The Impact of Integrated Nursing Interventions on Rehabilitation Outcomes for Children With Severe Pneumonia in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND

Paediatric severe pneumonia is a major cause of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions. This review evaluates the extent that integrated nursing care, a comprehensive strategy that combines family-centred, psychosocial and routine interventions, benefits children with severe pneumonia. Integrated nursing care may enhance recovery by reducing fever, cough and hospital stay while improving lung function and quality of life.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of integrated nursing interventions in improving rehabilitation outcomes in paediatric severe pneumonia patients admitted to paediatric intensive care units.

STUDY

DESIGN

Systematic searches of PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were used to find relevant research studies, which were then evaluated based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Then, meta-analysis assessing nursing interventions for paediatric severe pneumonia was conducted. Key outcomes included fever reduction, cough alleviation, shorter hospital stays and improvements in lung function and quality of life. The impact of interdisciplinary collaboration and family-centred care was also examined.

RESULTS

Six studies involving paediatric patients with severe pneumonia were included. With a pooled mean difference of -1.764 (95% CI: -2.126 to -1.402; p < 0.001), a meta-analysis revealed that integrated nursing care significantly improved clinical outcomes and expedited symptom resolution. When compared to standard care, integrated nursing interventions considerably reduced hospital stays, cough relief times and fever duration.

CONCLUSION

Integrated nursing care improves recovery in paediatric severe pneumonia patients in PICUs. However, further research is needed to standardise nursing intervention protocols and optimise implementation across diverse healthcare settings.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This review highlights the importance of structured nursing interventions, interdisciplinary teamwork and family-centred care in paediatric severe pneumonia management. Continuous nursing education is crucial for sustaining high-quality care and improving patient outcomes.