Pediatric nurses' stress and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards first-aid for pediatric trauma: a...

To explore the perceived distress and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding first-aid for pediatric trauma among pediatric nurses.

A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August 2025 at four tertiary hospitals in Henan Province and included pediatric nurses. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) was used to assess perceived distress and perceived coping. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate KAP regarding pediatric trauma first-aid. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was applied to identify distinct stress profiles. KAP scores >70% were considered good.

The study included 472 pediatric nurses. The knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 44 [40,46] (80% of maximum), 35.5 [32,38] (88.8% of maximum), and 29.04 ± 5.81 (72.6% of maximum), respectively, suggesting good KAP. The LPA identified four profiles: Profile 1 (high perceived distress + high perceived coping, 26.48%), Profile 2 (moderate perceived distress + moderate perceived coping, 47.88%), Profile 3 (moderate perceived distress + low perceived coping, 15.25%), and Profile 4 (low perceived distress + moderate perceived coping, 10.38%). The Profile 1 reported the highest perceived distress [24 (23, 25)] and the best perceived coping abilities [15 (13, 17)]. Consequently, this profile consistently scored highest in knowledge [44 (42, 49)] and attitude [37 (33, 39)], suggesting that effective coping mechanisms may buffer the negative effects of high stress.

This study highlights the diverse stress profiles among pediatric nurses and their associations with pediatric trauma first-aid. The results emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to enhance coping mechanisms. Future training programs should consider stress management strategies alongside skill development.