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Nursing Patient Classification Systems to Assess Pediatric Patients' Nursing Complexity: An Empty Narrative
Roberta Da Rin Della Mora1, Silvia Rossi2, Ilaria Artuso2
1Center for Research in Nursing and Health Professions, Health Professions Direction, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genova, Italy.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Validated nursing patient classification systems (NPCSs) for assessing pediatric patient nursing complexity are lacking. A harmonized definition of nursing complexity is needed to develop effective NPCSs for pediatric care settings.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Science
- Healthcare Management
- Pediatric Care
Background:
- Hospitals are adopting intensity-of-care models for patient allocation.
- Nursing Patient Classification Systems (NPCSs) are crucial for matching patients to appropriate care settings.
- The concept of patient nursing complexity is increasingly relevant in pediatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review validated NPCSs for assessing pediatric patient nursing complexity.
- To identify existing tools and their limitations in pediatric nursing care.
Main Methods:
- A narrative literature review was conducted.
- Searches were performed in PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library.
- Inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied to 498 initially screened papers.
Main Results:
- No studies met the inclusion criteria for validated NPCSs assessing pediatric nursing complexity.
- Papers analyzed revealed a lack of focus on validated systems and a clear definition of complexity in pediatrics.
Conclusions:
- A significant gap exists in validated NPCSs for pediatric nursing complexity.
- The primary barrier is the absence of a shared definition for "nursing complexity of the patient".
- Future research should focus on defining and harmonizing complexity concepts to develop shared NPCSs.
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