Job Description of a Pediatric Registered Nurse
Registered nurses (RNs) are trained to be able to perform all levels of nursing care, and supervise licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in providing health care. There are several types of RNs, with specialties formed according to parts of the body, type of disease, nature of workplace or type of treatment or age group. Pediatric RNs are among those who specialize according to age group, providing health care to young people.
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General Duties
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Pediatric RNs focus on diseases or injuries that occur in infants, children and adolescents, conducting diagnoses and treating them accordingly. They perform other duties, such as delivery of immunizations, performance of school physicals, carrying out routine developmental screenings, ordering medications and implementing therapeutic treatments.
Acute Services
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Pediatric RNs are usually in charge of a group of licensed practical nurses or LPNs. These type of nurses carry out the more basic, direct-care activities. They include dressing up child patients, bathing and feeding them, and helping them to move or walk. In some instances, they may be called upon by pediatric RNs and/or other supervisory personnel to help out with certain medical procedures.
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Specialities
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Some pediatric RNs choose to specialize in a particular area of pediatrics. Such specialties include cardiology, which deals with disorders of the heart; dermatology, which deals with skin disorders; gastroenterology, which concerns disorders of the digestive system; and oncology, which concerns cancer patients.
Education
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Usually, RNs need at least an associate degree in nursing. Pediatric RNs, however, need additional, specialized education and training. A Bachelor or Master of Science in Nursing degree--referred to by the abbreviations BSN and MSN, respectively--are available, and some pediatric RNs go for both. After program completion, graduates must pass an exam administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
Salary And Job Outlook
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Pediatric nurses within the first year of experience roughly make between $41,000 and $54,000; with more than five years of experience, pediatric nurses make salaries as high as the mid-$60,000s, according to PayScale.com, as of 2010. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects one of the highest job growth rates of all U.S. occupations for RNs between 2008 and 2018, at 22 percent.
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