Advocating for children in hospitals requires a delicate balancing act on the part of the children’s nurse. As Keri Ann Doyle and Sian Maslin-Prothero explain, protecting a child’s rights is a complex role, but one which must be considered in everyday practice

Nurses working with children are central to ensuring that the rights of children are upheld when they are receiving health care. But do all nurses perceive this to be part of their role, or consider rights as an integral part of their daily work. It is often the more junior nurse who has the most contact with children, but the more junior the nurse, the more likely it is that she believes she can exert little influence (Melhuish et al 1993). Evidence from the Consumers’ Association (cited in Muller et al 1992) suggests that it is the attitude of staff which is the most important determinant of how a child will be treated. If a nurse believes in the importance of children’s rights she or he is more likely to promote them actively, irrespective of seniority.