an investigation of pediatric nursing theses and dissertations (2000–2021): a descriptive study

Theses and dissertations serve as foundational sources for supporting research findings and advancing knowledge within a profession. this study aims to analyze the key characteristics of master’s and doctoral theses in pediatric nursing, along with their derived publications, between 2000 and 2021. this descriptive study analyzed all available msc and phd theses in pediatric nursing at the university of baghdad, college of nursing, from 2000 to 2021. a structured checklist tool was utilized to examine the main characteristics of 145 theses. data were analyzed using inferential statistical methods. the study revealed a notable increase in completed theses after 2011. the theses were classified into five thematic categories, with child and family health emerging as the most prominent theme. regarding study designs, quasi-experimental (40%) and descriptive designs (33.1%) were the most frequently employed. of the defended theses, 52.4% resulted in published articles. pediatric nursing theses need to prioritize diverse research topics, increase he application of theoretical frameworks, and encourage researchers to publish their findings to advance evidence-based practice in the field.