Paediatric Nursing in Australia and New Zealand

Children contract infections regularly during early childhood, so they can experience episodes of acute illness. They are also at greater risk of injury. For the most part, these episodes are of short duration and resolve with the care of parents at home, sometimes with support from community healthcare professionals such as a general practitioner. However, in some instances the illness can reach a level of severity that requires nursing care and medical treatment in a hospital setting. Infants and children are still developing, so they have physiological and anatomical differences from adults that require specialist skills and knowledge. Hospital environments can be challenging for both the young child and their family. In this chapter, some key nursing considerations and interventions for the acutely unwell and injured child and adolescent will be discussed. This is followed by an exploration of some of the illnesses and injuries children and adolescents can acquire that may require hospital care. You will be asked to reflect upon the nursing management of some of these conditions through review of case studies and reflective questions.