G12 Delivering effective nursing care to children and young people outside of a hospital setting

Abstract

“I have found being able to access care at home, or in a non-hospital setting to be invaluable to improving my health.” [Young person participant] This presentation will provide an overview of an exploratory study that was financed and commissioned by Health England North Central and East London Local Education and Training Board [HE NCEL LETB] and was undertaken by the University of Hertfordshire between February and August 2014. Research question “What education, preparation and development is required to ensure a workforce of nurses who have the requisite knowledge, skills and professional attributes to meet the healthcare service needs of the CYP [Children and Young People] population in the LETB geography?” The study focussed on the ‘outside of hospital’ [OOH] environment, although health visiting and school nursing was excluded. Ethical approval was granted by the University of Hertfordshire. Methods A mixed methods data collection approach was adopted. Consultation, by questionnaire, with young people (n = 14) via two established Youth Advisory Panels (National Youth Agency; Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health). Consultation with nursing staff working in OOH settings in the NCEL area; data was collected via questionnaires sent to the 11 CCN teams (response rate: 64%), and, via individual semi-structured interviews with clinical nurses Consultation with four Higher Education Institute [HEI] providers within the NCEL area; semi-structured interviews with 8 academic staff and focus groups with 14 pre-registration Children’s Nursing students were undertaken. Analysis Descriptive analysis of questionnaire data. Thematic analysis of focus group and interview transcripts. Key findings Young people identified factors (such as nurses’ communication and clinical skills) which they considered to be important to the care they receive in OOH settings. There is a wide variation in pre-registration Children’s Nursing students’ OOH clinical experiences. There is a lack of consensus within and between HEIs, and nursing staff, in relation to the nature, duration and intended learning outcomes of OOH clinical experiences. There is limited opportunity for post-qualification education. There are significant challenges associated with the appointment of newly registered Children’s Nurses to posts within OOH settings. The presentation will be illustrated with participants’ quotes.