Child protection role of community nurses: the views of Public Health Nurses in Ireland
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2011-11Author
Kent, Susan
Dowling, Maura
Byrne, Gobnait
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Kent, Susan, Dowling, Maura, & Byrne, Gobnait. (2011). Child protection role of community nurses: the views of Public Health Nurses in Ireland. Community Practitioner, 84(11), 33-36.
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Abstract
Public health nurses in Ireland are generalist
practitioners with a wide range of roles that
address the needs of clients in the community
across their lifespan. Child protection is one of
many of the roles of Irish public health nurses.
However, with increasing caseloads, birth rates
and aging populations, their child protection
role is becoming more difficult to define and
practise safely.
This paper presents a key finding of a qualitative study that explored the views of a group of
public health nurses (n=10) regarding their role
with pre-school children.
A significant theme following analysis of the
interviews were the nurses’ expressed concerns
on their role in child protection. There is a need
to define the role practised by public health
nurses in child protection and to achieve a
standard for this nationally