Nursing Leadership for Child Rights Protection and Ethical Practice in Pediatric Care: A Systematic Review

Maria  Mubarak; Amjad  Ali; Pranika  Davi; Haseeba  Iqbal; Fahad  Aftab

doi:10.63056/

Authors

Maria Mubarak BSN, Nursing Lecturer at Shalamar Nursing College, Lahore, Pakistan Author
Amjad Ali MSN, BSN, Assistant Professor at Shalamar Nursing College, Lahore, Pakistan Author
Pranika Davi BSN, Nurses Team Leader, Gynae OPD at Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan Author
Haseeba Iqbal PostRN (BSN), Clinical lecturer at Shalamar Nursing College, Lahore, Pakistan Author
Fahad Aftab BSN, Senior Clinical lecturer at Shalamar Nursing College, Lahore, Pakistan Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63056/

Keywords:

Nursing leadership, child rights, ethical practice, pediatric care, child protection, systematic review

Abstract

Background: Nursing leadership plays a pivotal role in safeguarding child rights and promoting ethical practice in pediatric care. While evidence supports the positive influence of nurse leaders at individual and organizational levels, less is known about their impact on broader systemic outcomes such as child protection and health equity.

Objective: To synthesize existing evidence on the role of nursing leadership in child rights protection and ethical practice within pediatric care.

Methods: A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature was conducted across major databases. Eligible studies included those addressing nurse leadership interventions, advocacy, or ethical practices in child protection and pediatric healthcare. Data were analyzed thematically to identify trends, methodological gaps, and context-specific challenges.

Results: From 1,236 records screened, 27 studies were included, representing diverse global contexts and study designs, with qualitative research most common. Findings consistently showed that nursing leadership strengthened safeguarding practices, improved recognition and reporting of abuse, and promoted ethical decision-making. Nurse-led advocacy and training increased reporting in low-resource settings, while transformational and ethical leadership fostered dignity and informed consent in higher-resource contexts. Thematic synthesis highlighted three domains: advocacy and policy influence, ethical leadership, and capacity building. However, systemic-level outcomes such as national child abuse reduction and health equity remain underexplored.

Conclusion: This study confirms nursing leadership as central to safeguarding child rights and promoting ethical pediatric care through advocacy, role modeling, and education. Despite gaps in evaluation and evidence from low-resource settings, strengthening leadership capacity remains critical for influencing policy, fostering ethical climates, and improving global child health outcomes.