How Does Pre-Registration Child Specific Education Prepare Newly Qualified Nurses' to Care for Children, Young People, and Their Families? An Empty Narrative Review.

Abstract

This narrative review investigates the influence of child-specific content within pre-registration nursing programs on newly qualified nurses' perceptions of preparedness to care for children, young people, and their families. Despite international recognition of the specialised competencies required for pediatric nursing, the proportion and quality of child-focused education across Higher Education Institutions is not clear. The Population, Exposure, Outcome framework provided a comprehensive search strategy applied across eight databases to identify relevant studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of 663 records identified, 451 were screened and 25 full texts were assessed for eligibility by two reviewers. No studies met the eligibility criteria, resulting in an empty review. Although no empirical evidence could be synthesized, the absence of eligible studies is itself a notable finding. Empty reviews are becoming increasingly recognized within structured review methodology as scientifically meaningful contributions. An empty review can highlight areas where assumptions are made without evidence and where systematic research is urgently needed. In our review, the lack of studies reveals a critical and previously uncharted gap in the literature. Although authors acknowledge that a strict inclusion criteria may narrow the field for capturing relevant studies. Rather than representing a failure of the review process, the empty review demonstrates that the research question has not been empirically investigated despite longstanding concerns about adequacy of children's nursing education. Empty reviews aid researchers to identify gaps in the evidence base and to identify where research is needed. They can ensure that policy or curriculum reform is not based upon untested beliefs. Empty reviews offer guidance for researchers, educators and healthcare providers on future research. By confirming through a robust and comprehensive search strategy that no eligible evidence exists, this empty review strengthens the case for dedicated studies exploring the relationship between curriculum content and preparedness outcomes. It highlights the need for empirical work before evidence‑based recommendations on child‑specific content can be made. In this sense, the empty review is not a negative result but an important and constructive contribution, drawing attention to a neglected but vital area of nursing education research.