The Role of Nurses Caring for Children Diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia and Their Families in a Hospital Setting: A Rapid Review of the Recent Literature.

Freitas, Eduarda; Loura, David; Inês, Mariana; Martins, Carla; Duarte, Inês

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.17/5154

Use this identifier to reference this record.

Name:	Description:	Size:	Format:
HealthCare 2025_413.pdf		875.81 KB	Adobe PDF	Download

Send Feedback

Authors

Abstract(s)

: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) affects a significant number of children worldwide, for whom the progression of the disease can lead to functional disability-impaired development. Nurses are pivotal in providing holistic care to these children and their families. This review aims to identify recent evidence on the role of nurses in intervening with children with SCA and their families in a hospital setting. : A rapid review reported under the PRISMA methodology was carried out in the CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus databases with the expression (sickle cell anemia OR sickle cell disease) AND (child* OR family OR pediatric*) AND (nurs* OR "nursing interventions" OR "pediatric nursing") AND (hospital*), considering studies between 2019 and 2024, written in English, identifying articles with insights about the role of nurses in this context. Articles other than primary or secondary studies were excluded. Data were analyzed through a rapid qualitative approach. : Fifty-two studies were identified and seventeen articles were included. The nurse's role is key and multidisciplinary, focusing on the child and family (care management and therapeutic education), the team (training, and the promotion of safety and quality of care), and the health system (optimizing access to care and promoting adequate resources for its implementation). Such a role is important for short-term clinical problems and to prevent long-term complications. : Nurses play a central role in empowering families and coordinating multidisciplinary care. Greater investment is needed at a clinical level, through a more effective response to the needs of these patients, and in research, through experimental studies and other designs focused on multidisciplinary interventions.