Abstract: The Guthrie Test has become the standard screening test for early detection of congenital metabolic disorders for newborn babies in New Zealand and is an accepted part of neonatal care. In neonatal care, decisions are made on behalf of babies usually by their parents and, for the Guthrie Test there is a requirement that health professionals obtain informed consent. This qualitative research utilised focus group methodology to discover what neonatal nurses in clinical practice consider when obtaining informed consent from parents for newborn screening, the Guthrie Test. The convenience sample consisted of seven registered nurses who volunteered to participate in the study. They all practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Dunedin Public Hospital that provides Level 3 intensive care to neonates in the Otago/Southland regions. There are proven benefits of the current newborn screening programme and in the experience of this focus group not many parents choose to refuse. These neonatal nurses identified the rights of parents to have that choice and to make an informed decision. The findings from this research indicate the importance neonatal nurses place on patients' rights and the information provided to ensure that their rights are respected. However, the results indicated that there is a need for clarification of the purpose and process of informed consent for the Guthrie Test in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Therefore providing sufficient, relevant information at an appropriate time and manner is considered necessary. The findings will be used to inform discussion related to the provision of best practice.

Abstract: Oral history accounts of the care of the hospitalised child in the context of family are used to argue that current practice paradoxes in family-centred care are historically ingrained. The article looks at the post-war period, the intervening years, and current practice, centred on the changing concept of motherhood throughout that time. The conflict between clinical expediency versus family and child needs is explored.

Abstract: The intention of this research is, through collaborative discussion and selective conversations, to explore female caregivers' expectations and perceptions of primary health services for some Te Atiawa Maori children. The research process was developed in a partnership between the Maori women participants and the researcher. In addition, two local kuia actively participated in and supported the process. Emancipatory critical social theory underpinned and informed the project. Power relationships between the researcher and the participants can be overtly explored within this theoretical framework. In terms of this particular exploratory study, participatory research appeared to be applicable. The participants are female caregivers of Te Atiawa children. Data collection was done using group interactions and semi-structured interviews in the winter of the year 2000. A thematic analysis of the data was used, in which common themes were identified, compared and discussed. From the analysis of the data of the participants' conversations, key ideas were identified. The major findings have been identified within two main themes. These are: a concept of health is not the same for Pakeha as for Maori, and access issues are still problematic for the participants in this study. Many quotes from the interview participants are included in order to keep the focus of the project on the voices of the women interviewed. In terms of the significant contribution of this research, this study aims to allow voices of female caregivers of Te Atiawa Maori children to be heard. Individual and collaborative interactions offer insights into what is important to them in terms of Maori child health. Clearly, the primary health initiatives promoted by the New Zealand government are not reaching at least some of the people for whom they are intended. The research participants offered their ideas as to how these deficits could be remedied in their community.