Top Online Nursing Schools
- Liberty University Online Click for Recommended Degree Program
- Rasmussen College Click for Recommended Degree Program
- Western Governors University Click for Recommended Degree Program
Pediatric Nurse
Although nurses train to work in every department of health care, some nurses naturally choose one area over another. If you want to work with children, then a career as a pediatric nurse could be right for you. Like the broader medical field, working in pediatrics can take you in a number of different directions, from clinic work to infant surgery. Each of these arenas offers its own advantages and disadvantages. We want to help you find the best fit, so that you can get into a career made for you. With the growing shortage of nurses, now is the time to get started in your pediatrics career.
Why Pediatric Nursing?
Although the human body works the same in everyone, the rapid changes that children experience as they grow makes caring for them more difficult. Whether it is the difficulty of figuring dosage for a smaller body, or simply working with a different set of hormones, a pediatric nurse develops a special skill set that helps them keep children healthy. Employers are willing to pay more to the nursing specialists who exhibit medical acumen. On average, you will earn $54,000 a year working in this field.
Pediatric Nurse Job Description
Most nursing programs present generalized curriculum, so you receive the most comprehensive knowledge set possible. This makes it easier for you to move into the area of care that you wish to pursue as a pediatric nurse. Whether you want to specialize in infant delivery, critical care, or school nurse, a nursing degree is the first step to reaching your dreams. With your goal in mind, you will be able to take specialized classes and receive the necessary certifications before you even begin your pediatric nursing career. Many online schools help you along the way, so that you do to waste any time on your path to becoming a pediatric nurse.
Nursing degrees separate into three tiers. The easiest to get, averaging at about a year of school before certification, is that of a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). With a degree as a pediatric LPN, you will be ready to work in hospitals and clinics. Many nurses spend some time as an LPN before they continue their education, gaining experience and getting a feel for their work. Do not let that stop you! If you know that you want to specialize as a school nurse or assist with infant surgery, or if you simply want the higher wage of the next level, nothing says that you have to stop there. Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) takes only 2 to 4 years, and it means much higher pay. As a pediatric RN, you do many of the same jobs as an LPN, but have many more opportunities to broaden your expertise.
Specializing in an Area or Pediatric Nursing
Of course, many nurses feel a calling to a specialized area. If you are passionate about working with children who have cancer, or dream or becoming a child anesthetist, a little more schooling can get you there fast. A number of post-graduate specializations lead you to an Advanced Practiced Pediatric Nursing degree. Like the extra schooling to become an RN, excelling in the additional coursework will bolster your salary. As a certified nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner, you will earn somewhere between $90,000 and $150,000 dollars a year. Not only that, but with these advanced specializations, you get to work in many areas that are not available to a generalized pediatric nurse. There is no reason to hold back from taking the final steps to reach your career goals.
The United States is experiencing a dramatic nursing shortage right now. This means that there are employers everywhere in desperate need of new, well-trained pediatric nurses. These employers offer hefty recruitment benefits, from bonuses to tuition reimbursement. There is no reason to hold back. Take the steps today to become the nation’s newest pediatric nursing specialist, and make your dreams come true!
