What is a Pediatric Nurse
A pediatric nurse is one of the most valuable professionals in a hospital or other healthcare setting. But what is a pediatric nurse and how is this job different from a regular nurse? Pediatric nursing is one of the best careers in healthcare for those who love working with children. A pediatric nurse differs from other nurses in the fact that he or she specializes in working with children of all ages, from infant to adolescent. As such, the pediatric nurse has completed additional training in child medical issues and treatments. If this sounds like the job for you, find a good program and go back to college to get your pediatric nursing training.
Training
What is a pediatric nurse training program? It is the same as typical nurse training with the inclusion of specialized classes and training related to the care of children. This training typically requires that you earn either an R.N or a B.S.N. degree. The R.N. program lasts approximately two years while the B.S.N. takes a full four years of full-time study. Although you may be able to complete some classes through distance education, there will also be a large amount of clinical practice required on-site. If you are already a registered nurse, however, you may be able to earn your B.S.N. completely online through one of many online colleges.
While earning your degree, you will be required to take and pass a wide variety of coursework including many sciences such as anatomy and physiology, biology, microbiology, and chemistry. You will also take many nursing-related classes including pharmacology, nursing theory, medical procedures, and much more. Clinical practice typically takes place in a hospital setting under the supervision of registered nurses and college supervisors. During clinical practice, nursing students will work in a variety of settings including orthopaedics, pediatrics, and others.
What is a pediatric nurse required to do to specialize his or her training? Upon becoming a nurse, you may then choose to take specialization classes through a school and pass the certified pediatric nurse (CPN) exam. Alternatively, you may participate in a residency program through your employer that includes both classroom and clinical practice.
Nature of the work
As a pediatric nurse, you will perform a variety of tasks on a daily basis. These duties include administering medications, taking urine, blood, and stool samples, dressing wounds, performing basic eye exams and head-to-toe patient assessments, administering blood, and performing CPR. You will also be required to assist the physician in a variety of medical procedures.
Now is the perfect time to start a new career as a pediatric nurse. What is a pediatric nurse career going to do for your life? First, it will provide you with a fantastic, stable career. There is a severe shortage of nurses and this shortage is predicted to grow in coming years. This career will also provide you with a lucrative pediatric nurse salary of over $60,000 a year. If you are interested in a great job where you can help children, get started on your nurse training program today.
