title: Developments in neonatal care and nursing responses.
abstract: This article reviews the origins and evolution of neonatology and considers the role of the neonatal nurse within this specialty. Neonatal nurses are a vital part of the neonatal team that provides care for sick babies. The nursing care required by sick babies and their families on a neonatal unit can be variable and complex. The past century has seen significant changes in the role of the neonatal nurse. This has come about through dramatic technological developments on neonatal units, an increased understanding of neonatal physiology and pathology, changes in the education of neonatal nurses, and active and ongoing clinical research within the specialty. The resulting significant advances in neonatal care, including that provided by neonatal nurses, have made a crucial and steadfast contribution to marked improvements in neonatal outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Nursing and Midwifery at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fallon
mesh_terms: D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017283:Neonatal Nursing; D018802:Patient-Centered Care