“A crucially important text, which brings together many different philosophical aspects and ethical issues in children’s nursing practice.”

From the foreword by Fiona Smith, Adviser in Children and Young People’s Nursing, Royal College of Nursing

Nurses and healthcare professionals are constantly faced with ethical and philosophical dilemmas when working with children in everyday practice. Ethical and Philosophical Aspects of Nursing Children and Young People is a comprehensive text on the ethics and philosophy behind paediatric nursing, that reflects some of the contemporary issues encountered while working with children and young people.

This important new book provides a philosophical and historical analysis of the subject, looking at a review of sociological and political theories concerning the nature of childhood, and providing a critical analysis of contemporary notions about childhood. It then goes on to look at moral theories and their application to paediatric nursing practice, ethical issues when caring for children of all ages, from infancy to adolescence. It looks at issues of disabled children, confidentiality, mental health issues, children’s rights, and pain management. With case studies and activities throughout, this book will enable students and newly qualified nurses both to understand philosophical concepts and issues but also to articulate their own reflections and observations on these subjects.

• Written by children’s nurses for children’s nurses.
• With contributions from internationally recognised experts in the field.
• Reflective scenarios, further reading, extensive referencing, case studies, guided questions, and resources throughout.
• Includes the following four appendices: The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Guidelines on withdrawal of treatment; a summary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; The International Council of Nurses Ethical Code; and the RCPCH Guidelines for the conduct of ethical research.

Dr Gosia M. Brykczyńska is senior lecturer in Child Health at Thames Valley University. She was the RCN paediatric nurse representative on the RCPCH Ethics Advisory Committee 1989–2000, and has worked as International Officer at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and RCN Refugee Nurses Project Co-ordinator.

Dr Joan Simons is Assistant Head of Department of Health and Social Care, Faculty of Health and Social Care at The Open University, Milton Keynes. She is external examiner for Children’s Nursing courses at London South Bank University, and is on the editorial board for Journal of Child Health Care.