What Is the Role of a Pediatric Nurse?
Pediatric nurses are registered nurses who specialize in providing health care to children and adolescents. These medical professionals provide both preventative care and acute care in settings including physicians' offices, medical clinics, hospitals and pediatric intensive care units (PICU) or neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
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Significance
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All registered nurses provide medical treatment to patients and instruction to caregivers regarding follow-up care. Pediatric nurses are additionally trained to provide these services to the youngest segment of society. These medical professionals frequently must work in an environment where their patients are too young to tell about their symptoms.
Education
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There are three primary paths to becoming a registered nurse (RN). An RN designation may be obtained through earning a four-year bachelor's degree in nursing, by earning a two-year associate's degree from an accredited nurse training program at a community or vocational college, or by earning a diploma through a qualifying nurse training program at approved hospitals. Once qualifications as an RN are met, additional training and experience is typically required to become a pediatric nurse.
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Function
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Pediatric nurse often have the first and last contact with their patients and their patients' families and caregivers. They are responsible for taking vital signs, observing patients for symptoms and recording medical histories. They may administer medications and perform treatments prescribed by the attending physician.
Considerations
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Pediatric nurses must have a solid understanding of basic childhood development because the physical attributes of children and adolescents change rapidly as they age. Treating certain illnesses, injuries or other conditions may depend on the developmental level of the individual child. Pediatric nurses must have extensive knowledge of childhood cognitive levels and milestones to know what types of treatment and medical equipment are appropriate for each patient.
Communication
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Pediatric nurses must be good teachers. Children and adolescents frequently are unable to provide self-care after an illness or injury. Once the patient leaves the health care facility, their follow-up care is typically provided by a family member. Pediatric nurses are responsible for instructing the caregiver on methodology of treatment, the administration of medications and appropriate dosages.
Benefits
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The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the job prospect for all registered nurses to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. Nurses trained in specialty practices are expected to be in greater demand, particularly in underserved communities such as the inner city and rural areas. The median income for pediatric nurses as of May 2008 was more then $62,000 per year. Pediatric nurses who held a bachelor's degree or higher could expect to command a higher salary.
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References
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- Photo Credit Doctor examines the patient image by Ella from Fotolia.com
