The Plunket nurse Essay

This also means the need for the evolution of the healthcare providers. This is one of the factors that has led to the widening of nurse scope of practice which has led to coming up of Plunket nurses. Plunket nursing involves a partnership between health care professionals and volunteers who do home and clinic visits. (Armstrong, Fraser, Dadds, Morris, 1999). These visits include assessment of the growth and development, vision, hearing, and wellbeing of the baby. To add on what is checked in the second visit, the nurse they discuss weaning, baby sleeping patterns, baby behave, like crying, early learning, baby’s recognition of the mother's voice. They discuss choices of daycare, preschool and timely enrolment. (Wilson, 2001). The fourth visit is at 5-7 months, the nurse checks the baby’s teeth and gums, evaluates the baby’s development like making speech sounds, understands what you say, imitating your sounds and teething and tooth brushing.

(Wilson, 2001). Mostly tests are the same as previous ones. (Butler, Williams, Tukuitonga, & Paterson, 2004). Task 2: The drivers for the development of the Plunket nurse role. The development of the Plunket nursing was engineered by Truby King. One of the factors that made the need for the Plunket nursing that Truby King realized was increased need for the wellbeing of the mother and the infant. Support by the policymakers and funders has also aided in the development of the Plunket nursing responsibilities. Policies have been made which are key to giving guidance on the roles of the Plunket nursing. The ministry of labor has offered much-required support in policy making and financially thus helping so much in the establishment of the roles of the Plunket nurses.

There is an increased need for the preventive health care which makes the role of the Plunket very important. Plunket nursing requires extra funding and financial support is very key to the development of their roles and facilitate their operation. They provide help in the management of diseases that are common during child growth. They also help the mother to recover well from pregnancy and do prover child breastfeeding and generally balanced diet for the child. Home issues that have a negative impact on the growth and development of the child such as violence, smoking alcoholism are addressed and the mother is directed accordingly. (Butler, Williams, Tukuitonga, & Paterson, 2004). Despite the fact that Plunket has positive impacts on the primary health care, there are various ways in which they have failed to achieve the objectives.

This will ensure all time availability of the information about the Plunket services without necessarily having the nurse present. With the growth in the social media, there will be the use of social media to provide relevant information to mothers. (Shahtahmasebi & Millar, 2013) Digital platform will also ensure that all the information the mother and the baby is available easily at the hospital all the time and is always updated. This digital platform will do away with the paperwork and this will free up space at the health facilities and also enhance flexibility. There will also be a portal customized for the parent which can send out automated messages reminding the parent of the next appointments. Of recent years Plunket nursing has received immense support from the funders and policymakers the key being the government.