Do you teach?

Yes, but it's not my primary activity. I work at The Children's Hospital, Denver, and I wear several hats.

My primary clinical activity is with a child development unit in a pediatric oral feeding program. Pediatricians, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, a dietitian and I evaluate children from birth who have feeding problems. [The problems] may be medically complex or as simple as infants with trouble transitioning from breast-feeding to solid foods.

In research, I'm the program evaluator for a National Institute of Nursing Research grant on managing infant irritability.

Next, I teach Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training to community health nurses throughout the state of Colorado for the Nurse-Family Partnership Program.

Research has demonstrated the value and efficacy of nurse visits that guide mothers from early pregnancy until their child turns 2.

Why did you gravitate toward pediatrics?

One of my senior clinical experiences was working with a pediatrician in his office. I don't know if that happens anymore. He was involved in a lot of teaching with young parents and I found a real appreciation for that.

Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training teaches nurses how to observe the child and parents, to become sort of a mirror to help parents see their child and better understand behavior and its meanings.

One of the things that has happened in health care is that we get hooked into using tools such as a stethoscope or a blood pressure cuff or tools that are within a technological framework.

This training program goes back to a nursing framework that relies on observation and is relationship based. That's why I like it.

You mentioned that your research involves infant irritability. What is the incidence of irritability and what defines irritability?

About 30 percent of infants. We're defining it as the common definition of colic-an infant up to 3 months old who cries three hours a day, three or more times a week. We're looking at a clinical trial for a nursing intervention.

Infant irritability is such a concern to parents but one that they often do not communicate because health care providers have a tendency to say, "Oh, they'll outgrow it."

That cuts off parents' ability to talk to somebody about it. They're also embarrassed to tell people how much of a problem it is.

What is your greatest success?

It's probably been 30 years that I've worked in pediatrics. Parents have really taught me what it's like to parent. I have tried to bring their expertise back to health care professionals so they, in turn, can share that with other families.

What is your priority right now?

I really would love to be able to have my own practice, to directly provide the knowledge I have to families through classes, child care centers, and as a consultant to pediatricians.

As soon as I'm done with my presidency [of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners], that is something I hope to pursue. This nursing knowledge is incredibly beneficial to families.

The Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training and the Family Nursing Partnership Program are both focused on young parents with lower income and first-time moms who are at higher risk. What is interesting is that in the Infant Irritability Study we're seeing more middle-class, multiparous moms who are very well educated. They need the same information.