Neonatal guidelines – A positive force or an instant turnoff?

Locally created guidelines are commonly used to support staff and educate students in current best practice for a wide variety of nursing interventions. Their creation and maintenance require considerable investment by the staff involved. This paper explores the use of guidelines within a Level 3 neonatal unit in England, identifies areas for potential improvement and highlights influencing factors which may need addressing to support effective use of guidelines within the neonatal environment.