nursing and family-centered care and quality of life in children with diabetic kidney disease: a systematic review

Background: recent academic work highlights that combining nursing-based interventions with a family-centered care philosophy can markedly elevate the overall wellbeing of children with diabetic kidney disease (dkd). these care models prioritize developing children's capacity for effective self-management, supporting their emotional and social adjustment, and strengthening general health through active collaboration between families and the healthcare team.objectives: the purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the scientific literature to determine how nursing strategies and family-centered care practices influence quality-of-life outcomes for pediatric patients experiencing diabetic kidney complicationsmethods: a comprehensive search across multiple databases initially identified 1000 studies. after removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 50 articles were reviewed in full; 7 studies met the inclusion criteria and covered research from january 2010 to march 2025. these studies focused on the psychosocial experiences of parents of children undergoing complex medical treatments. two reviewers independently conducted study selection and data extraction. the methodological quality was assessed using the cochrane risk-of-bias tool, the newcastle–ottawa scale, and the critical appraisal skills programme (casp) checklist. findings from qualitative and quantitative studies were integrated through interpretive thematic synthesis.results: studies consistently reported that family-centered care improves multiple domains of children's wellbeing, including physical functioning, psychological health, and social interaction. nursing interventions contributed to stabilizing fluid and electrolyte status, ensuring adequate nutritional intake and developmental progress, preventing clinical complications, and providing ongoing emotional and educational support to both children and their caregivers.conclusions: evidence suggests that nursing approaches grounded in family participation significantly enhance the quality of life (qol) of children coping with dkd. such care models not only strengthen physiological health but also foster emotional stability and broader psychosocial resilience in young patients facing long-term medical conditions.