Child health post-graduate education is available.

I AM responding to last month's editorial "Children's needs must be met now" by Christchurch Hospital child health nursing director Anne Feld. In this editorial Feld expresses equal concern for the limited time devoted to child health in the undergraduate nursing curriculum and the lack of specific child health postgraduate education.

I agree that undergraduate curriculae allow limited time to learn and appreciate the unique needs of children and young people. In fact, there is no New Zealand equivalent to the registered paediatric nurse in the United Kingdom. I do, however, disagree with Feld's statement about "the lack of any national standards for specific post-graduate education in child health". I am one of many nurses nationwide who has achieved the postgraduate diploma in nursing (endorsed in child and family). I am now a student on the masters-level post-graduate certificate in primary health care, specialty nursing (well child strand), run by Whitireia Community Polytechnic and the Plunket Society. This is the nationally recognised qualification required by the Nursing Council of all well child/tamariki ora nurses. There are three other strands for nurses working with children in general practice, public health and district nursing. I am sure Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand readers working in child health and contemplating professional development would appreciate this information.

Barbara Levitt Warren, RGN, RSCN, RM, BSc, PGDip (child and family), PGCert (child and adolescent mental health) Dunedin