Nursing diagnoses in children with congenital heart disease: a survival analysis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Nursing Science
• Critical Care

Background:

• Congenital heart disease (CHD) presents complex challenges in pediatric care.
• Hemodynamic alterations are central to the pathophysiology of CHD.
• Effective nursing interventions are vital for managing CHD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific nursing diagnoses and survival rates in pediatric patients diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
• To identify key nursing diagnoses that correlate with varying survival times in neonates and infants with CHD.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 45 children with congenital heart disease.
• Data collected through 270 observations over a 15-day follow-up period.
• Analysis focused on correlating nursing diagnoses with survival outcomes in infants under 4 months.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in mean survival times were observed in infants under 4 months.
• Diagnoses such as impaired gas exchange, ineffective breathing pattern, activity intolerance, delayed growth and development, and decreased cardiac output were associated with survival differences.
• These diagnoses were often identified early in the hospitalization course.

Conclusions:

• Nursing diagnoses related to hemodynamic instability and treatment side effects are critical in CHD management.
• Proactive nursing interventions targeting human responses to hemodynamic alterations are essential for improving survival in children with CHD.
• Early recognition and management of key nursing diagnoses can positively influence patient outcomes.