Community children's nursing: developing a bespoke model of post-registration education.

Why you should read this article: • To be aware of the decline in the number of higher education institutions offering specialist practitioner qualification programmes for community children's nurses • To learn about the development of a bespoke master's level qualification to address workforce challenges in a community children's nursing team in Scotland • To recognise that curricula designed to support postgraduate workforce development need to be responsive, flexible and adaptable Community children's nurses provide a vital service between the hospital and home environment, supporting children, young people and families with their health needs. In the UK, the number of educational pathways providing a specialist practitioner qualification in community children's nursing has declined significantly in recent years. This has left many community children's nursing services with little or no access to educational programmes, despite the rising demand. The four UK governments, together with regulatory bodies such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, have embarked on ambitious transformation of post-registration career frameworks and standards, the long-term impact of which is uncertain. This article discusses an approach that one community children's nursing service in Scotland took to address these challenges by liaising with a local university and accessing a bespoke advanced practice programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]