Nursing care to childhood and adolescence. The need of a specific and independent specialty

This paper is a reflection on the need of creating a Nursing Specialty with the commitment, with a specific and independent profile, of nursing care aiming to youngsters and children. Although this specialty is needed today for all nursing professionals working on the fields of childhood and adolescence, it refers specifically to Primary Care. Nevertheless it is obvious that much of the items in this paper are also valid for nurse practitioners working in other health assistance levels related to this age population. Some legal significant aspects are summarized. They run on the development of Spain Nursing Specialties, especially on Pediatric Nursing until today. Some elements are exposed about valuation and discussion on the importance of the fact that nurse practitioners specialised in childhood and adolescence take care of the child and adolescent from a sanitary point of view. They so provide an attention of quality in the line of current society changes and demands asked by users/patients and their families, taking into account the available resources to attend them.