Children living with long-term conditions and their experiences of partnership in nursing care: An integrative systematic review

Aims and Objective To describe the experiences of nursing care and partnership nursing as expressed by children living with long-term conditions. Background Children with long-term conditions have higher rates of hospitalisations and adverse events in hospital, yet little is known about their experiences of nursing care. How children perceive partnership in care with their families and nurses is of interest in the achievement of safe and effective care Design An integrative review following Joanna Briggs Institute protocols for systematic reviews. Method An integrative review was chosen following Joanna Briggs Institute protocols for systematic reviews. A total of 5150 articles were screened, with 251 full-text publications reviewed. A total of 21 studies were included, three mixed-method studies and 18 qualitative studies. This review has been reported as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results Four integrated findings were identified: "Children are aware of their surroundings and needs," "Children value positive communication," "Children want to be recognised as an individual in the triadic relationship, and this can be done through nurses using tailored play;" and "Children seek a shared decision-making process." Discussion Children wanted to be seen as an individual in Children and Young People's nursing as well as a child who craves security, fun and comfort, both from their families and nursing staff. Children described observing partnership between nursing staff and parents but felt uninvolved, with some children craving more knowledge and power to better understand their long-term condition. Relevance to Clinical Practice Further research is required on how Children and Young People's nursing staff can better support children and empower them to be active members in the shared decision-making process if the child wishes to be involved.