Nursing interventions for pediatric patients with cancer and their families: a scoping review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: This scoping review will identify and map available nursing interventions provided by pediatric oncology hospital services to pediatric patients with cancer and/or their family members. The aim is to develop a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of nursing interventions and to identify potential knowledge gaps. INTRODUCTION: Clinical nursing care is an essential part of pediatric oncology. In pediatric oncology nursing research, a shift from explanatory studies to intervention studies is recommended. The body of research on interventions for pediatric oncology patients and their families has grown in recent years. However, there are no reviews on nursing interventions currently available for pediatric oncology. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Studies will be considered for inclusion if they refer to pediatric patients with cancer, and/or family members of a pediatric patient with cancer, who have received non-pharmacological and non-procedural nursing interventions provided by a pediatric oncology hospital service. Studies must also be peer-reviewed, published from the year 2000 onward, and written in English, Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish. METHODS: The review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI guidelines for scoping reviews. A 3-step search strategy will be followed using the PCC mnemonic (Population, Concept, Context). The databases to be searched will include Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, PsyclNFO, and Embase. The identified studies will be screened based on title and abstract, as well as full text, by 2 independent reviewers. Data will be extracted and managed in Covidence. A summary of the results will be presented as a narrative description, supported by tables.

Beyond objective measurements: Danish nurses' identification of hospitalized pediatric patients at risk of clinical deterioration - A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: While the use of Pediatric Track and Trigger Tools as a standard to discriminate high level of urgency in pediatric care has received considerable attention, less focus has been given to other important factors such as nurses' clinical observations and judgement. The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' observational practice and focus on which non-measurable signs and symptoms nurses find important when identifying inpatient pediatric patients at risk of clinical deterioration. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was an inductive qualitative study based on an interpretive description methodology. Data were obtained through participant observation of experienced nurses working in a Danish pediatric unit and focus group interviews with pediatric nurses. Field notes were taken, and focus group interviews were audio taped and transcribed. A thematic text condensation method was used to analyse data. RESULTS: Findings revealed the following four main themes of non-measurable signs and symptoms that nurses find important when identifying children at risk of clinical deterioration: Colour and skin tone; sounds; movement patterns; behavioural signs. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggest that pediatric patients show signs and symptoms that go beyond the objective measurements integrated in Pediatric Track and Trigger Tools and they should not be ignored as they are highly valuable to nurses who are responsible for observing inpatient pediatric patients at risk of clinical deterioration. IMPLICATIONS: More empirical research on nurses' observational practice is recommended, especially research to identify the signs and symptoms - both measurable and non-measurable - that are significant to nurses at the bedside.