Safety and protection for hospitalized children: literature review

Abstract

This narrative-descriptive review is about the safety/protection of hospitalized children who, due to their fragility, vulnerability and peculiar growth and development conditions need special attention from health professionals. This study aimed to identify knowledge production on safety, protection and violence to hospitalized children between 1997 and 2007. In total, 15 national and international articles were analyzed, using the key words: hospitalized child, safety, violence and nursing. This qualitative approach enabled the development of four categories: adverse occurrences; medication errors; notification of adverse occurrences; and safety of pediatric patients. Results indicate the need to develop strategies to reduce the probability of these events occurring during children's hospitalization, so that they do not suffer any problem neither violation of their fundamental rights.