35 Years of Excellence: The SPN Story in Pediatric Nursing
35 Years of Excellence: The SPN Story in Pediatric Nursing
Building the Foundation for Future Generations
By: Lynn D Mohr, PhD, APRN, PCNS-BC, CPN, FCNS
SPN Past President (2008-2010)
As the Society of Pediatric Nursing celebrates its 35th anniversary, I reflect on a remarkable journey that parallels the entire evolution of modern pediatric nursing — from its earlier foundations to today's evidence-based, family-centered care practice. As a new pediatric nurse, I was drawn to learning everything I could about the care of children and their families. In attending my first SPN conference, I went alone, not knowing anyone, only knowing that I needed to learn more. To truly appreciate where we are today, we must first understand the remarkable journey that brought us here.
Historical Foundations
Before the 19th century, children were cared for at home by family members with traditional healing knowledge. The transformation toward specialized pediatric care began with growing recognition of children's unique needs, marking pivotal moments that established the foundation for modern practice.
The establishment of Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1852 as the first dedicated children's hospital signaled a revolutionary shift in how society viewed pediatric care. Three years later, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia became the first such institution in the United States. By 1860, Florence Nightingale was advocating for double staffing on pediatric units and emphasizing the importance of addressing developmental needs alongside physical care — concepts that were groundbreaking at the time.
Research That Changed Everything
The post-World War II era brought research that fundamentally transformed our understanding of children's needs during hospitalization. René Spitz's 1945 identification of "hospitalism" and James Robertson's powerful 1952 film documenting children's trauma under restricted family visiting policies provided compelling evidence for change. John Bowlby's attachment studies throughout the 1950s and 60s provided the scientific foundation that forever changed how we viewed the necessity of family presence in pediatric care.
Robertson's groundbreaking film "A Two-Year-Old Goes to the Hospital" stands as one of the most influential pieces of evidence in pediatric nursing history. This documentary powerfully captured the emotional trauma children experienced when separated from their parents during hospitalization, showing the devastating effects of the institutional policies of the time. The film became a catalyst for changing hospital policies worldwide and remains essential viewing for understanding our profession's evolution toward family-centered care. Spitz's research on the psychological damage of institutional care and Bowlby's attachment theory provided the irrefutable evidence needed to challenge accepted practice.
This research revolution fundamentally shifted pediatric nursing from a task-oriented model focused primarily on hygiene and basic care to one that recognized children's complex emotional and developmental needs during illness.
Birth of Family Centered Care
The movement toward family-centered care emerged from nurses who recognized that children's recovery was intrinsically linked to family involvement. Pediatric wards were typically stark, with limited parental visiting hours, and children were often kept in bed. In contrast, today's pediatric units buzz with family involvement — parents sleeping bedside, siblings playing in hallways, certified therapy dogs providing comfort during procedures, and child-friendly spaces designed for healing.
These visionary leaders challenged the prevailing medical model, advocating for collaborative partnerships that honored both professional expertise and parental knowledge. Florence Blake's 1954 work on parent-nurse collaboration and Beverly Johnson's formation of the Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH) in 1965 provided the foundation for change.
By 1990, the pediatric nursing landscape demanded unified leadership. Dr. Margaret Miles, SPN's first president (1990-1992), along with fellow leaders, recognized this pivotal moment. As Dr. Miles noted, "The birth of SPN came at a crucial time in history... The need for well-prepared pediatric nurses was critical and growing, and continues to this day."
SPN's founding reflected pediatric nursing's expanding role — helping children cope with illness while supporting families through increasingly complex treatments. The evidence-based foundation for family-centered care was further solidified in 2003 when SPN-ANA established 29 core recommendations through evidence-based practice guidelines. Dr. Linda Lewandowski (SPN Past President 2002-2004), together with Mary D. Tesler, co-authored the landmark publication "Family-Centered Care: Putting It into Action - The SPN/ANA Guide to Family-Centered Care," which provided the evidence base that continues to guide pediatric nursing practice today.
Advances in Pediatric Cardiac Care
Pediatric cardiac care exemplifies how nursing excellence has evolved alongside medical breakthroughs. In the 1930s, Dr. Helen Taussig pioneered work with rheumatic heart disease, while Vivien Thomas, a lab assistant at Johns Hopkins, developed groundbreaking surgical techniques for the life-saving Blalock-Taussig shunt (the "blue baby operation") despite having no formal medical training. However, it was the integration of specialized nursing care that made these complex cardiac interventions possible in clinical practice.
These advances demanded nurses who could manage intricate monitoring, understand the unique physiological responses of children with congenital heart defects, and provide family-centered care during life-threatening procedures. As surgical techniques advanced, pediatric nurses became essential partners in developing comprehensive care protocols that addressed both complex medical needs and families' emotional journeys.
The level of expertise required for pediatric cardiac nursing — and similar advances across all pediatric subspecialties — demonstrated that caring for children demanded specialized knowledge far beyond general nursing preparation. This recognition drove the broader movement toward establishing pediatric nursing as a distinct professional specialty.
Professional Milestones
The professionalization of pediatric nursing reflected our field's growing recognition that caring for children required distinct knowledge, skills, and educational preparation. As medical complexity increased and family-centered care principles evolved, the need for specialized training became undeniable.
The evolution of pediatric nursing education marked a dramatic shift from apprenticeship models to sophisticated university-based programs. This progression included the development of specialized pediatric residencies and SPN's creation of competencies for all education levels. Pediatric nursing education was significantly advanced through influential SPN publications, such as the Pediatric Nursing Certification Review book (5th Edition) by Dr. Louise Jakubik and Dr. Janice Selekman (SPN Past Vice President 1993-1995), and the textbook Children and Their Families: The Continuum of Nursing Care by Dr. Vicki Bowden (SPN Past President 2000-2002) and Dr. Cindy Greenburg (SPN Past Vice President 2003-2004).
Simultaneously, technological advances revolutionized pediatric care delivery. The introduction of pulse oximetry, specialized pediatric equipment, and modern ECMO transformed how nurses could monitor and support critically ill children. Today's integration of AI diagnostics, telehealth, and digital therapeutics continues this trajectory of innovation, requiring nurses to continuously adapt their skills and knowledge base.
SPN’s Unique Role in the Pediatric Nursing Community
When SPN was founded in 1990, the pediatric nursing landscape already included several subspecialty organizations such as the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners (NAPNAP,1973), Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON, 1973), and National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN, 1984). However, there was a critical gap; no organization existed to unite all pediatric nurses across subspecialties and practice settings.
What SPN Brought to Pediatric Nursing
SPN filled this void by creating the first organization to represent all pediatric nurses regardless of subspecialty, setting, or role, providing a unified voice for the profession. The organization developed comprehensive practice guidelines and competencies that established benchmarks across all areas of pediatric nursing, while pioneering competency-based education standards for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Through fostering pediatric nursing research via mentorship, collaboration, and promotion of evidence-based practice, SPN advanced the scientific foundation of the field. The organization also provided a strong collective voice for pediatric nursing in healthcare policy discussions and legislative initiatives, while offering continuing education, certification support, and career advancement opportunities for nurses at all levels.
Rather than competing with existing subspecialty organizations, SPN has served as a unifying force that strengthens the entire pediatric nursing community through shared resources, joint initiatives, and unified advocacy efforts.
My own journey with SPN mirrors the growth many members experience, from that nervous first-time conference attendee to becoming involved in committee work, serving as a local chapter president, joining the board, and eventually having the honor of serving as SPN president from 2008-2010. This progression reflects SPN's unique ability to nurture leadership and provide pathways for professional growth at every level.
Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Opportunities
Building on this rich foundation of clinical excellence, family-centered care, and professional development, pediatric nursing now faces both unprecedented challenges and exciting opportunities. Today's pediatric nurses confront a mental health crisis among children that has expanded our scope well beyond traditional medical care, requiring new competencies in psychological assessment and intervention. Workforce sustainability presents ongoing concerns as the profession grapples with shortages, burnout, and retention issues that threaten our ability to maintain quality care standards.
The imperative for health equity demands that we actively work to eliminate disparities and address social determinants of health that disproportionately affect vulnerable pediatric populations. Environmental health concerns, particularly the impact of climate change on children's health, require us to expand our understanding of how environmental factors influence pediatric outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic tested our family-centered care principles like never before, ultimately reinforcing their critical importance while challenging us to innovate care delivery methods.
Our Path Forward: Building on 35 Years of Excellence
As we celebrate SPN's 35th anniversary, we reflect on how our organization has shaped and been shaped by the evolution of pediatric nursing. From our founding in 1990 to today, SPN has been at the forefront of advancing pediatric nursing. As current SPN members, we continue our legacy through our commitment to evidence-based practice that integrates research with clinical expertise, maintaining family partnership as our foundation for collaborative care, advancing pediatric nursing through education, research, advocacy, and embracing innovation to adapt to evolving healthcare needs.
As we commemorate SPN's 35th anniversary, we honor both our rich history and our ongoing commitment to advancing pediatric nursing for the next generation of children and families.