Slide 1

Back to the future: A celebration of 25 years of Children and Young Peoples Nursing Setting the scene Sue Burr, OBE, FRCN The voice of nursing in the UK Slide 2 The further back we can look, the further forward we can see Winston Churchill Looking back . Slide 3 Change from Practice based on tradition Parents excluded and received little information The voice of the child ignored Nurses worked in isolation Organisations interested in child health worked in isolation Childrens nurses rarely involved in influencing policy Childrens services commonly mixed with adult services in adult focused NHS Evidence based practice Parents as partners in care Children and young people listened to Working with children/young people and families within a multidisciplinary team Organisations interested in child health work co-operatively Childrens nurses influencing policy at local, national and international level Comprehensive child/young person focused services more commonly available Slide 4 Change from Facilities/routines designed for adults as children viewed as small adults Inpatient care Long stay in hospital common Medical model of care Majority of staff very limited training in the specific needs of children and young people Very limited educational and career opportunities for childrens nurses Children viewed as property Child focused facilities and routines Nursing care provided in a variety of settings in the community Short stay with higher acuity Health model of care Majority of staff educated in needs of children/young people more common Vastly improved educational and career opportunities for childrens nurses Children viewed as individuals with rights Slide 5 Slide 6 Childrens nurses had to quickly learn how to utilise all the benefits of being within the organisation The voice of nursing in the UK Slide 7 The mechanisms used included: Unity across the childrens nursing groups Identifying evidence and using it Knowing the mechanisms of influence and using them Establishing and maintaining a network of credible contacts and alliances Promoting co-operative working and knowing the power bases Identifying and utilising opportunities Slide 8 A strong voice for children and young people Unity between RCN childrens nursing groups Working with other organisations Working with Government Slide 9 Evidence to influence policy Evidence extremely limited so Government Guidance Documents were utilised Slide 10 Evidence & Guidance As real evidence was limited Government Documents were a rare source of guidance to good practice Recommendations Children should not be admitted to hospital unless appropriate care could not be given in the community Parents should be able to visit their child freely and stay with children under 5 years The ward sister should hold the RSCN qualification Adolescent wards should be established for young people Platt (1951) Slide 11 First RCN publication A real influence and impact on the care of children and young people Slide 12 The Department of Health Documents 1991 Welfare of Children and Young People in Hospital 1996 Child Health in the Community: A Guide to Good Practice 1996 Charter for Services for Children & Young People Slide 13 Government Reports of Inquiries 1994 Report of the Allitt Inquiry: an independent inquiry relating to deaths and injuries on a childrens ward during the period February to April 1991 2001 The Report of the Public Inquiry into Childrens Heart Surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary Slide 14 Publicising Evidence and Guidance RCN Documents Philosophy of Care for Nursing Children Philosophy of Care for Adolescents Standards of Care: Paediatric Nursing Slide 15 Slide 16 Identifying & Utilising Opportunities Slide 17 Education is the key to knowledgeable and safe practitioners Influencing Government and statutory bodies Degrees in Childrens Nursing Slide 18 International Influence International Council of Nurses (ICN) International Paediatric organisations Slide 19 Reflecting on the last 25 years Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm R. Emerson Slide 20 Congratulations on the 25 th Anniversary of the RCN Children and Young Peoples Forums and Groups. Enjoy your celebratory conference and reflect on how much you have achieved over the 25 years Hilary Herron, Former Chair of the Society of Paediatric Nursing