Nursing assessment and diagnosis of respiratory distress in infants by children's nurses.

Many children's nurses have significant contact with children who have breathing difficulties and should be using systematic criteria to assess their nursing needs. Children's nurses do not appear to follow systematic criteria but are strongly influenced by the medical model and this may be detrimental to holistic assessment and the development of nursing diagnoses based on nursing needs. As nursing, along with other disciplines, develops evidence-based practice, children's nurses should develop evidence for best practice mindful of children's views, parental needs and the education of future practitioners.