Touching without hurting: The relationship between pediatric nurses' liking of children and their attitudes toward atraumatic care
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, cilt.86, ss.674-680, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 86
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.pedn.2025.12.009
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Pediatric Nursing
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, MEDLINE
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.674-680
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Atraumatic care, Liking of children, Nursing care, Pediatric nursing
- Maltepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Aim This study examined the relationship between pediatric nurses' liking of children and their attitudes toward atraumatic care. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design was used with 245 pediatric nurses in Türkiye. Data were collected online between January and March 2025 using the Information Form, Barnett Liking of Children Scale (BLOCS) and Pediatric Atraumatic Care Attitude Scale (PACAS). The sample size was justified by a power analysis (80 % power). Data analysis included Spearman's correlation, linear regression, and non-parametric tests with effect size calculations. Results The mean total BLOCS score of participants was 82.20 ± 15.90, and the mean total PACAS score was 129.83 ± 22.44. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between liking children and atraumatic care attitudes ( r = 0.421, p < .001), explaining 17.7 % of the variance (R2 = 0.177). Nurses with a master's/doctorate degree and those working in pediatric units by their own preference had significantly higher attitude scores ( p < .001) compared to others. Conclusion Pediatric nurses showed generally high levels of liking children and positive attitudes toward atraumatic care. Completing specialization in pediatric nursing and working voluntarily in pediatric clinics positively affected nurses' atraumatic care attitudes and practices. Practice implications Selecting nurses for pediatric clinics who have completed specialization in the field and are willing to work in these units may enhance positive attitudes toward atraumatic care. This approach can strengthen child-centered and sensitive nursing practices, supporting the effective implementation of atraumatic care principles.