Children's nurses are faced with unique challenges when undertaking clinical skills, adapting their knowledge and practice for the physical and mental developmental age of their patients. The Oxford Handbook of Clinical Skills for Children's and Young People's Nursing provides a practical guide to both the most basic and the increasingly complex elements of caring for the health needs of children and young people. Focusing on the key principles underpinning all elements of care, it provides a solid, evidence-based framework upon which practitioners may develop their clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The handbook systematically covers the body systems and the clinical skills relating to them, and includes additional tips and possible courses of action when encountering difficulties with a procedure, with practical advice from current practitioners.

1. The principles of patient assessment
2. The principles applying to clinical skills and procedures
3. Communication
4. Assessing the child and young person
5. Personal hygiene and comfort
6. Play
7. Infection control
8. Drug administration
9. Intravenous care
10. Care of the perioperative patient
11. Emergency and high dependency
12. Respiratory system
13. Cardiovascular system
14. Neurological system
15. Gastrointestinal system
16. Genitourinary system
17. Musculoskeletal system
18. Wound care
19. Ear, nose, and throat system
20. Ophthalmology
21. Dermatology
22. Endocrinology
23. Haematology and immune system

Paula Dawson , MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice, RGN, RSCN, PGCHE, Lecturer in Child Nursing, Division of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, University of Nottingham, UK

Louise Cook , BSc, RN Child, PGCHE, Lecturer in Child Nursing, Division of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, University of Nottingham, UK

Laura-Jane Holliday , Master of Nursing Science, Practitioner Health Lecturer, Child Health, Division of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, University of Nottingham, UK, Preceptorship Development Nurse, Children's Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

Helen Reddy , MA with Education, BSc (Hons) in Neurological Care, Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing, Practitioner Health Lecturer, Child Health, Division of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, University of Nottingham, UK, Junior Sister, Children's Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

Paula Dawson trained as a general nurse at the Nightingale School, St. Thomas' Hospital in London, and as a children's nurse at the Nottingham School of Nursing. She has held a range of clinical, managerial, practice development, and educational roles both in the UK and overseas in a career spanning over 25 years. She is committed to the pursuit of excellent, person-centred, and evidence-based care with a focus on the unique and essential role of the nurse in the multi-disciplinary team. Louise Cook attained her first degree in Psychology and Sociology (BA Honours) from the University of Leeds before going on to train as a children's nurse at the University of Nottingham. She worked for seven years within acute hospital trusts in Nottingham before joining the University of Nottingham as a full time lecturer in Child Health. She lectures on a wide range of topics including her specialist interest areas of cleft and wound care and is heavily involved in the teaching of evidence-based clinical skills to undergraduate nursing students. Laura-Jane Holliday trained as a Children's Nurse, obtaining an Undergraduate Masters in Nursing Science Degree at the University of Nottingham. Her previous clinical experience includes children's medical, neuro-medicine, and cardiology and she continues to work on a children's medical and respiratory ward. She is a Practitioner Health Lecturer in children's nursing at the University of Nottingham and a preceptorship development nurse, working within the practice development team for the Children's Hospital, Nottingham. Her interests encompass reducing the theory-practice gap, progressing and teaching of clinical skills, and practice and staff development. Helen Reddy qualified as a children's nurse in 1998 from Demontford University. She has benefited greatly from her experiences at Leicester Royal Infirmary NHS Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, working in both general and intensive care areas. Helen's chosen area of speciality, children's neurosciences, has provided her with a fascinating mix of neurological, neurosurgical, and neuro-oncological expertise. In more recent years as a Practitioner Health Lecturer in Child Health she has developed her teaching and academic skills, focusing on clinical skills teaching in particular.