Caring for Sick Children: General Paediatric Nursing Update Seminar

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9:00am - Commencement of Day Two

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9:00am

Ingestions that Can Be Deadly

Children ingest a wide variety of medications, objects, and other substances that may have serious consequences. In children under six years of age, it is more likely to be accidental, but, at any age, it is not always easy to identify the substance. This session looks at:

• Which ingestions have serious consequences?
• How do you assess a child who has ingested an unknown substance?
• Is the ingestion truly accidental? Could you tell the difference?

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9:45am

Drowning – A Silent Death

Unfortunately, drowning remains the most common cause of trauma death in children under the age of five years. The initial management of a drowned child has changed in recent years. This session reviews modern evidenced management in such situations, including:

• What are the immediate priorities of care for a drowned child?
• How do you care for a child in the acute care setting?
• Does it make a difference if the child drowns in fresh or saltwater?

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10:30am - Morning Tea

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11:00am

Is Fever Good for You?

When a child has a fever, medicines such as paracetamol and NSAIDs are often promoted in the community for use with babies and children. But what is the evidence for this type of treatment of a fever? This session looks at childhood fevers and considers best practice holistic nursing care, including:

• Are there benefits for allowing fever in an infant or child?
• What are the parameters for body temperature and when does a fever become dangerous?
• What are the evidenced ways to manage fever?
• Should medicines be used to manage fever?

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12:00pm

Sepsis – from Neonate to Adolescent

Sepsis can be insidious, and many paediatric deaths due to sepsis are preventable. Early recognition and appropriate management are essential to save lives. This session will update you on:

• What are the signs of sepsis?
• Are there any investigations that are specific for identifying sepsis?
• As well as antibiotics, what other treatments are required for the septic paediatric patient?

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1:00pm - Lunch and Networking

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2:00pm

Update on Childhood Immunisation

In Australia, infectious disease continues to remain a real and present danger. Immunisation is known to be a preventer and protector against these harmful diseases. As immunisation schedules are continually changing, nurses need to frequently update their knowledge in this area. This session includes:

• Why bother with immunisation for:
• Measles, Mumps, and Rubella?
• Diphtheria, Polio, and Tetanus?
• What new immunisations are emerging and why?
• What immunisations are part of the schedule and which have to be paid for?
• When should they be given?
• What are the consequences of failure to immunise?

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2:45pm

Tiny People Require Special Care

Neonates provide a particular challenge when being cared for outside of a maternity unit or neonatal unit. They present for primary care for many reasons, from minor problems that cause great concern for their parents, to life-threatening conditions. This session includes:

• How is assessing a neonate different?
• What clinical problems are commonly seen in neonates outside of the neonatal unit?
• What equipment is required when caring for neonates?

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3:15pm - Afternoon Tea and Coffee

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3:45pm

Preventing Injuries from Nursery Equipment and Toys

This final session tells the story of a range of injuries that babies and children have sustained from everyday equipment. It includes:

• When high chairs are too high
• When baby carriers do harm
• Unwelcome surprises in the toy box
• Dummies that do not pacify
• Cribs and cradles – not always a rock-a-bye-baby!

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4:30pm - Close of Seminar and Evaluations