title: Clinical competence in caring for paediatric patients.
abstract: The ability to demonstrate competence in the modern healthcare arena is becoming increasingly important. Patient safety is of primary importance, but competency documents can also be used to structure professional development and as evidence of practitioners' levels of clinical practice, competence and responsibility. Managing paediatric patients can be highly complex and is surrounded by uncertainty. It requires imagination, advanced decision making and the application of theory and research to practice. Nurses must be able to demonstrate accurate knowledge of physical and psychological development changes of children aged between five and 18 years, and then apply this knowledge to examination and treatment. Nurses must also be able to demonstrate accurate referral to X-ray. Providing good paediatric emergency care has become a high priority and it is hoped that practice standards will improve in line with the national service framework's ten-year plan (DH 2004b). Improving the health and welfare of children is an important investment in our future (Glasper 2005). To this end, all healthcare professionals must strive to deliver high quality, timely and efficient paediatric care.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Ministry of Defence Unit, Frimley Park Hospital A&E, Surrey. janecurrie@janecurrie.co.uk
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Currie
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D011859:Radiography / Q000451:nursing; D006113:United Kingdom