2025 Volume 34 Pages 43-51
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to understand the impenetrability of children’s self-care agency and the nursing care that promotes this agency, as perceived by nurses in a pediatric intensive care setting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 nurses, and the results were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. According to the findings, nurses perceive that, due to sedation, unstable conditions, and factors specific to the pediatric intensive care setting, the [impenetrability of children’s self-care agency is amplified]. Despite this perceived impenetrability, nurses strive to identify and affirm children’s self-care agency to [foster the power of living without frequent exhaustion], [prevent the negative effects of illness and treatment and support necessary development and daily life], and [draw out children’s self-care agency during recovery as per the conditions and needs of the children]. Moreover, the study revealed that, as a result of nursing care, changes in children’s self-care agency can be identified. Nursing interventions that enhance children’s self-care agency [foster children’s power of living and help them progress toward recovery].
