Nurse–Parent Partnership in Pediatric Settings: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors associated with nurse–parent partnerships in pediatric settings and examine the elements involved in their formation based on national and international literature. The findings aim to inform future research directions.Methods: A scoping review was conducted in February 2025 following established methodological frameworks. Studies published in English or Korean were searched across electronic databases, including RISS, KMbase, KoreaMed, NDSL, DBpia, PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Web of Science. In total, 912 records were identified, and 35 were included in the final analysis.Results: Most studies were descriptive in design and were published after 2016, with a predominance of research conducted in South Korea. Nurse-related factors, including self-efficacy, emotional labor, emotional intelligence, communication competence, and clinical decision-making, were associated with nurse–parent partnerships. Parent-related factors were relatively limited. Researchers reported significant correlations between several variables, including nursing professionalism, intention to stay, and fatigue, and nurse–parent partnerships. Outcomes associated with nurse–parent partnerships included quality of care, job satisfaction, job stress, and nursing competence. Parent-related outcomes included anxiety, parental satisfaction, self-efficacy, and readiness for discharge. The major elements of partnership formation included respect, communication, information sharing, emotional support, individualized care, and parental participation.Conclusion: Future research should expand experimental studies to promote nurse–parent partnerships. Researchers should include parents in future studies given their significance in pediatric settings. Additional research is needed to identify antecedent and outcome factors by incorporating a broader range of related variables.