The specialist nurse in the field of childhood sleep disorders
Caulfield, A.
Community Practitioner the Journal of the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association 84(2): 32-35
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 1462-2815 PMID: 21388042 Document Number: 651568
Sleep disorders of childhood are common and cause much distress to children and families. Assessment and treatment services are limited in the UK. More multidisciplinary specialist facilities are needed. The professional interest shown in sleep training programmes and the public demand in response to media coverage of sleep issues suggests that these are likely to develop. A sleep disorder service has been in operation in Southampton for 25 years and this paper illustrates the organisational challenges for staff who are contracted on a largely sessional basis and have other healthcare roles. Experience in Southampton suggests that in such services the specialist nurse can play a pivotal role - as practitioner, team co-ordinator, waiting list manager, link person with other agencies, junior staff supervisor, trainer and educator. A specialist nurse has been in post in Southampton since 1998. This paper looks at the role diversity of the specialist nurse, the strengths that can be offered and the ways being in post has helped to develop the service.