Caring for the young

Without the tireless work of nurses, the NHS would collapse. Here, Alison Davies, associate director of professional practice at the Royal College of Nursing, gives an insight into the wide-ranging and vitally important role of the children’s nurse

As every parent or carer knows, the way in which a baby or child presents when unwell can be quite different to when an adult is feeling under the weather.

Babies and children have very specific needs that can be linked to their levels of maturity and development, which means they need particular care and attention to ensure that any illness is spotted early so that the most appropriate treatment can be provided.

This can be especially important when a child is perhaps not mature enough, nor able, to communicate verbally.

Children’s nurses receive high levels of education specifically designed to help establish an in-depth understanding of healthy child development, as well as being able to spot and care for children and young people who are ill.

This includes everything from nursing a sick, premature baby through to a caring for a young person with acute trauma, or supporting children and young people who have a chronic condition.

It can also mean, at times, caring for children and young people who are reaching the end of life. The care and support children’s nurses provide to the wider family at such difficult and challenging times is also a fundamental aspect of caring for children. Children’s nurses can be found in many settings, for example in neonatal units, children’s wards, emergency departments, providing care to children in their own homes and in some schools. Advances in technology and medicine enable more children with chronic conditions to be cared for in the home, allowing them to live more independently with chronic conditions. Children’s nurses also work in hospices

Nand other settings and it is vital that children, young people and their wider families are offered personalised, bespoke support and care. The Nurse Staffing levels Act (Wales) 2016, has enshrined in law the necessity of securing the right number of registered nurses required in some acute adult wards.

This was possible because research has been undertaken in this area showing that the right number of graduate nurses on duty means safer care for patients.

The Royal College of Nursing in Wales is now advocating that the Act be applied to children’s wards as well, which could mean that the scrutiny applied to levels of staffing in other areas could also be applied to children’s wards.

This year’s increase in the number of student children’s nurse places, from 100 in 2016 to 140 in 2017, will go some way to reverse the steady decrease in the numbers of children’s nurses seen over the past few years in Wales.

Year-on-year increases will need to be maintained if health services are to effectively support the health and wellbeing of our children and young people into the future.

The emerging health challenges that are faced by the people of Wales indicate that there will be a growing need for the experience, leadership and clinical expertise offered by children’s nurses.

These high standards of nursing will help support safe, effective and quality care, ultimately maximising the health of our younger generation – who are the future.