Clinical
Our clinical nursing articles aim to inform and educate nurse practitioners and students. This is achieved through the publication of peer-reviewed, evidence-based, relevant and topical articles.
Protecting the integrity of children and young people’s nursing as a distinct field of...
Why you should read this article: • To understand the importance of recognising the specific healthcare needs of children and young people • To be aware of the concerns that have been raised in response to the potential move towards a generalist approach in nursing • To learn about some of the suggestions for protecting the field of children and young people’s nursing and optimising care for this patient group At certain points in nursing history, it has been necessary to make a case for children and young people to be cared for by specialist nurses educated to meet their specific needs. However, in 2018 the updated Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards of proficiency for registered nurses adopted a generic rather than field-specific approach. This article reiterates that children, young people and their families have unique needs that are best met by nurses who are trained specifically to care for them. The case is made from a historical and legal perspective, concluding with a proposal that in the best interests of children, young people and their families, the NMC should embed specific competencies for children’s nurses into its standards of proficiency to future-proof this field of practice.
After COVID-19: preparing staff for future surges in respiratory illness in children...
Why you should read this article: • To learn about a project that aimed to support teams caring for children and young people to reflect on their experiences and the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic • To recognise the need to ensure staff are adequately prepared to manage any future surges in respiratory illness effectively • To be aware of the potential long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on emotional health and well-being The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was a challenging experience for children and young people’s services, and the workforce. The Valuing All Staff Together programme was a one-year project hosted by the North West Paediatric Critical Care, Surgery in Children, Long Term Ventilation Operational Delivery Network to support teams caring for children and young people to reflect on their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an online survey, focus groups and interviews, it gave staff the opportunity to explore and understand the effects of the pandemic and the subsequent surge in demand, including how these affected services and the emotional health and well-being of staff. This would enable better preparation for future surges in respiratory illness in terms of learning, training and development. This article describes the programme’s aim, method and findings, and the main recommendations for practice.
Care of an infant born with a cleft palate: a case study
Nurses should work in close partnership with the family and the multidisciplinary team
Nasogastric tube safety in children cared for in the community: evidence re-examined
A revised approach is proposed in which nurses can use checks other than nasogastric aspirate pH testing
App for non-mental health nurses to assess needs, risks of children and young people
Overview of project to develop app to assess mental health needs, risks of children and young people
Oral and dental health promotion for children’s nurses
Opportunistic dental advice should be provided to help prevent early onset dental disease
Supporting children, young people and families to self-manage atopic eczema
Learn about strategies nurses can use to help families manage atopic eczema
Central precocious puberty: assessment and diagnosis
Testing and diagnosis in children and how to approach the decision to treat
Exploring the implementation of key nursing roles in children’s cardiac services
This study informed RCN guidance for career pathways and competences that reflect changing needs
Food allergy: a proposed new tool to help children and young people self-manage
Advice on guiding discussions on food allergy management with patients and families
Evaluation of an independent domestic violence advocate post in a children’s hospital
Findings from having a pilot domestic violence advocate post based in a children’s hospital
Developing a nurse-led salbutamol weaning pathway for asthma or viral-induced wheeze
Pathway improved confidence in nurses’ ability to provide care for children and young people