TOPIC

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 4 OF 8 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNSystematic Review2025Experiences and Perceptions of Hospital to Home Transitional Care for Parents of Premature Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.Nursing openParents of preterm infants moving from NICU to home felt relieved but unsafe without hospital monitoring. Many lacked confidence in feeding and care; parents reported feeling more prepared when they had hands-on NICU involvement and continued support.
• RNRCT2025Evaluation of the effectiveness of solutions for clearing neonatal central venous catheters: randomized study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PSaline, vitamin C and heparin cleared clot-blocked neonatal central venous catheters equally well in lab tests. No difference was found in attempts or time, and all devices cleared.
• RNCase-Control2025Factors associated with the occurrence of COVID-19 in the pediatric population in hospital settings: a case-control study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PAmong hospitalized children, emergency or intensive care admission, corticosteroid use, runny nose and comorbidities were linked to a positive COVID-19 test. These associations did not prove cause.
• RNPilot2026Family-Centred Care Rounds in a Neonatal Intensive Care Setting: An Implementation Sciences Feasibility Study.Nursing in critical careFamily-centred rounds were run in a NICU, but parental participation was low and variable. Overall collaboration, parental stress, and satisfaction did not improve; coordination and feeling involved did.
• RNCohort2026Acute Stress and Need for Psychological Follow-Up Care in Parents of Children Treated at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.Nursing in critical careBefore discharge, no parent, child, or treatment factor tested in the final model was linked to acute stress disorder, although 63.5% of parents met its criteria. Parents at PTSD risk reported needing follow-up care eight times more often.
• RNSurvey2026Prevalence and Determinants of Health Care Utilization Among Dutch Women in the First Year Postpartum.Journal of midwifery & women's health89.6% of Dutch postpartum women reported a health problem, and 94.2% used health care. Fatigue and back pain were common. Awareness, insurance, self-rated health, religion, and self-efficacy were linked to use.
• RNOther2025Religious-spiritual coping among family members of children requiring continuous and complex care: a mixed-methods study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PFamily caregivers of children needing continuous and complex care reported more positive than negative religious-spiritual coping. Younger caregivers had more negative coping; smaller households had more positive coping. Ask families about spiritual resources.
• RNQualitative2025Women's Experiences with a Perinatal Peer Support Specialist Program.MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursingWomen with perinatal mental health symptoms valued a virtual peer support specialist who did not know them, shared lived experience, and offered resources. They said having someone to talk to helped their mental health feel better, but this is not evidence the program works.
• PTRNSystematic Review2025Parent-Infant Attachment and Gross Motor Development During the First 2 Years of Life: A Systematic Review.Nursing & health sciencesSecure parent-infant attachment and positive interaction were linked to better gross motor development in seven of 10 included studies during infants' first 2 years. The evidence is observational and does not prove cause.
• PTRNQualitative2026Perspectives and Beliefs Surrounding Postpartum Care and Physical Activity of South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieresSouth Asian immigrant mothers in Canada often count housework and childcare as their physical activity, while viewing leisure exercise as optional or guilt-inducing. They relied on online sources for postpartum exercise advice and found outdoor walking limited by cold weather.
• RNOther2025Trajectory and determinants of family resilience in caregivers of preterm infants: A mixed-methods study.International journal of nursing sciencesFamily resilience in caregivers of preterm infants followed a V-shaped pattern, dropping to its lowest point at three months before recovering by six months. Resilience was linked to coping style, family functioning, and social support, not to the infant's gestational age or birth weight.
• RNOther2025Increasing breastfeeding literacy: A preliminary study to develop an AI-based chatbot.International journal of nursing sciencesFive mothers found this breastfeeding chatbot mostly clear and easy to use, but some questions were misinterpreted and buttons hard to find. Four experts rated content highly with variable agreement. It was not tested to improve breastfeeding.
• RNSurvey2026Gender Differences in Psychological Strengths Among Rural Adolescents.Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, IncRural Texas adolescents reported low optimism and resilience, with males scoring higher than females and non-binary peers on most strengths. These differences were small and the study is cross-sectional, so it identifies a risk group but does not prove interventions work.
• RNCohort2026The OCTO-Plus Intervention to Support Families of Chronically Critically Ill Children in Paediatric Critical Care: A Pilot Study.Nursing in critical careParents of chronically critically ill children in paediatric critical care could be recruited and kept in a nurse and physician-delivered family support pilot; stress, anxiety, depression and family functioning scores trended better, but it did not test whether the support works.
• RNOther2025Adolescents' Mental Well-Being and Social Support: Mixed Methods Study.International journal of mental health nursingAdolescents' mental well-being drops as they age, with family support mattering most in primary school and friends taking over in secondary school. School nurses are seen as approachable experts, but interactions remain informal and unstructured rather than part of formal care.
• RNOther2026Predictors of Opioid Misuse and Abuse Among Pregnant Women in the US.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesPregnant women in the third trimester had lower odds of past-year opioid misuse than those in the first. Older age, higher income, and better health status were also protective. Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander women had higher odds than non-Hispanic White women.
• RNQualitative2025Perceptions of discharge readiness among primiparas based on the King's theory of goal attainment: a qualitative study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PFirst-time mothers going home after birth wanted support for recovery and baby care. Many felt unprepared and excluded from discharge decisions. They valued family help and asked for interactive assessment and ongoing guidance.
• RNSystematic Review2025Educational games for self-care of people with intestinal ostomies: a scoping review.Revista brasileira de enfermagemOnly two studies were found on games for self-care after intestinal ostomy: a small card game with seven adults and an ongoing children's app trial without final results. This shows a gap, not evidence that games improve care.
• RNSurvey2026Gender Identity, Victimization, and Suicidal Ideation: Comparing Risk Factors Among Transgender and Non-Transgender Youth.The Journal of school health47.1% of transgender youth and 17.1% of non-transgender youth reported seriously considering suicide in the past 12 months. Bullying and victimization were also linked to risk, but this survey cannot show cause.
• RNSurvey2025Adherence to Guidance About Complementary Feeding and Vitamin D Supplementation in Infants: The Role of Information Sources.Nursing open54% of parents delayed solid foods until 24 weeks. Health visitor and leaflet use were linked with better adherence, while internet use was common but not linked with vitamin D supplementation.
• RNOther2025Maternal and neonatal factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding upon hospital discharge.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn a tertiary Ecuadorian hospital, 91.55% of discharged newborns were exclusively breastfed. Exclusive breastfeeding was less likely with illicit substance use, tobacco use, hypertension, cesarean, anesthesia, multiple birth, low weight, low 5-minute Apgar, and cleft lip/palate.
• RNCohort2025Breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors: a risk to sustainable development.Revista brasileira de enfermagemBreastfeeding lasted 5.2 months total and 3.2 months exclusively among São Paulo mother-baby pairs during the pandemic. Early pacifier use, first-month feeding difficulty, and early formula introduction were linked to shorter breastfeeding.
• RNOther2025Families of adolescents and young adults with complex chronic conditions: socioeconomic impact after ten years.Revista brasileira de enfermagemAmong 24 families, household income did not change significantly over ten years, but household size rose by 18% and public-private health coverage fell by 50%.
• RNRCT2025Influence of therapeutic play on salivary cortisol levels in children undergoing venipuncture.Revista brasileira de enfermagemPreparing children for a needle with a doll did not lower their stress hormone more than no preparation. There was no clear difference in cortisol after the blood draw.
• RNOther2026Discrimination Against Immigrant Latina Mothers Associated With Pro-Inflammatory Gene Expression in Their Preschool-Aged Children.Biological research for nursingPreschool children whose mothers reported frequent discrimination had higher expression of pro-inflammatory genes. This association persisted after adjusting for maternal depression and child body mass index, suggesting a biological link between maternal stress and child immune activity.
• RNSystematic Review2026The Illness Narratives of Children and Young People With Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingParents and caregivers tell most stories about children with SMA; children's own voices are rare. Clinicians should ask patients directly, not rely only on parents, and address information, coordination, and treatment-access barriers.
• RNOther2026Developing and Testing Electronic Versions of the Advance QoL Tools for Collecting Self-Reports of Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents With Advanced Cancer.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesChildren and adolescents with cancer found electronic quality-of-life questionnaires easy, clear, quick and motivating, but some preferred paper because typing was hard. Nurses can offer both formats and check timing, setting and ability to self-report.
• RNSystematic Review2026Evidence on the Reasons and Factors Influencing Contraceptive Nonutilization Among Women of Childbearing Age in Suburban Setting in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review.Nursing & health sciencesAcross seven studies, women's contraceptive nonuse was reported alongside fear of side effects, misinformation, partner or cultural pressure, provider attitudes, and access barriers. Nurses in suburban reproductive care can ask about these concerns directly.
• RNCohort2026Evaluation of a Shift Model Doula Program During Labor and Birth at a Large Volume, Safety-Net Teaching Hospital.Journal of midwifery & women's healthIn-hospital doula support was associated with a 31% lower adjusted risk of cesarean birth. NICU admissions were lower (2.8% vs 5.1%), but the study did not show a clear difference. Doulas were accepted 94.7% of times offered.
• PTSLPRNCohort2025Maternal Racial Differences and Socioeconomic Status in Preterm Infant Neurodevelopment, Feeding, and Growth.Nursing researchPreterm infants born to Black mothers had lower birth weight, younger gestational age, and higher neonatal risk scores; ZIP-code poverty, family size, and income were also linked with neurodevelopment, feeding, and growth outcomes.
• RNOther2026Maternal stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A concept analysis.Japan journal of nursing science : JJNSFor NICU nurses, maternal stress includes guilt, feeling stuck and vague anxiety about the future, not only anxiety or depression. Staff communication and support can ease or worsen it, so assessment should cover separation, alarms and parental-role barriers.
• RNCohort2026Validation of a Swahili Pediatric Pain Scale in Tanzania: An Observational Study.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesSwahili instructions for the Facial Pain Scale-Revised and Color Analog Scale accurately measured pain in Tanzanian children. Both scales worked well, but the face scale was preferred by most children and caregivers. Nurses can use these tools to assess pain consistently.
• RNCohort2025Maternal depression over 7 years postpartum: trajectories and multidimensional predictors in a longitudinal cohort study.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Over 7 years, 55.6% of mothers had elevated depression risk at some point, although scores did not change clearly over time. Prenatal symptoms, preterm or low-birth-weight infants, stress, low self-esteem, and marital conflict were linked to risk.
• RNQualitative2026Parents' Experiences of Having an Adolescent With a Mental Disorder Admitted to a Public Hospital's Psychiatric Unit.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingParents of adolescents admitted to a public hospital psychiatric unit in South Africa described grief, anxiety, physical stress, stigma, and feeling unsupported. Prayer and church helped, but they wanted clear information about diagnosis, medication, and discharge.
• RNSurvey2026The Impact of Perceived Stress on Depression Among Caregivers of Children With Enterostomy: The Moderating and Mediating Effects of Resilience and Perceived Social Support.Nursing openCaregivers of children with temporary stomas who felt more stress also reported more depression symptoms. Resilience was linked to part of this connection. Social support was linked to lower depression, but the study cannot show cause.
• RNSurvey2026Synthetic Cannabinoid Use and Sports-Related Concussion Risk Among US Adolescents: Implications for School Health Screening and Prevention.The Journal of school healthUS adolescents who had ever used synthetic cannabinoids were more likely to report a past-year sports-related concussion in a survey sample of 27,482 students. The link remained after accounting for alcohol, marijuana, mood, sleep, and demographics.
• RNNarrative Review2026Monitoring Vaccine Safety: United States Vaccine Safety Surveillance Systems.Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & PractitionersPediatric nurses and nurse practitioners should familiarize themselves with U.S. vaccine safety surveillance systems like V-safe and VAERS to effectively address caregiver concerns and support vaccine confidence.
• RNSurvey2026Families' Perception of Cognitive and Emotional Support From Healthcare Professionals Across the Maternal and Newborn Care Continuum.Nursing in critical careFamilies in Ghana gave maternal and newborn staff an overall support score of 45.3 of 70. Emotional support was rated lower than information, and families wanted clearer updates, inclusion of male partners and family members, and time for discussions.
• RNPilot2026Nurse-Led Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Delivery to Adolescent Girls and Young Women Accessing Family Planning Services: A Pilot Study in Uganda.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACNurses successfully delivered HIV prevention medication alongside contraception to young women in a busy Ugandan clinic. Nearly all eligible participants started treatment immediately, and no one acquired HIV during the six-month follow-up period.
• RNOther2026A Retrospective Linked Data Analysis of Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease Diagnoses in Children Aged Under Five Years in Australia, 2001-2017.The Australian journal of rural healthAcute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease were first diagnosed in 180 Australian children under 5 years. Most were Indigenous or very remote, and only 69.4% were notified to registers, so follow-up and preventive treatment may have been missed.
• RNOther2026Achieving Cancer Prevention Equity: A Policy Analysis of American Cancer Society HPV Vaccination Guidelines.Journal of advanced nursingFragmented US HPV vaccination policy leaves 46 jurisdictions without school-entry mandates, while five mandate jurisdictions exceed 70% coverage. Rural, immigrant, Black and Latino adolescents face lower access despite free vaccine funding.
• RNQualitative2026Mothers' Views on the Use of Oral Glucose for Pain Relief in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.Nursing in critical careMothers of NICU infants saw oral glucose as easy and acceptable when it seemed to relieve pain, but disliked sugar, doubted its effect, and preferred breast milk or parental comfort. They wanted guidance to participate.
• RNSurvey2026Characteristics of Vaccine-Hesitant and Nonhesitant Parents in Italy: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing researchAmong 308 Italian parents, 40 were vaccine-hesitant. Hesitant parents had lower education, health literacy, vaccine literacy and confidence, relied more on television, and 30 had vaccinated but no longer intended to.
• RNQualitative2026'In the Midst of a Thunderstorm': Young People's Experiences of Physical Restraint in Inpatient Mental Health Services in the UK.International journal of mental health nursingYoung people aged 10-13 described inpatient physical restraint as frightening and confusing. Fear built before contact, restraint felt like losing control, and distress lingered afterward, often without helpful debrief.
• RNOther2026Spatial scanning for the identification of risk areas for fetal death: an ecological study in Pernambuco.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PA high-risk cluster in Pernambuco included municipalities in Health Regions V, VI and XI, and also VII in 2018-2022, with 50% higher risk in 2013-2017 and 39% in 2018-2022. Deaths outside health facilities were more frequent later.
• RNQualitative2026Decision-making about breastfeeding: influences of breastfeeding counseling.Revista brasileira de enfermagemFirst-time mothers described nurse-led breastfeeding counseling in rooming-in as practical and emotional support they said helped them feel able to decide and continue breastfeeding. Family pressure toward bottles or pacifiers could still undermine it.
• RNRCT2025Effect of a digital sexual violence prevention education program on digital sexual violence prevention knowledge, self-protection behavior, and digital citizenship among fifth-grade children: a quasi-experimental study.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Fifth-grade students who received four health education sessions about digital sexual violence scored higher on prevention knowledge and confidence to act as bystanders than controls. Self-protection behavior was not shown to improve compared with controls.
• RNQualitative2026Sensitive listening of women-mothers caring for children with cancer about self-care.Revista brasileira de enfermagemSixteen mothers caring for children with cancer described neglecting their own health, feeling anxious, exhausted, and financially strained. They valued faith, family, support networks, and wanted staff to listen and offer psychological support.
• RNQualitative2026Parents' Perspectives of Child-Centred Care: A Qualitative Study With Parents After Paediatric Intensive Care Units Discharge.Nursing in critical careParents after paediatric intensive care discharge said safety came from timely, clear information, continuity with nurses, and a welcoming place to stay. When they felt safe, they could be mentally present and partner in their child's care.
• RNQualitative2026Nurses' Experiences of Caring for Children on Long-Term Mechanical Ventilation.Nursing in critical careNurses on general paediatric wards felt insecure managing children on long-term home ventilation due to unfamiliar equipment and high parental expectations. They relied on parents' expertise to build trust, but struggled when support from specialist teams was unavailable.