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In brief Updated guidance on making decisions about cardiopulmonary resuscitation has been produced by the Resuscitation Council (UK), RCN and the British Medical Association. Guidance from 2007, known as the Joint Statement, has been revised and contains a section on children and young people aged under 18 years. It emphasises the need to involve families and take account of children’s views whenever possible. A campaign to raise awareness about bronchiolitis has been launched by the charity Bliss. Posters and leaflets for the More than a Cold campaign are available for nurses, GPs and health visitors. More information at www.morethanacold.co.uk The RCN has produced a toolkit on mental health in children and young people aimed at non-mental health professionals. It includes information on common mental health problems and the skills nurses need. Visit www.rcn.org.uk/publications Consultant nurse for children with complex care needs David Widdas (pictured, centre) has scooped the Impact in Child Health award run by the charity WellChild. His work has been incorporated in training and research locally and nationally, including developing an innovative online master’s degree programme for children’s complex and palliative care including a module run in a 3D virtual town. The South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust nurse met Prince Harry at the recent awards ceremony in London.
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November 2014 | Volume 26 | Number 9
National audit of neonatal units finds improvements in care BABIES BORN early in the north of England are less likely to be breastfed than those in the south, making them more prone to infections. A national audit also found that, overall, neonatal care has improved in England and Wales in the past seven years. It also found that use of antenatal steroids, to prevent breathing problems in premature babies, is as high as 83%. Other findings of the National Neonatal Audit Programme include the fact that hypothermia
Campaign to reduce complications arising from labour problems A FIVE-YEAR project to reduce stillbirths, early neonatal deaths and brain injuries occurring during labour has been launched. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says that stillbirth rates in the UK ‘remain stubbornly high’, with estimates suggesting that about 500 babies a year die or are left severely disabled because of complications arising in labour. The college says that these are not ‘unavoidable tragedies’ but incidents where babies can be starved of oxygen at birth and left with a brain injury. The project, called Each Baby Counts, aims by 2020 to halve such injuries by pooling the results of local investigations nationally and developing action plans to prevent recurrence. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health president Hilary Cass said: ‘Many neonatal deaths are influenced by pre-term delivery and low birthweight – factors commonly linked
is ‘depressingly common’ – 41% remain hypothermic with temperatures below 36.5°C. A total of 87% of babies were screened on time for retinopathy of prematurity and 84% of admissions had a documented consultation with parents/carers and a senior team member within 24 hours of admission. The audit covered 80,000 babies in 179 neonatal units in 2013 and is published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. to lifestyle choices that mothers make during pregnancy, often because they are not aware of the risks. Smoking in pregnancy is one of the most important preventable factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.’
NHS England chief executive unveils five-year strategy QUESTIONS HAVE been raised about how the health service will be funded following the publication of Five Year Forward View by NHS England’s chief executive Simon Stevens. RCN general secretary Peter Carter warned the NHS faces an ‘unholy alliance of increasing demand, increased expectations, spiralling costs and strained financial circumstances’. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health welcomed the report’s focus on preventing ill health in children and on the need to change the culture of service delivery. Details at tinyurl-com-nhse-5-year-view NURSING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
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In brief Updated guidance on making decisions about cardiopulmonary resuscitation has been produced by the Resuscitation Council (UK), RCN and the British Medical Association. Guidance from 2007, known as the Joint Statement, has been revised and contains a section on children and young people aged under 18 years. It emphasises the need to involve families and take account of children’s views whenever possible. A campaign to raise awareness about bronchiolitis has been launched by the charity Bliss. Posters and leaflets for the More than a Cold campaign are available for nurses, GPs and health visitors. More information at www.morethanacold.co.uk The RCN has produced a toolkit on mental health in children and young people aimed at non-mental health professionals. It includes information on common mental health problems and the skills nurses need. Visit www.rcn.org.uk/publications Consultant nurse for children with complex care needs David Widdas (pictured, centre) has scooped the Impact in Child Health award run by the charity WellChild. His work has been incorporated in training and research locally and nationally, including developing an innovative online master’s degree programme for children’s complex and palliative care including a module run in a 3D virtual town. The South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust nurse met Prince Harry at the recent awards ceremony in London.
6
November 2014 | Volume 26 | Number 9
National audit of neonatal units finds improvements in care BABIES BORN early in the north of England are less likely to be breastfed than those in the south, making them more prone to infections. A national audit also found that, overall, neonatal care has improved in England and Wales in the past seven years. It also found that use of antenatal steroids, to prevent breathing problems in premature babies, is as high as 83%. Other findings of the National Neonatal Audit Programme include the fact that hypothermia
Campaign to reduce complications arising from labour problems A FIVE-YEAR project to reduce stillbirths, early neonatal deaths and brain injuries occurring during labour has been launched. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says that stillbirth rates in the UK ‘remain stubbornly high’, with estimates suggesting that about 500 babies a year die or are left severely disabled because of complications arising in labour. The college says that these are not ‘unavoidable tragedies’ but incidents where babies can be starved of oxygen at birth and left with a brain injury. The project, called Each Baby Counts, aims by 2020 to halve such injuries by pooling the results of local investigations nationally and developing action plans to prevent recurrence. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health president Hilary Cass said: ‘Many neonatal deaths are influenced by pre-term delivery and low birthweight – factors commonly linked
is ‘depressingly common’ – 41% remain hypothermic with temperatures below 36.5°C. A total of 87% of babies were screened on time for retinopathy of prematurity and 84% of admissions had a documented consultation with parents/carers and a senior team member within 24 hours of admission. The audit covered 80,000 babies in 179 neonatal units in 2013 and is published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. to lifestyle choices that mothers make during pregnancy, often because they are not aware of the risks. Smoking in pregnancy is one of the most important preventable factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.’
NHS England chief executive unveils five-year strategy QUESTIONS HAVE been raised about how the health service will be funded following the publication of Five Year Forward View by NHS England’s chief executive Simon Stevens. RCN general secretary Peter Carter warned the NHS faces an ‘unholy alliance of increasing demand, increased expectations, spiralling costs and strained financial circumstances’. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health welcomed the report’s focus on preventing ill health in children and on the need to change the culture of service delivery. Details at tinyurl-com-nhse-5-year-view NURSING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
