Caring for a child with asthma: pre-registration education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Management
• Paediatric Emergency Care
• Clinical Competencies

Background:

• Effective management skills are crucial for patient care within the National Health Service (NHS).
• Acquiring management competencies is a requirement for nursing students by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
• Developing these skills early prepares students for professional practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the management skills utilized by a third-year child branch nursing student.
• To examine the assessment and care of a child with acute asthma in a paediatric emergency setting.
• To illustrate the practical application of management competencies in a real-world clinical scenario.

Main Methods:

• Case study approach focusing on a third-year nursing student.
• Observation and documentation of the student's management of a child with acute asthma.
• Analysis of the student's decision-making process during patient assessment and care.

Main Results:

• The student demonstrated key management skills in assessing and caring for the child.
• The study identified specific competencies applied in a high-pressure paediatric emergency environment.
• The student's actions aligned with established nursing management principles.

Conclusions:

• Student nurses can effectively apply management skills in paediatric emergency care.
• Practical experience is vital for developing essential nursing management competencies.
• This case highlights the importance of integrating management training into nursing education.