Paediatric stoma care nursing in the UK and Ireland.

Improving quality of care and developing and maintaining high standards of care are issues that are high on the NHS, nursing, and paediatric care agendas. Stoma formation will have an impact on the wellbeing and lifestyle of the person and their family, whatever the person's age. The specialty of stoma care nursing in the UK and Ireland is well established. However, the sub-specialty of paediatric stoma care nursing is much smaller in its 'membership' and its client group. There are differences in the needs of, and the associated care of, paediatric stoma patients even within this overall patient group. Paediatric stoma care nurses are in an ideal position to increase awareness about the specialty and improve standards of nursing care for neonates, children, adolescents and their families. However, until the establishment of the Paediatric Stoma Nurse Group (PSNG) in 2005, this 'position' had not being utilized. This article discusses the ongoing work of the PSNG to devise standards of paediatric stoma care nursing, best practice guidelines, relevant patient/parental information and establish itself as a valuable, proactive and independent forum for all healthcare professionals involved in the care of children with stomas.