Analysis of the effect of continuous care combined with health education on patients with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure in children and their families

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the impact of continuous nursing care combined with health education on severe pneumonia
paediatric cases and their families.
Method: The study was conducted at Children's Health Department of Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, China
from May 2021 to May 2023, and comprised paediatric inpatients of either gender with severe pneumonia that was
complicated by respiratory failure. The subjects were randomly assigned to either intervention group A receiving continuous
nursing care combined with health education, or control group B receiving regular nursing care. Clinical data, such as
symptom relief times, length of hospital stay, medication compliance, blood gas indicators, paediatric critical illness scores,
acute physiology and chronic health evaluation scores, and paediatric quality of life scores, were noted. Data was analysed
using SPSS 21.
Results: Of the 78 patients, 39(50%) were in intervention group A; 23(59%) boys and 16(41%) girls with mean age 3.64±0.53
years and mean disease duration 7.13±1.47 days. The other 39(50%) patients were in control group B; 21(54%) boys and
18(46%) girls with mean age 3.69±0.47 years and mean disease duration 7.23±1.31 days (p>0.05). Group A showed
significantly shorter times for the disappearance of lung rales, hair forceps, dyspnoea, and length of hospital stay compared
to group B (p<0.05). Both groups had significant increase in partial arterial oxygen pressure and blood oxygen saturation
levels and decrease in partial carbon dioxide pressure levels after receiving nursing care (p<0.05). Group A had better
outcomes than group B (p<0.05). Similar outcomes were noted for paediatric critical illness scores, acute physiology and
chronic health evaluation scores, and paediatric quality of life scores (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Continuous care combined with health education significantly reduced symptom relief and hospitalisation
times, improved blood gas indicators and overall health in children with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure. This was
due to better compliance behaviour and health awareness among their families.
Keywords: Continuing care, Health education, Severe pneumonia in children, Respiratory failure.