Lay summary
Libby Haskell is New Zealand’s first paediatric emergency Nurse Practitioner, and an experienced and respected nursing leader.
Bronchiolitis is the most frequent cause of hospitalisation of infants in Australasia, with Maori and Pacific infants admitted to hospital at rates three and four times higher than non-Maori and non-Pacific infants. Management of bronchiolitis is supportive. Yet considerable variation in practice occurs with approximately 50% of infants receiving ineffective therapies.
Ms Haskell is undertaking a cluster randomised controlled study in 26 hospitals throughout Australia and New Zealand to test, in infants with bronchiolitis, the effectiveness of theory informed knowledge translation interventions at decreasing the use of: salbutamol; antibiotics; glucocorticoids; adrenaline; and chest x-ray – all known to be of no benefit in children with bronchiolitis. Results from this study will improve the management of this common paediatric condition and influence the successful implementation of evidence based practise in paediatric settings.