An intestinal stoma is a common surgical procedure performed to divert fecal flow in children with bowel obstruction or intestinal malformations, which can significantly affect the physical and emotional well-being of children and their parents. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of multimedia educational interventions on quality of life and self-care efficacy among parents of children with intestinal stomas. This systematic review and meta-analysis will include quantitative studies (randomized controlled trials) involving the parents of children with intestinal stomas. Eligible studies must evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions for intestinal stomas on parents’ quality of life and self-care efficacy. Primary studies will be obtained through systematic searches from various electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, without restrictions on publication date or publication status. Studies published in English will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen the studies for eligibility, assess the risk of bias, and extract and validate the data. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion and consensus with a third reviewer. The narrative synthesis will summarize the characteristics and findings of the included studies. A random-effects meta-analysis will be conducted where appropriate using standardized mean differences and corresponding standard deviations. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses will be performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. Certainty of the evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
Introduction Intestinal stomas are elective or life-saving surgical procedures performed for various medical reasons. A colostomy is an opening created in the large intestine to divert fecal flow away from an obstructed region, and it is sometimes required in children. This review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the colostomy care knowledge and skills of parents of children living with a colostomy. Method This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A comprehensive literature search was performed across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, ClinicalKey, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently conducted data extraction and assessed the risk of bias; discrepancies between these reviewers were referred to the third author. For each study, mean differences and corresponding weights were calculated using the standardized mean difference (SMD), adjusted for the standard deviation. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models, and statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic. Result A total of six studies were included for systematic review and meta-analysis, representing diverse populations from various countries. The sample sizes of primary studies ranged from 30 to 100 participants, with parents aged between 21 and 40 years. Geographically, India reported five studies, followed by Egypt with four and Iran with one study. The meta-analysis indicated that colostomy care education intervention significantly enhanced the knowledge and practice skills of parents by 5.2 times and 3.07-fold. Conclusion This review highlights the significant impact of colostomy care education interventions on parents, enabling them to provide independent colostomy care in their home settings. These findings underscore the need for stakeholders, policymakers, and healthcare professionals to ensure that primary caregivers receive comprehensive education on home-based colostomy care prior to hospital discharge.
Short bowel syndrome in children, most commonly following extensive intestinal resection, results in intestinal failure and prolonged dependence on parenteral nutrition. Achieving enteral autonomy—sustained nutritional independence through enteral feeding—is a primary goal to reduce complications, support growth and development, and improve quality of life. Pediatric surgical nurses play a central role in coordinating seamless hospital-to-home transitions through structured family-centered education, nurse-coordinated home monitoring, and collaborative feeding adjustments. This continuity of care article synthesizes evidence-based strategies from multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation guidelines and codifies practical nursing practices that support informational, relational, and management continuity. Emphasis is placed on nurse-facilitated home monitoring protocols for intestinal adaptation, incremental feeding advancement, and early complication recognition. Common barriers, including caregiver burden and resource limitations, are addressed, and the potential role of telehealth in sustaining community-based care is explored. This nurse-coordinated model strengthens holistic pediatric surgical nursing practice across hospital, home, and community settings.
