2026Parental decision-making for non-urgent emergency department presentations in Victoria, Australia.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityParents who took a child to an emergency department for a non-urgent problem said anxiety and lack of timely primary care made the ED feel like the only place. They wanted quick reassurance and answers, not always a better doctor.
• RNCase-Control2025Postpartum Hemorrhage and the Likelihood of Exclusive Breastfeeding Through 6 Months Postpartum: A Case-Control Study.Journal of midwifery & women's healthPeople who had postpartum hemorrhage were less likely to exclusively breastfeed at 4 and 6 months and stopped about 5 weeks earlier. The study shows an association, not that hemorrhage caused lower breastfeeding.
• RNOther2026Understanding Why Parents Say Yes or No to Organ Donation When Their Child Dies: Mixed-Methods Study.Journal of advanced nursingParents approached about organ donation as an end-of-life option for their child consented 49% of the time, and the rate fell from 59% to 37%. Nurse notes recorded timing, distress, beliefs, surgery concerns and limited time after death as factors in choices.
• RNQualitative2026How Classmates Experience Visiting Their Hospitalised Peer During Cancer Treatment: A RESPECT Study.Journal of advanced nursingClassmates visiting hospitalised peers felt excited and motivated to support them, but needed nurse briefings and adult backup to handle uncertainty, hospital rules and the child’s changing condition.
• RNQualitative2026Caregiver experiences of children living with a diagnosed neurological disability and using medical cannabis.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityCaregivers of 12 children using medical cannabis described little physician guidance, caregiver-led trial-and-error dosing, and relief when they reported symptoms improved. Two families saw no benefit. These are experiences, not proof cannabis works.
• RNSystematic Review2025Experiences of Care for Adolescents With Mental Health Difficulties in Acute Paediatric Services: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical nursingAdolescents with mental health difficulties in acute paediatric services felt neglected and unsafe, while staff reported stigma and inadequate training. Families were dissatisfied with symptom management. Care requires specialist pathways, de-stigmatised communication, and environmental adjustments.
• SLPRNOther2026Standards of care for pediatric clinical service delivery: A rapid scoping review.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityPediatric service standards were mapped across 53 sources. Frameworks used three, four, and six service levels. Only eight described integration, mainly in pediatric intensive care and palliative care.
• RNQualitative2025Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Help-seeking Behaviors: Experiences and Perspectives of Young 1.5-Generation Bangladeshi Women in Toronto.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieresTen young Bangladeshi women in Toronto said they knew little about sexual and reproductive health screening, feared family doctors would tell relatives, and relied on mothers, peers, apps, and university clinics.
• PTOTRNCohort2026How Often Are Hospitalised Children Physically Restrained During Painful and Stressful Procedures?Journal of clinical nursingPhysical restraint was observed in 22.3% of 1210 procedures in stable hospitalised children, rising to 32.9% during painful ones. Restraint clustered on airway suctioning, tube insertion and nasal lavage, and was most likely in infants and children crying or in distress.
• RNQualitative2025Perspectives of Nurses and Adolescents About Pro Re Nata Treatment in Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Units: A Qualitative Study.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingAdolescents and nurses described PRN medication as a tool for autonomy and dialogue rather than just symptom control. Nurses used PRN requests to gauge distress levels and build trust, while adolescents viewed the transition to PRN as a step toward discharge and self-management.
• RNSystematic Review2025How Woman-Centred Care Is Experienced and Understood in Maternity Services by Women and Professionals: A Rapid Review.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesWomen and maternity professionals understood woman-centred care very differently. Some women valued choice and continuity, while others prioritised warmth, safety, and medical expertise. Clarify each woman's expectations rather than assuming one model fits all.
• RNRCT2026Early Postpartum Symptoms Differ Between Older and Younger First-Time Mothers.Journal of advanced nursingFirst-time mothers aged 35 or older reported more symptoms, greater global distress, and more physical symptoms in the first 2 months. Lack of energy was the most common symptom, and symptom counts fell by 3 months.
• RNRCT2025Efficacy of Family Health Conversations on Mental Health, Family Wellbeing, and Family Functioning for Parents of Infants Requiring Mechanical Respiratory Support During Neonatal Intensive Care.Journal of family nursingFamily Health Conversations did not improve parents’ family functioning more than usual NICU care. Anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms fell over time in both groups, and family wellbeing and functioning stayed stable.
• RNCohort2025Impact of Maternal Nutrition on Human Milk Macronutrients Among Thai Mothers of Premature Infants.The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursingFor Thai mothers of preterm infants, higher carbohydrate and fat intake predicted richer milk fat and energy. More frequent meat eating predicted higher milk carbohydrate. Milk protein dropped significantly from the first two weeks to weeks three and four.
• RNQualitative2025Perceptions on the Reasons Influencing the Choice and Abandonment of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Muslim and Christian Women: A Phenomenological Study.Nursing & health sciencesMuslim and Christian postpartum women said returning to work, cesarean birth, and family attitudes shaped breastfeeding. Maternity care should ask about work, birth type, and support, not assume religion alone explains choices.
• RNQualitative2025Qualitative study of Black and Latino (a/e) caregiver participation on family-centered rounds.Patient education and counselingBlack and Latino/a/e caregivers said they felt more comfortable participating in family-centered rounds when clinicians answered questions unhurriedly, used plain language, allowed interpretation, and respected their input. Some said large teams, rushed communication, and racial distrust made them less likely to participate.
• RNSurvey2026Filial Piety and Tiwala: Diabetes Knowledge and Family Support Among Chinese and Filipino Americans.Journal of transcultural nursing : official journal of the Transcultural Nursing SocietyFilipino parents had 2.05 points higher diabetes knowledge than Chinese parents, but the practical gap was small. Adult children's knowledge differed little, and family support related to knowledge differently by ethnicity.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026Adverse Outcomes and Associated Factors Among Children and Youths With Diabetes Mellitus in East Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingChildren and youths with type 1 diabetes in East Africa often had poor glucose control, ketoacidosis at diagnosis, complications, and deaths. No type 2 diabetes studies were found.
• RNCohort2026Prevalence of Antenatally Identified Lactation Risk Factors and Risk of Not Fully Breastfeeding at 6 to 8 Weeks Postpartum.Journal of midwifery & women's healthAntenatal screening found gestational diabetes and high prepregnancy BMI carried the highest risk of not fully breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks postpartum. Other anatomical factors showed no significant association. Screening identifies women needing early, targeted lactation support.
• RNOther2025School Absenteeism Screening in the Healthcare Setting: Linking Education and Medicine.The Journal of school healthA school-absence question was documented in nearly 70% of pediatric well-child visits. About 15% of screened children missed two or more days in the past month, and those children were more likely to have asthma.
• RNQualitative2025Ignite the Parent-Child Bond: A Qualitative Exploration of Perspective and Need About Family Functioning Among Patients With Advanced Cancer and Their Adolescent Children.Journal of clinical nursingFamilies facing advanced cancer described blocked communication, strained roles, guilt and fear, and unmet needs for medical and psychological support. Use these themes to ask about adolescent children and refer for family-centred counselling.
• RNSurvey2025Strengthening Rabies Protection Behaviors Among Thai Children: The Role of Health Literacy and Protection Motivation.The Journal of school healthChildren who could better find, judge, and use rabies information reported more protective actions, but only 39.6% regularly washed wounds and 17.2% never practiced any protective behavior.
• RNQualitative2025'Being a Good Parent' for Seriously Ill Children in Brazil: A Qualitative Semantic Analysis.Nursing in critical careParents defined being a good parent as physical and emotional presence, protection, and maintaining family unity. They asked staff for vigilance, clear information, and flexibility to help them stay involved. These beliefs varied individually rather than following one standard pattern.
• RNSystematic Review2026Psychometric Properties of Pain Scales in Inpatient Settings: An Umbrella Review.Journal of clinical nursingOnly three hospital pain scales had enough evidence to recommend: Breakthrough Pain Assessment Tool for cancer pain, Paediatric Pain Profile for children who cannot self-report, and Questionnaire on Pain caused by Spasticity for limb spasticity pain. Most others still need better validation.
• RNSystematic Review2026Assessing Clinical Deterioration in Children With Dark-Coloured Skin: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical nursingAssessing clinical deterioration in children with dark skin remains difficult due to a lack of high-quality evidence. Transcutaneous bilirubin and pulse oximetry may overestimate levels in this group, but clinical impacts are unclear. Guidance for assessing mottling and capillary refill is missing.
• RNRCT2025Application of "Internet+"-Based Continuous Nursing to Improve the Nutrition-Health Level of Pediatric Liver Transplant.Nursing & health sciencesAfter 4 weeks, children whose families used an Internet+ continuity care package had fewer malnutrition-risk cases than routine care (8/38 vs 16/38). The package bundled team, WeChat, daily photo checks, videos, emergency contact and calls, so no single part is shown to be responsible.
• RNSurvey2026Mediating Effects of Parental Family Adaptation on the Quality of Life of Children With Down Syndrome: A Study of Father-Mother Dyads.Journal of advanced nursingIn parents of children with Down syndrome, parenting stress was linked to poorer family adaptation, and family adaptation was linked to children's quality of life. Stress did not directly predict child quality of life. This is an association study, not a tested treatment.
• RNOther2026Implementation of the 'Countdown to Theatre' Approach to Bridge the Evidence-Practice Gap in Paediatric Preoperative Fasting: A Quality Improvement Initiative.Journal of advanced nursingMean preoperative fasting was 7.6 hours before and 5.7 hours at 6 months after a nurse-delivered clear-fluids schedule with co-designed guidance, education, posters and support rounds; the study did not test whether this was more than chance.
• SLPRNSurvey2026Experiences and insights from parents of children with temporary feeding tubes.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityParents of children with temporary nasogastric feeding tubes found insertion distressing and home management hard, especially after discharge. They valued clear information and involvement in decisions, but some got inconsistent advice and wanted peer support.
• RNOther2025Construction and validation of a mobile technology to support mothers of preterm newborns.Revista brasileira de enfermagemExperts rated a new app for preterm baby care as clear and relevant. It covers Kangaroo care, feeding, and warning signs. It is not yet tested in real homes, so it cannot prove better outcomes or safer discharge for your patients.
• RNSurvey2025Enhancing Parent Support During Emergency Department Visits for Suicidal Adolescents.International journal of mental health nursingParents of adolescents presenting to an ED in suicide crisis overwhelmingly wanted help caring for their child after discharge, especially talking with ED staff. Only 25.2% received information about caring for the child after discharge, and many rated support poor.
• RNQualitative2026A Nurse-Led, School-Based Social and Educational Intervention for Siblings of Children With Cancer (SUPREME): Process Evaluation of Perceived Impacts.Journal of advanced nursingSiblings and parents described the nurse-led programme, with preparatory meetings and a class session, as helping them feel normal through clear cancer information, trust, and shared responsibility for explaining the illness.
• RNQualitative2025A Family Camp for Families Where a Parent Experiences Mental Health Challenges: A Qualitative Evaluation.International journal of mental health nursingParents and children said a weekend Family Camp combining family activities, peer connection, creative play and nature gave them time to connect and talk about mental health, but parents found it emotionally exhausting. This reports experiences, not measured effects.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025Effects on Weight Gain and Length of Hospital Stay of Day and Night-Cycled Light Exposure in Premature Infants: A Meta-Analysis.The journal of nursing research : JNRIn premature infants, day/night cycled light was associated with 7.52 fewer hospital days than dim or continuous bright light. Weight gain evidence was less certain.
• RNOther2025Cleaning and disinfection in neonatal intensive care units: correlation of evaluation methods.Revista brasileira de enfermagemCleaning checks in two neonatal units varied. ATP readings and microbial counts lined up only on some surfaces, and the units had different ATP clean thresholds.
• RNSystematic Review2026Community-Based Initiatives to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health in High-Income Settings: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.Journal of midwifery & women's healthPeer support in high-income countries consistently improves maternal mental health and breastfeeding rates, with 9 of 10 studies showing benefit. Social support alone is often ineffective, but gains value when combined with health education. Women valued connectedness and practical information.
• RNSurvey2026Drills or Distress? Understanding the Psychological Effects of Active Shooter Drills on Adolescents.The Journal of school nursing : the official publication of the National Association of School NursesMost students who had active shooter drills did not feel anxious afterward, but female students, students with anxiety, suicidal thoughts, disability, or more childhood trauma were more likely to feel anxious afterward. More frequent drills were linked to lower reported anxiety.
• RNSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of the Needs of Children and Young People of a Parent Diagnosed With Young-Onset-Dementia: Informing a Nursing Intervention.Journal of advanced nursingChildren with a parent diagnosed with young-onset dementia carry heavy caregiving loads that disrupt school, sleep and social life. They often hide their parent's condition due to stigma and lack age-appropriate support from health and education services.
• RNQualitative2026Parent's Process of Escalation of Care for Their Deteriorating Children Admitted to Paediatric Wards: A Grounded Theory.Journal of clinical nursingParents worried about a deteriorating child often first asked ward nurses or doctors for help, then sought trusted staff; staff sometimes judged parents' reliability, and without a standard parent escalation pathway responses varied.
• RNMeta-Analysis2026A Comparison of Synthetic Osmotic Dilators and Pharmacologic Agents for Cervical Ripening in Induction of Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of midwifery & women's healthSynthetic osmotic dilators match pharmacologic agents for vaginal birth rates but cause less uterine hyperstimulation and digestive symptoms. However, they require more additional procedures like artificial rupture of membranes. Overall maternal infection risk showed no significant difference.
• RNQualitative2026Siblings of Children With Cancer and Their Challenges Across Everyday Life Contexts: A Two-Phase Qualitative Study in Denmark.Journal of clinical nursingHospital routines, infection worries and treatment demands pushed siblings of children with cancer to the family's edge, leaving them absent, excluded and expected to cope while school staff often lacked support.
• OTRNQualitative2026Structural Resilience Across the Life Course: Perspectives From Older Adults Racialized as Black.Journal of advanced nursingOlder adults racialized as Black described community and societal resources such as schools, healthcare, housing, and community groups as safeguarding, empowering, or restoring them across life. Financial support, home modifications, and hospice care were part of these accounts.
• RNCohort2026Stress and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: The Mediating Role of Perceived Support and Treatment Adherence.Journal of clinical nursingHigh diabetes distress was most strongly linked to poorer quality of life in adults with type 1 diabetes. Perceived support was also linked to better quality of life and adherence. These are links, not proof of cause.
• RNQualitative2026Social Representations of Bedside Milk Expression Among Mothers of Preterm Newborns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.Journal of advanced nursingMothers described bedside milk expression as bonding and protection, but cramped space, staff shortages, procedures and shame hindered it. They said proactive nursing support and clear information helped them feel capable and continue.
• RNOther2025Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale Validity, Reliability, and Measurement Invariance in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant.Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology nursingCaregivers of children after stem cell transplant rated discharge teaching on two subscales. The scale worked similarly by child sex and family income, but not by cancer diagnosis, and the two-subscale version did not fit well.
• RNSystematic Review2026Legacy-Oriented Interventions for Supporting Family Bereavement and Psychosocial Adaptation in Pediatric Palliative Care: A Systematic Review.The American journal of hospice & palliative careFamilies in pediatric palliative care described legacy activities such as photos, videos, heartbeat recordings and storytelling as helping maintain bonds, express grief and find meaning. These are participants’ accounts, not proof the activities improve bereavement outcomes.
• RNSystematic Review2025Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Adolescents: A Systematic Review on Prevention and Intervention Programmes.Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, IncTwo included programmes reported reduced self-injury or improved emotional regulation in adolescent observational studies, but evidence was limited and neither was nurse-led. Risk factors were inconsistent.
• RNSurvey2025Maternal readiness for weaning: Influencing factors and determinants.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PMothers who perceived their milk supply as insufficient were approximately twice as likely to consider weaning. Higher education and structured breastfeeding education were also linked to greater readiness for weaning.
• RNOther2026Challenges of Parents While Providing Complex Medical Care at Home to Children With Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Convergent Mixed Methods Study.Journal of clinical nursingParents providing complex cancer care at home reported difficulty managing many medicines, symptoms, central lines, emergencies and off-hours access to staff. Challenges were similar for newer and more experienced parents.