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Children with complex care needs form a diverse population with a variety of health and social care requisites in the presence of a range of complex symptoms and diagnoses. An exploratory literature review with a systematic search of the current qualitative literature was undertaken to explore parents' perceptions and evaluation of respite care services for children with complex needs. A systematic search was undertaken using a pre-defined search strategy in six databases; CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index & abstracts and Web of Science. Studies were screened using inclusion criteria and eight studies were included in the review. These were analyzed using thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke framework. Findings identified that there was a limited availability of respite care services for children with complex needs. Parents' perceived that respite was beneficial for themselves, their child and other siblings in the family. Barriers to accessing respite were also identified. It is recommended that respite services should be flexible and appropriate to the family's needs. A combination of in home and out of home services that are responsive to families' needs and are flexible would be optimal. Qualitative research is considered most suitable to obtain the views of parents of children with complex needs. Further research is recommended in this area, particularly in determining how services may improve and what the views of children using the respite services and their siblings are regarding respite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The first teaching hospital for sick children in Great Britain and Ireland opened in Dublin in 1821. From then, the development of sick children's nursing in Ireland followed a [...]

Innovative teaching practices are constantly developing within nurse education. The nursing curriculum does not exist in isolation and it must reflect the changing nature of health, health service delivery and society. Nursing curriculums must be dynamic, flexible, adaptable and subject to continuous review. As a result of continuous curriculum reviews, integrating blended learning and the promotion of critical thinking the students and lecturers in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Trinity College Dublin were in a good position to respond to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which rapidly unfolded in March 2020. This paper outlines the delivery of a children's nursing module using 100% online methods, instead of traditional face-toface methods, due to the restrictions associated with COVID-19. Delivering a module 100% online was a new experience for lectures and students alike! While blended leaning was not new, the notion of delivering 100% of a module on a professional registration programme was certainly a new undertaking. However, in the course of the module it became apparent that the students were well attuned to digital interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare chaplains operate in many healthcare sites internationally and yet their contribution is not always clearly understood by medical and healthcare staff. This review aims to explore the chaplains’ role in healthcare, with a view to informing best practice in future healthcare chaplaincy. Overall the extent of the provision and staffing of chaplaincy service internationally is unclear. From this review, several key spiritual and pastoral roles in healthcare emerge including a potential contribution to ethical decision making at the end of life. Healthcare chaplains are key personnel, already employed in many healthcare organizations, who are in a pivotal position to contribute to future developments of faith-based care, faith-sensitive pastoral, and spiritual care provision. They also have a new and evolving role in ethical support of patient, families and healthcare teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]