5.8.2 The challenges of nursing children with complex physical healthcare needs in the community: The views of professionals (274)

Owen Barr, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Ulster, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Co authors: Roy McConkey & Rosario Baxter o.barr@ulster.ac.uk

Abstract:

Background:

In Northern Ireland there are approximately 250 children who have are life threatening or technology dependent conditions now being cared for at home. Developments in medical treatment and nursing interventions have contributed to considerably increasing life expectancy of these children. The effective delivery of care to such children and their families can present a major challenge to community services (Heaton et al., 2005).

Aim;

This project aimed to provide opportunities for nurses and other professionals to share their experiences, successes and challenges in caring for children with complex physical health care needs.

Methods:

Four focus groups involving a total of 51 participants where held across Northern Ireland during December 2006. Two groups involved community nurses only and the other two were interdisciplinary in composition. Thematic content analysis of data was undertaken independently by the three researchers involved in the project and the five main themes were agreed (Newell and Burnard 2006).

Results:

Five main themes were identified were:

The need for increased co-ordination at local and regional levels.
The need for equity in service provision across the region.
Developments in respite care provision.
The need for a coordinated approach to the provision of education.
The need to hear the views of children and their families.

Discussion:

Policy drivers, together with a growing body research evidence emphasise that children with complex physical healthcare needs should when possible be cared for in their family and included in their community (McConkey et al., 2007). If these objectives community nursing and hospital services need to plan more effectively together to support children at home and work collaboratively with schools to facilitate their access to education.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study highlight the need for hospital and community services to work more closely with children and their families.

Biography:

Owen commenced his nursing career at Altnagelvin Area Hospital in 1981 were he completed is Registered General Nurse education, he went on to undertake his registered Nurse Learning Disability education in Exeter in 1984, followed by his returning his Community Nursing Course at the Eastern Area College of Nursing in 1989. Owen worked in a number of hospital and community nursing posts in learning disability services in England and Northern Ireland before entering nurse education before entering nurse education in 1990. He is a graduate of the University of Ulster, with a BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing, an MSc Guidance and Counselling and successfully completed his PhD in 2005. Owen entered the University of Ulster in 1994 and was appointed as a Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Nursing Research and School of Nursing in September 2004. Owen has written widely about services for people with learning disabilities, support for the families of people with learning disabilities, supporting people receiving personal genetic information and the health of people with learning disabilities. Owen is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Disabilities.