Book excerpt: This innovative textbook provides a concise and accessible guide for undergraduate students specializing in children and young people’s nursing in the UK and further afield. Each chapter has been fully updated to reflect current knowledge and practice. The wide range of topics covered includes all the essentials, such as contemporary child health policy and legal issues; knowledge and skills for practice; and caring for children with special needs. Students will learn how to recognize the deteriorating child, use procedural play and distraction, and consider the mental health of children and young people. A Textbook of Children's and Young People's Nursing is written by multidisciplinary experts, rooted in child-centred healthcare within a family context, and draws upon best contemporary practice. It is an invaluable resource that will help nursing students provide effective, evidence-based care. Key points, summary boxes and clearly defined aims, objectives and learning outcomes to support learning Conversation boxes to enliven the text Patient scenarios to relate theory to practice New chapters on skin health and the use of therapeutic play Suggestions for seminar discussion topics to help teachers Resource lists and online resources for further study or research Online slides to complement chapters within book