The great thing about being a nurse is the choices that you have. If you love to work with the elderly, you can go into geriatric nursing. If you are interested in surgery, you can become a surgical nurse. In fact, for many nurses, it is their love of children that gets them started in nursing. Pediatric nursing can be both rewarding and heartbreaking. Read on to discover more about the field of pediatric nursing and how you can become a pediatric nurse.
Pediatric Nursing Can be the Most Rewarding Career Choice You Will Ever Make
What are the facts on pediatric nursing? A pediatric nurse is a registered nurse that provides comprehensive care to children, adolescents and families in a variety of settings. The pediatric nurse not only cares for the physical aspects of illness and disease, but she also cares for the psychosocial effect an illness causes. A sick child will make a huge impact on the entire family, so the nurse must include everyone in her care.
Some pediatric nurses choose to specialize in the care of children with mental disabilities or mental illnesses. These nurses may work in mental health facilities or out in the community. It is the nurse’s job to emphasize good health habits and to teach children and their parents how to manage the disease, whether it be physical or mental.
What qualities should a pediatric nurse possess? The very first quality any pediatric nurse must have is a love of children. You will be faced with many challenging situations and it will be your love for children that will get you through. You must also have very good people skills. In pediatric nursing, you will be dealing with sick children and very stressed and worried parents. Good communication skills are a must to do this job effectively.
Like most nursing positions, pediatric nursing requires a great amount of flexibility. Kids will be kids and they don’t always do what you want them to do. They also respond differently to treatments than adults do. A good pediatric nurse will be able to arrange her daily routine around the needs of her patients.
To gain a realistic perspective on pediatric nursing, you must learn about the drawbacks of this profession. First of all, you can expect your patients to not be cooperative when it comes to their treatment. They will scream, hit, kick, cry and try to run away when they see you coming. Children, even the very young ones, learn quickly to associate hospitals and healthcare personnel with pain. It is vital that you have a lot of patience.
You have to understand that when you are working with sick children, sometimes the outcome will be poor. The passing of a child is very difficult and you must be able to handle your own grief. It is your job to give comfort to the remaining family members. The pediatric nurse is special because she can grieve with the family, but still remain a strong support for them to lean on.
All nurses, including pediatric nurses, must learn to conquer massive amounts of paperwork. Ethical dilemmas will crop up frequently. Keep in mind that pediatric nursing is especially prone to family conflicts.
If you feel that pediatric nursing is right for you, what are your choices of working environments? There are many children’s hospitals across the United States. These hospitals can provide advanced care to children who have chronic illnesses, major trauma and other life-threatening diseases. The majority of general hospitals across the country will have pediatric floors to deal with non-life threatening illnesses.
You can also choose to work out in the community as a home care nurse. There are many children living at home who require nursing care. This may be in the form of ventilator care, tube feedings, dressing changes and even home IV therapy.
If this is the career choice for you, don't expect to find pediatric nursing colleges - instead, be aware that your pediatric nursing education will begin within an RN or LPN nursing program. Once that part of your nursing education is complete, you may want to become certified in pediatric nursing by taking the CPN exam. A certification will command a higher rate of pay and allow you to advance in your career.
So this is a realistic view of "what is pediatric nursing." The pediatric nursing outlook is strong well into the next decade, and it is a good idea to stay aware of the latest trends in pediatric nursing as you plan your future career. It will be stressful, scary, heartbreaking and trying at times. But if you truly love children, you will find that being a pediatric nurse will make it all worth while.
The Nursing RN to BSN degree completion program at South University allows registered nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at three South University campuses and online. Learn more about South University | Request free info
The Nursing RN to BSN degree completion program at South University allows registered nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at three South University campuses and online.
