The ESPR Nursing and Allied Health Professionals Section

Welcome to the Nursing and Allied Health Professionals Section of the European Society of Paediatric Research (ESPR)

Our section is a representative body within ESPR, and we welcome all nurses and all healthcare professionals in the field of paediatrics including all sub-specialties. We also welcome interested interdisciplinary clinicians, researchers, stakeholders and families.

We are an active and diverse specialty section within ESPR with a wide range of expertise across research methodologies, clinical outcomes, and knowledge dissemination. We are also highly collaborative and have built strong international clinical and research networks.

• Our objectives

  The objective of the Nursing and Allied Health Professional Section is to create an international platform of colleagues in the field of paediatrics including sub-specialties to inform best practice in work, education and research by:
  
  

  • Providing educational opportunities;
  • Developing clinical practice guidelines and position statements;
  • Offering support to high-quality contributions to the ESPR conferences and meetings;
  • Supporting and coordinating research of society members in all fields of nursing and other health care professionals;
  • Providing opportunities for networking and interorganisational collaboration;
  • Supporting collaboration and working in a multi-disciplinary manner together with other ESPR sections;
  • Providing mentorship and support for new clinicians, emerging new investigators and leaders in the field.

  
  This purpose is achieved by encouraging exchange of ideas and discussions among members in research and education platforms within Europe and the ESPR.
• Meet the Section Council & members

  Kristina Garne Holm RN, PhD, Associate professor Section Chair since 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital Odense University Hospital Department of Clinical Research University of Southern Denmark	Pia Lundqvist RN, Associate Professor in Pediatric nursing Section Council member since 2024 Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Sweden	Esra Ardahan Akgül RN, PhD, Assistant Professor in Pediatric Nursing Section Council member since 2024 Izmir Katip Çelebi University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pediatric Nursing	Claus Sixtus Jensen RN, PhD, Associate Professor Section Council member since 2024 Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
  Mary Anne Ryan RGN/RSCN/RM NICU nurse, MSc, PhD.  Section member since 2019 INFANT research centre, University College Cork/ Cork University Maternity Hospital, IE	Jos Latour NICU & PICU nurse, PhD Section member since 2020 University of Plymouth, UK	Katie Gallagher Senior Research Fellow / Neonatal nurse, PhD Section member since 2020. EGA IfWH University College London, UK	Rosemarie Boland Neo. Research Fellow & Neo. Educator, PhD, MN, RM, RN Section member since 2018 Murdoch Children's Research Institute & University of Melbourne/ Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval Service, Melbourne, AU
  Joke Wielenga NICU nurse, PhD Section member since 2019 Emma Childrens Hospital / Amsterdam University Medical Center, NL	Anna Axelin PhD, Associate professor Section member since 2019 University of Turku, FI	Naomi Meesters PhD Student Section member since 2018 University Medical Center Rotterdam, NL	Marsha Campbell-Yeo Professor (Full), Scientist Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Section member since 2020 Dalhousie University & IWK Health Halifax, Nova Scotia, CANADA
  Andrei Morgan Neonatologist & Paediatrician / Perinatal Epidemiologist, MBChB, FRCPCH, MSc, PhD Section member since 2022 Obstetrical, Perinatal & Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team, INSERM (National Institute of Health & Med. Reseach), Paris, FR	Ruby Natale PhD, PsyD Professor of Clinical Pediatrics Section member since 2024 University of Miami School of Medicine/ Mailman Center for Child Development	Seda Ardahan Sevgili RN, PhD, Assistant Professor in Pediatric Nursing Section member since 2025 Ege University Faculty of Nursing, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Türkiye
• Current research projects

  Developing a Core OUtcome Set and outcome measures of family-centred care In Neonatal care: COUSIN study

  Aim: To develop a core outcome set, a set of outcome measures, and recommended time-points to evaluate family-centred care practices in neonatal care.

  The study is registered at the COMET Initiative register. Phase 1 starts with a systematic review. The review protocol is registered at the PROSPERO registry.
• Upcoming meetings of the section
  • Bi-monthly online meetings.
  • Smaller sub-working groups may meet more frequently, as warranted.
• Publications

  • Bloyer MH, Ma R, Agosto Y, Velasquez C, Espina K, Palenzuela J, Schladant M, Hernandez J, Messiah SE, Natale R. Impact of the Physical Activity Environment on Change in Body Mass Index Percentile in Child Care Centers Serving Children with Disabilities. Nutrients. 2024; 16(15):2457.https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16152457

  • Lebron CN, Atem, F, Rana, P, Natale R, Messiah SE. Child Care Center Staff Readiness to Change in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program, Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 2024, 30(4):526-534. DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001850

  • Jent, J. F., St. George, S. M., Agosto, Y., Rothenberg, W. A., Howe, E., Velasquez, C., Mansoor, E., Garcia, E. G., Bulotsky-Shearer, R. J., & Natale, R. Virtual robotic telepresence early childhood mental health consultation to childcare centers in the aftermath of COVID-19: Training approaches and perceived acceptability and usefulness. Frontiers in Psychology, 2024, e-pub ahead of print

  • Natale, R, Agosto, Y., Schladant, M., Henao Bloyer, M., Hernandez, J. P., Palenzuela, J. R., Peng, Y., Messiah, S. E. Randomized Controlled Cluster Trial of an Obesity Prevention Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs: Methods and Implications, Nutrients, 2024;16(9):1274. Published 2024 Apr 25. doi:10.3390/nu16091274

  • Thompson, E. Howe, E., LaMarca, T., Natale, R., Jent, J. Diverse Parent's Decision-Making to Vaccinate their Child Under Five Attending Childcare Programs Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024, 13, 2299. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13082299

  • Blake MK, Ma R, Cardenas EV, Varanloo P, Agosto Y, Velasquez C, Espina KA, Palenzuela J, Messiah SE, Natale RA. Infant Nutrition and Other Early Life Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity According to Disability Status. Nutrients. 2023; 15(20):4394. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15204394

  • Eray T, Hepşengil DZ, Yıldız Gündüz T, Ardahan Akgül E. The effect of intestinal stoma care training on knowledge and skill levels of pediatric surgery nurses. Turkish Journal of Pediatric Surgery 2024;38(2):52-61. doi: 10.62114/JTAPS.2024.38.

  • Akgül E A, & Yanar N. . The effectiveness of the therapeutic toys on the comfort level and vital signs of the neonates during intravenous cannula insertion (Comfiestudy): A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Pediatric Nursing 2024 76, e27-e33.

  • Eriksson E., Lundqvist P., & Jönsson L. Fathers' experiences six months after their preterm infant's discharge from the NICU. Journal of Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694193.2024.2406209.

  >>Click here to see the full list of publications by members of the ESPR Nursing and Allied Health Professionals Section.
• How to engage with us

  Please contact the ESPR Secretariat via office@espr.eu. We will be more than happy to forward your request to the members of the Nursing Section.
• Useful links and announcements
  • 16th International Newborn Brain Conference on 19 - 21 February 2025, La Jolla, San Diego – California. For more info, please click here.
  • International Symposium on Paediatric Pain on 17 - 20 June 2025, Glasgow, UK. For more info, please click here.