A pediatric nurse: what is she?
The word pediatric is obtained from the Greek language where pediatric is the combination of the two words. One is Pedia and second one is ics. Pedia means child , latrike means treatment ics means branch of science. Specific to the healthcare setting, pediatric nurses are Registered Nurses (RNs). Who is responsible for children up to 18 years of age in all health facilities. It is important for pediatric nurses to undergo special kinds of training in pediatric healthcare and treatment for all types of children diseases from birth to teenagers.
“The father of the pediatrician is Dr Abhram jacob”
How to become trained as a Pediatric Nurse
If you would like to have a career in pediatric nursing,you have to first attain an ADN or BSN degree.
In order to be awarded the basic RN licensure you must pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) after you complete your education. Below is the necessary process for becoming a Pediatric Nurse
Accredited program to earn an ADN or BSN degree
Before you can become a Pediatric Nurse, you have to earn your bachelor’s degree in nursing science, or BSN. If you have no previous nursing training or work experience, the BSN program will take you three to four years to complete.
Those with ADN can also opt for RN-to-BSN programs. All these bridge programs are flexible and could be completed within a minimum period of 20 months.
Get an RN license by passing the NCLEX exam
After a bachelor’s degree completion, the next step is to get a nursing license as a Pediatric nurse. To get an RN licenseThe National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) or both must be passed.
Once the NCLEX examination is done then , you will be eligible for a job as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Get expertise in pediatric nursing.
As a beginner nurse, you could apply for basic level-entry posts in pediatric nursing or even go for pediatric nurse residency. Either counts towards the exam of Certified Pediatric Nurse sponsored by the PNCB.
Consider becoming a certified pediatric nurse
Certification of pediatric nurses is done through either ANCC or PNCB in America. Certification provides a signal to employers that, as compared to other RNs, you are more knowledgeable in pediatrics.
For the certification exams, the candidate should have two years of experience and should not have any restrictions on the license as a registered nurse before applying.
Pediatric Nurse Education
To become a RN and pass the NCLEX-RN exam, one requires at least an ADN degree. However, some studies have shown that with a BSN degree there is a possibility that one will have opportunities for leadership positions, to advance his or her education, receive promotions and earn better salaries.
ADN Degree
Obtaining an associate’s degree in nursing, or ADN, would be an excellent starting point for your career as a pediatric nurse.With this degree, you can work at an outpatient level, for example, in a pediatrician’s office or a specialty clinic.
Requirements for Admission
A copy of high school diploma or GED certificate, all records from high school and college level and GED certificate; physical examination; drug test; CPR certification
Program Curriculum
Nursing for children and families; coordination and supervision of patient care; foundational competencies; human structure and function
Time to CompleteTwo years
Lessons TaughtPatient protection; reasoning; interpersonal interaction; utilization of scholarly evidence to educate clients; client oriented healthcare.
BSN Degree
Many health care organizations require their pediatric nurses to have a BSN though it is not mandatory. After obtaining this degree one is likely to be employed in specialty units in a children’s hospital. For instance, pediatric hematology oncology (heme onc) and the cardiac transitional care unit (CTCU).
Requirements for Admission
For instance, the general academic performance should be at least 3. Decent; passing; 2. 75 for the sciences; minimum 45 transferable university credits; minimum grade C- in prerequisites: statistics, microbiology, anatomy & physiology, nutrition, psychology.
Program Curriculum
The areas of specialization available are: Nursing administration-related expenses, health-related surgical nursing, public health and community services nursing, pharmacy in nursing, women’s health, nursing the field of pediatrics nursing policy, and based on proof clinical nursing.
Time to CompleteFour years
Lessons acquiredEthics, cultural sensitivity, professionalism, interpersonal, problem solving and critical thinking, patient relationship and care, safety, caring and teaching/learning, leadership
Pediatric Nurse Salary
However, The United States Bureau of Employment Statistics doesn’t categorize any precise information regarding pediatric nurses’ wages. However, it does identify the pay scale** for Nurse Practitioners, which encompasses Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. This is the Pediatric Nurse position that must possess an advanced degree and three years of clinical experience. *Average of registered Nurse Practitioner salary determined as of May 2021, around $118,000 annually. The bottom 10 percent of the sample received income below $80000 while the top 10 percent was paid more than $163000.
Pediatric Nurse Working
Whether you are still attending a nursing school, there is no harm in beginning the search for a job as a pediatric nurse. Make it your mission to introduce yourself to as many nurses — and the nurse manager — on the peds unit as possible during your clinical rotation. This can be helpful when the unit opens a capstone placement, nurse externship, or new graduate position. Taking pediatric nursing as a career, allows a nurse to work as an inpatient or outpatient nurse. It could be possible to work in a children’s hospital with a highly specialized skills set to take care of the most delicate sick children in your region.
Working as a pediatric nurse can be quite enriching but, at the same time, the job can also be quite demanding. The main tasks of these It takes patience and constancy to work with children and during some of life’s most difficult times, they turn to their loved ones. Observing children beat their conditions is one of the most fulfilling outcomes of the job a pediatric cardiologist has to offer. It can also turn out to be financially benefiting since pediatric nurses earn an average of $31. $38 per hour as seen from the Payscale data of February 2024. The growth rate for registered nurses is projected to be 6% in the period of the years 2022-2032 as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bottom line
Generally, becoming a pediatric nurse is a process that takes so many years to complete. First of all, you have to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which will roughly take four years. Then, you have to take the National Council Licensure Examination for RN, commonly known as the NCLEX-RN exam. Some pediatric nurses also decide to undertake a master’s degree programme, which will take an additional two years.
In general, becoming a pediatric nurse requires a bachelor’s and, in some instances, master’s degree along with some workplace experience and certifications.
