Wireless monitoring devices in hospitalized children: a scoping review

The purpose of this study is to provide a structured overview of existing wireless monitoring technologies for hospitalized children. A systematic search of the literature published after 2010 was conducted in Medline, Embase, Scielo, Cochrane, and Web of Science. Two investigators independently reviewed articles to determine eligibility for inclusion. Information on study type, hospital setting, number of participants, use of a reference sensor, type and number of vital signs monitored, duration of monitoring, type of wireless information transfer, and outcomes of the wireless devices was extracted. A descriptive analysis was applied. Of the 1130 studies identified from our search, 42 met eligibility for subsequent analysis. Most included studies were observational studies with sample sizes of 50 or less published between 2019 and 2022. Common problems pertaining to study methodology and outcomes observed were short duration of monitoring, single focus on validity, and lack information on wireless transfer and data management. Conclusion: Research on the use of wireless monitoring for children in hospitals has been increasing in recent years but often limited by methodological problems. More rigorous studies are necessary to establish the safety and accuracy of novel wireless monitoring devices in hospitalized children. What is Known: • Continuous monitoring of vital signs using wired sensors is the standard of care for hospitalized pediatric patients. However, the use of wires may pose significant challenges to optimal care. What is New: • Interest in wireless monitoring for hospitalized pediatric patients has been rapidly growing in recent years. • However, most devices are in early stages of clinical testing and are limited by inconsistent clinical and technological reporting.