Public Health Nurse visits

Amouar

Hi,

We would like to opt out from visiting the PHN (We didn't find them to be useful with my first child, and they are also very far away from where we live).

Is it mandatory to visit the PHN? Can we opt out?

Can't we just use the GP if we are worried about our baby?

Thanks

jlm29

Amouar wrote: »

Hi,

We would like to opt out from visiting the PHN (We didn't find them to be useful with my first child, and they are also very far away from where we live).

Is it mandatory to visit the PHN? Can we opt out?

Can't we just use the GP if we are worried about our baby?

Thanks

I assume you can opt out, I doubt you can be forced to attend. That said, it's only a handful of visits over the course of 4 years, so I can't see how it could be a huge imposition on your time. If you're worried, you can of course attend your GP, but I assume you're not trained to assess developmental milestones like your PHN is. I personally would rather the inconvenience of attending I think 5 appointments over the course of about 4 years, in the interest of my children's health. PHN's are also a very useful resource, and I'd maintain a decent relationship with mine. My 5 yo (who had been discharged from the PHN) was having some difficulties in school, and needed to be seen by physio and ot. A quick phone call and she sent referrals for me, rather than me needing to take time off work to bring him to the gp

painauchocolat

The PHN for our area wasn't much help when I had my first baby, but a new nurse had taken over when I had my second and I found her to be much better. It might be the individual rather than the service? You could see if there was a different nurse available? Not sure how possible this would be however. You could also see if they could do a home visit?

I agree with the earlier poster regarding developmental milestones. The earlier such things are spotted, the more effective the intervention. Hopefully nothing will be required, but I'd always err on the side of caution.

jlm29

Also, it shouldn't really be an awfully long distance from where you live. Are you registered with the right nurse? Or just very rural?

tickingclock

While you may not find the first few visits helpful with your newborn, the developmental check ups are very important. They are trained and experienced and can observe all the milestones.

Big Bag of Chips

Your phn is a fast route to any services that your child might need. The checks you will need to bring them to the phn for are 12 weeks, 8/9 months, 2 years and pre-school check just before they start school and the phn discharges them.

How far away is too far, and is your GP that much nearer? You might be registered in the wrong area, you should ask your GP for the contact details.

What exactly did you not find very good with your last phn? Did your child need referral and didn't get it? I found with our phn (various different ones over the course of a few babies) that they did the developmental checks, they ticked the boxes and then they took my word on it if I felt something needed to be checked. My children were at different times referred for speech & language, OT, eye checks etc. The area we're in seems to be pretty efficient and they were always seen within a few weeks of the initial referral and therapy/treatment followed.

Your phn can be very valuable to you, if you need her. And you never know when you will. I think if you need referral to community services, your GP will just direct you to the phn anyway, unless you are going to go privately.

Anne_cordelia

Amouar wrote: »

Hi,

We would like to opt out from visiting the PHN (We didn't find them to be useful with my first child, and they are also very far away from where we live).

Is it mandatory to visit the PHN? Can we opt out?

Can't we just use the GP if we are worried about our baby?

Thanks

Yes you can definitely opt out of the PHN system.

myshirt

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

Yes you can definitely opt out of the PHN system.

Are you sure?

Check again, and if you've had a phn or other public servant tell you you can, someone might be in trouble.

Anne_cordelia

myshirt wrote: »

Are you sure?

Check again, and if you've had a phn or other public servant tell you you can, someone might be in trouble.

Of course you can opt out. It's your child, you can do what you want. I don't know why anyone would be in trouble?

angeldelight

Yes you can opt out if you wish.

Some PHNs are woefully out of touch with best practice these days, particularly where it comes to sleep, breastfeeding and weaning! We were lucky in that ours was quite good but if she hadn't been I would just smile and nod. I do feel the developmental checks when baby is a bit bigger are a good service.

Wexy86

I'm sure you can opt out/ignore but no harm in going to the check ups, only takes a short while and is reassuring to know you child is where they should be and if not she'll be your first port of call for a referral.

My own PHN is less than friendly but does her job well, she picked up on an issue that my own GPS(two different ones) missed and got me referral to hospital and consultant within a few hours. Without her assistance I'd be on the waiting list for months

Psychologeeee

I would have assumed the checks were mandatory!

Amouar

Psychologeeee wrote: »

I would have assumed the checks were mandatory!

Well, when they don't answer phone calls and don't reply to so many voice mails left, I wouldn't see them as mandatory.

Chocolate fiend

Yes you can opt out and I did. Many PHN's are very out of touch especially when it comes to breastfeeding and weaning.

scarepanda

Can you refuse to bring your child to them outside of the normal checkups?

angeldelight

Of course you can, they're your children. It may not be the wisest course of action depending on why they want to see the child but you can always refuse

mitresize5

So basically a couple of hours out of your life once a year to get a professional to asses if your child is meeting development goals and you want to opt out as its not convenient for you.

Amouar

mitresize5 wrote: »

So basically a couple of hours out of your life once a year to get a professional to asses if your child is meeting development goals and you want to opt out as its not convenient for you.

If you bothered to also read my previous post, you'll see that I tried to call them and left several voice messages and no one got back to me.

Big Bag of Chips

scarepanda wrote: »

Can you refuse to bring your child to them outside of the normal checkups?

Why would you need to go outside of the normal check ups? Unless you have a concern. The normal check ups are 9 months, 2 years and before starting school. They are the ones you will be notified of. Outside of that nobody will look for you unless you look for them!

scarepanda

Big Bag of Chips wrote:

Why would you need to go outside of the normal check ups? Unless you have a concern. The normal check ups are 9 months, 2 years and before starting school. They are the ones you will be notified of. Outside of that nobody will look for you unless you look for them!

My public health nurse is lovely but got her knickers in a twist because my breastfed baby constantly gained weight but slower than she would have liked. She had me in and out every 4 weeks to weigh her, even after she was 6 months old. A visit to my GP, the pediatricians, the HSE lactation consultant and the HSE doctor (9 months check-up) all said that there was nothing to worry about that she was just doing her own thing. From the get go she has always met her developmental milestones on time if not a bit early.

I'm just wondering for (hopefully) our future children if the same thing arises, whether I have the option to not go to these monthly weight checks when there is no other cause for concern.

Anne_cordelia

scarepanda wrote: »

My public health nurse is lovely but got her knickers in a twist because my breastfed baby constantly gained weight but slower than she would have liked. She had me in and out every 4 weeks to weigh her, even after she was 6 months old. A visit to my GP, the pediatricians, the HSE lactation consultant and the HSE doctor (9 months check-up) all said that there was nothing to worry about that she was just doing her own thing. From the get go she has always met her developmental milestones on time if not a bit early.

I'm just wondering for (hopefully) our future children if the same thing arises, whether I have the option to not go to these monthly weight checks when there is no other cause for concern.

Yes you can decide not to go. However if there is concern over weight you would need to get baby weighed on the same scales each time so PHN is handy for that or maybe local BF group

xalot

A fresh set of eyes looking at your developing baby is never a bad thing. Our PHN recently diagnosed an undescended testicle in our 8 month old, something our (very expensive) private pediatrician didn't spot as neither did out GP despite monthly visits for reflux related prescriptions.

It's not our first son and neither myself nor my husband had spotted it so I'd recommend you take every chance you get to have someone check your little ones development. They only take 10 mins, I know they're a pain but it's time well spent imo.