Pediatric nurses' stress and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards first-aid for pediatric trauma: a latent profile analysis.

BACKGROUND

To explore the perceived distress and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding first-aid for pediatric trauma among pediatric nurses.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August 2025 at four tertiary hospitals in Henan Province and included pediatric nurses. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) was used to assess perceived distress and perceived coping. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate KAP regarding pediatric trauma first-aid. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was applied to identify distinct stress profiles. KAP scores >70% were considered good.

RESULTS

The study included 472 pediatric nurses. The knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 44 [40,46] (80% of maximum), 35.5 [32,38] (88.8% of maximum), and 29.04 ± 5.81 (72.6% of maximum), respectively, suggesting good KAP. The LPA identified four profiles: Profile 1 (high perceived distress + high perceived coping, 26.48%), Profile 2 (moderate perceived distress + moderate perceived coping, 47.88%), Profile 3 (moderate perceived distress + low perceived coping, 15.25%), and Profile 4 (low perceived distress + moderate perceived coping, 10.38%). The Profile 1 reported the highest perceived distress [24 (23, 25)] and the best perceived coping abilities [15 (13, 17)]. Consequently, this profile consistently scored highest in knowledge [44 (42, 49)] and attitude [37 (33, 39)], suggesting that effective coping mechanisms may buffer the negative effects of high stress.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the diverse stress profiles among pediatric nurses and their associations with pediatric trauma first-aid. The results emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to enhance coping mechanisms. Future training programs should consider stress management strategies alongside skill development.