Research priorities for children's nursing in Ireland: a Delphi study

This paper is a report of a study which identified research priorities for children's nursing in an acute care setting in Ireland. A limited number of studies have examined research priorities for children's nursing. This study was undertaken against the backdrop of significant proposed changes to the delivery of children's healthcare. A three round Delphi survey design was used to identify and rate the importance of research priorities for children's nursing. In round I participants were asked to identify five of the most important research priorities for children's nursing. Participants in round II were asked to rate the importance of each research priority on a 7-point Likert scale. In round III participants were presented with the mean score of each research priority from the second questionnaire, and again asked to consider the importance of each topic on a 7-point Likert scale. The aim was to reach consensus on the priorities. The top three priorities identified were recognition and care of the deteriorating child, safe transfer of the critically ill child between acute health care facilities, and the child and family's perceptions of care at end-of life. The wide variation of priorities reflects the scope of care delivery of children's nurses and mirrors many global care concerns in caring for children.