Cool competence. The nursing challenges of therapeutic hypothermia

Therapeutic hypothermia is a new and growing intervention for the treatment of birth asphyxia. Hypothermia has always been something that the neonatal nurse vigorously works to avoid in her patients. Now, nurses are expected to deliberately induce hypothermia. This paper explores the nursing issues involved in caring for these babies. It considers the challenge of gaining and maintaining competence, assessing the baby and supporting the parents.