Addressing the psychosocial needs of young people with thalassaemia undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

Beta thalassaemia major is an inherited condition that causes severe anaemia. Patients with the condition require regular blood transfusions. One curative treatment option available is bone marrow transplantation, but a bone marrow transplant is a high-risk, painful procedure requiring prolonged hospitalisation. Undergoing such a disruptive treatment can be a source of great anxiety for young people and their families, who will need honest, sensitive and empathetic communication, person-centred care, support to socialise and access education, involvement in decision-making and signposting to financial support. This article discusses the role of children's nurses in addressing the psychosocial needs of young people with thalassaemia who undergo bone marrow transplantation and in supporting young people's families.

Meeting the psychosocial needs of adolescents and their families during a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), an oncological condition affecting blood-producing cells, is the most common type of childhood cancer. It is more common in younger children but the number of young people diagnosed is significant, with about 125 new cases diagnosed each year. While survival rates are high, diagnostic tests, symptoms and treatment regimens can have negative psychological and sociological implications for patients and their families. This article examines the role of the registered children's nurse in meeting the psychosocial needs of adolescents and their families during a diagnosis of ALL. The psychosocial needs considered in this article include those for information, emotional support, collaborative decision-making, education and socialisation. The article also considers physical health needs and financial concerns. The importance of focusing on patients' and families' concerns when arranging psychosocial support is highlighted, together with the requirement to reassess their needs continually throughout the trajectory of the illness.

The use of assessment rubrics to enhance feedback in higher education: An integrative literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the literature relating to the use of rubrics in Higher Education. DESIGN: A systematic search using three databases was undertaken, the question used to guide the search strategy was: What are the benefits and challenges of using rubrics as part of the assessment process in Higher Education? DATA SOURCES: Three electronic databases were searched: British Education Index, Education Resources Information Centre and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. REVIEW METHODS: The review utilised an integrative approach to the retrieval and appraisal of the research. As the papers retrieved used different methodologies to explore the use of rubrics they were analysed using either thematic analysis or narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Fifteen papers were identified that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the review, these spanned a range of disciplines including education, medicine and design. Four main themes related to the use of rubrics were identified: the reliability and validity of the rubric, student performance, students' perceptions of the rubric and the implementation of the rubric. CONCLUSIONS: Student self-assessment, self-regulation and understanding of assessment criteria were all found to be enhanced by the use of rubrics. However students also reported that rubrics could be restrictive and student stress related to assessments could be increased. Student involvement in the design and implementation of a rubric was identified as being critical to their success. Rubrics were judged favourably by the studies reviewed in this paper, however they were found to be most effective when used as part of an overall assessment strategy that was co-created with students.

Developing a long-term ventilation service in a children's hospice: an illustrative case study.

Children who use long-term ventilation at home and their parents find it difficult to access suitable respite services for short breaks. This article describes, through the use of a case study, a project to develop a respite service for such children at a children's hospice in England. The service development was a response to local need, which included a requirement to develop bespoke assessment documentation and processes as well as a comprehensive staff development package. The article follows the journey of one family through the development and use of the new service.

Technology dependence and children: a review of the evidence.

Much has been written about the needs of children who are technology dependent and their care. This literature review aims to highlight some of this work--with a particular focus on children who are ventilator dependent--a group that has been extensively researched in the UK. The views of children and their parents were also sought to identify the emotional, financial and practical burdens of living with technology dependence. The most frequently found consequences for children and their families were: a striving for normalisation, social isolation, the emotional burden of caring, financial and practical difficulties, and the tension between parenting and caring.

A research review to identify the factors contributing to the development of pressure ulcers in paediatric patients.

The aim of this research review was to answer the clinical question 'what factors contribute to the development of pressure ulcers in the paediatric population?' A sensitive, systematic search was undertaken to identify all empirical studies that could answer this question. The question was broken down using facet analysis to identify the key terms that were used in the search strategy. All relevant databases were searched and a hand search of key journals was also undertaken. The review found very little empirical data that could answer the question. The majority of studies focused on the paediatric intensive care (PIC) population and had small sample sizes. Some factors were identified that contributed to the development of pressure ulcers in the PIC population. All of these factors except one were related to the acuity of the child's illness. The small sample sizes and limited populations mean that these studies cannot be generalised to the whole paediatric population and there is a need for more primary research to answer the question.