Utilizing complementary therapy to enhance quality of life and reduce stress and fatigue in pediatric cancer patients.

The international scientific literature presents still incipient results regarding the management of cancer symptom clusters by oncology nursing, especially in pediatric oncology. This is a promising field of investigation for clinical nurses and researchers, and when it is subsidized by medium-range theories, they corroborate the diagnoses and interventions of nursing in oncology, enhancing the science of nursing care. This minireview article aims to discuss the utilizing the hospital clowns as a complementary therapy, to enhance quality of life and reduce stress and fatigue in pediatric cancer patients.

Knowledge and experience of Primary Education teachers regarding childhood asthma: mixed study.

Objective: To analyze the knowledge of Primary Education teachers regarding asthma and learn about their experiences with the exacerbation of symptoms at school.

Method: Sequential explanatory mixed study. In the quantitative stage, the Newcastle Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire and the characterization instrument were applied.

Parent and staff perceptions of patient and family-centred care in a Brazilian paediatric's hospital: Quantitative study.

Background: Patient and family-centred care (PFCC) is a healthcare model has been acknowledged as the central pillar in the paediatric health care that recognizes the family's role and experience in the health care delivery.

Aims: This study investigated and compared the perception of PFCC from the perspective of staff and parents of hospitalized children and adolescents.

Methods: A quantitative and comparative cross-sectional survey was used in a convenience sample of 105 staff and 116 parents, who completed the Brazilian versions of the Perceptions of Family Centred Care-Parent and Staff questionnaires, with additional questions on their characteristics.

Health Policies for Rare Disease Patients: A Scoping Review.

Objective: To identify and map the available evidence on the implementation of public health policies directed at individuals with rare diseases, and to compare the implementation of these health policies between Brazil and other countries.

Method: A scoping review guided by the PRISMA-ScR and JBI checklists. The search for articles was conducted in eight electronic databases, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and LILACS, using controlled descriptors, synonyms, and keywords combined with Boolean operators.

Biomarkers of stress in caregivers of children with special health care needs: A protocol for systematic review.

Background: Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) require greater attention from family caregivers as they present temporary or permanent physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional issues. This demand for care generates overload and stress among family caregivers. So far, there is no study that gathers the available literature regarding the use of biomarkers to assess stress among caregivers of CSHCN.

Cost-effectiveness of home care services versus hospital care for pediatric patients worldwide: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite the expansion of home care services (HCS) in several countries, there is still a need to systematically investigate the available evidence on the cost-effectiveness of this type of service compared to hospital care in the world, particularly for the pediatric population. Hence, we aimed to systematically synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of HCS versus in-hospital services worldwide.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols.

Essential core competencies for scope of practice of paediatric oncology nurses in Latin America: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Nurses comprise the largest group of health workers globally and are essential to the provision of care necessary for delivering curative therapy to children with cancer. In high-income countries, previous studies of the nurse workforce have shown an association between patient morbidity and mortality and nursing-related factors such as staffing, education and the nursing practice environment. There is currently limited evidence available to define the scope of essential core competencies for paediatric oncology nursing (PON) practice internationally and specifically in Latin America.

Telehealth in outpatient care for children and adolescents with chronic conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Outpatient care for children and adolescents with chronic conditions needs to be continuous and programmed, encompassing comprehensive care, with periodically scheduled consultations, exams, and procedures, to promote quality of life and reduce mortality. In the context of the new coronavirus pandemic, however, outpatient care for children and adolescents with chronic conditions, in person, was hampered in favor of social isolation, a necessary sanitary measure to reduce and prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019. In response to this need, studies suggest telehealth in pediatrics as a fertile and expanding field especially in times of pandemics.

Effectiveness of hospital clowns for symptom management in paediatrics: systematic review of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials.

Objective: To evaluate evidence from randomised controlled trials and non-randomised controlled trials on the effectiveness of hospital clowns for a range of symptom clusters in children and adolescents admitted to hospital with acute and chronic conditions.

Design: Systematic review of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials.

Data Sources: Medline, ISI of Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Science Direct, Scopus, American Psychological Association PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature.

Nurses' Perspectives on Acquiring Play-Based Competence Through an Online Course: A Focus Group Study in Brazil.

Purpose: The main stage of developing an educational health technology is meeting the expectations of users. Nurses in Brazil can benefit from online training about therapeutic play interventions. This study identified the learning demands of nurses for acquiring competence in the use of therapeutic play to build an online course.

Fertility-Related Concerns and Uncertainties in Adolescent and Young Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors.

This study aimed to uncover the fertility-related concerns and uncertainties in adolescent and young adult (AYA) childhood cancer survivors. In this qualitative study, participants were recruited from an oncohematology outpatient clinic at a university hospital in Brazil. Twenty-four AYA cancer survivors, aged 18- 24 years (13 men and 11 women), participated in individual semistructured interviews focusing on two parts-sociodemographic and clinical variables and guiding questions that enabled understanding of the concerns and uncertainties regarding the risks of infertility and their impact on relationships and the need for guidance.

Effectiveness of mass testing for control of COVID-19: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak has been deemed a pandemic by the WHO, the SARS-CoV-2 spreading has been the focus of attention of scientists, authorities, public health agencies and communities around the world. One of the great concerns and challenges, mainly in low-income and middle-income countries, is the identification and monitoring of COVID-19 cases. The large-scale availability of testing is a fundamental aspect of COVID-19 control, but it is currently the biggest challenge faced by many countries around the world.

Influence of health care practices on the burden of caregiver mothers.

Objectives: to explore the influence of health care practices on the burden of caregiver mothers of children with special health needs.

Methods: observational, analytical, cross-sectional, quantitative study. Participation of 100 caregiver mothers, who responded the following instruments: characterization instrument; Burden Interview for Informal Caregivers; Perceptions of Family-Centered Care - Parents version; Evaluation Instrument for Primary Care - Child Version.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of young people and adults: a systematic review protocol of observational studies.

Introduction: Since the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, the spread of the new coronavirus has been the focus of attention of scientists, governments and populations. One of the main concerns is the impact of this pandemic on health outcomes, mainly on mental health. Even though there are a few empirical studies on COVID-19 and mental health, so far, there is no systematic review about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health of young people and adults yet.

A Fun Way to Learn About Diabetes: Using Therapeutic Play in a Brazilian Camp.

Purpose: Understanding disease mechanisms inside the body is crucial to engage youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in self-care behaviors. This study describes how Instructional Therapeutic Play (ITP) group sessions held by nurses in a Brazilian camp can enhance youth's understanding about T1D.

Design And Methods: Youth with T1D participated in video recorded ITP group sessions guided by the Sensitive Creative Method.

Pain, sleep patterns and health-related quality of life in paediatric patients with cancer.

Purpose: To compare sleep and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents with cancer who had pain, with those who had no pain during hospitalisation.

Method: A prospective comparative study was used to collect data from paediatric oncology units in three countries (Portugal, Brazil, USA). Participants (n = 118; 8-18 years) completed the Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Cancer module, which includes a pain subscale, and wore a wrist actigraph for at least 72 hr.

Systematic review protocol examining the effectiveness of hospital clowns for symptom cluster management in paediatrics.

Introduction: Clown intervention may playing an important complementary role in paediatric care and recovery. However, data on its utility for symptom cluster management of hospitalised children and adolescents in acute and chronic disorders are yet to be critically evaluated. As clinicians strive to minimise the psychological burden during hospitalisation, it is important that they are aware of the scientific evidences available regarding clown intervention for symptom management.

Factors associated with family risk of children with special health care needs.

Objective: To identify the factors associated with family risk of children with special health care needs.

Methods: Bicentric study, with a cross-sectional design and a quantitative approach, with family caregivers of children with special health care needs. Instruments were applied to obtain a sociodemographic characterization, and identify and classify the family risk.

Fatigue and health related quality of life in children and adolescents with cancer.

Purpose: The study examined the different dimensions of fatigue (general, sleep/rest, cognitive), health related quality of life (HRQL) (physical, emotional, cognitive, social), and the relationships between fatigue and HRQL in hospitalized children and adolescents with cancer in Brazil.

Method: Participants were recruited from a pediatric oncology inpatient unit in a comprehensive cancer care hospital in southeast Brazil. They completed the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale and the PedsQL Inventory of Quality of Life (Generic and Cancer module) once during hospitalization.

Translational research and symptom management in oncology nursing.

In recent years, translational research (TR) has become a new approach for bridging basic research and clinical practice. This article examines studies in which the authors used TR to learn more about the underlying causes of selected symptoms, and to discuss these results in the context of cancer nursing and symptom management. A literature review was undertaken, plus critical analysis of the authors.

[Factors associated with involuntary hospital admissions in technology-dependent children].

Objective: To identify the factors associated with involuntary hospital admissions of technology-dependent children, in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil.

Method: A cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach. After an active search, 124 children who qualified under the inclusion criteria, that is to say, children from birth to age 12, were identified.

Children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease in haemodialysis: perception of professionals.

Objective: to identify aspects impacting on quality of life for children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, from the perspective of health professionals, as an essential step for the construction of a specific module of the DISABKIDS® instrument.

Method: methodological study. Data was collected between May and June 2012, through personal interviews with 12 participants, in two dialysis centers.

[Theory of unpleasant symptoms: support for the management of symptoms in children and adolescents with cancer].

Objective: To present an overview of the clusters of neuropsychological symptoms in children and adolescents with cancer from the perspective of the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms.

Methods: A theoretical and reflective study based on international literature and the critical analysis of the authors.

Results: In scientific literature, there is scarcity of international studies and an absence of studies in Brazil regarding the neuropsychological symptom clusters in children and adolescents with cancer.

The family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care: fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses.

Objectives: to understand the family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care and building a representative theoretical model of the process experienced by the family.

Methodology: for this purpose the Symbolic Interactionism and the Theory Based on Data were used. Fifteen families with kids and/or teenagers in palliative care were interviewed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews.