Pediatric Nurse: Job Description, Educational Qualification & Career Outlook

The clinical healthcare field of nursing offers various types of nursing careers to choose from. There are numerous specialty and alternative careers in this field. One of the most popular specialties is the occupation of a pediatric nurse. As the name suggests, pediatric nursing deals with providing medical care to infants, children and adolescents. To become a pediatric nurse and make the most of your careers, you should be well informed of the job description, educational qualification and career prospects that the occupation brings.

Job Description
Registered nurses who choose to specialize in pediatrics are expertly trained to perform physical examination and diagnosis a variety of injuries and common illnesses. They are responsible for administering medical care to children, hence also referred to as children's nurses. The job of a pediatric nurse practitioner happens to be quite challenging, as it includes handling a wide range of healthcare and educational support issues that a child's family may be facing.

The typical job responsibilities of a pediatric nurse is as follows -

Conducting a child's physical examination
Accumulating essential patient information and families medical history
Diagnosing a wide range of injuries and common ailments
Administering appropriate treatment to children
Working in close contact with other healthcare professionals
Conducting various diagnostic procedures like x-rays, blood tests etc.
Providing healthcare counseling to children's families
Interpreting laboratory diagnostics results with the healthcare team
Following up on child's medications and treatments as directed by the physician

One of the major job duties of pediatric nurses is to educate the child's family on a variety of healthcare issues and answering the questions that the family may have. With proper counseling and support from children's nurses, the child's family is able to deal with stressful situations. In order to perform their duties efficiently, the accumulate data from clinical examinations, verbal communication, diagnostic tests and from other medical records. Pediatric nurses work closely with professionals like pediatric physicians, patient's family doctor and other head registered nurses.

Educational Qualifications & Training
To become a pediatric nurse practitioner, candidates need to complete the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program. The eligibility criteria for applying to this program include being a qualified registered nurse with many years of working experience. The program takes two years for completion. To start and work and practicing, professionals will also need to fulfill the licensure requirements, depending on the state where they are employed. The licensure examination is known as Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Certification examination.

Job Skills
Those who aspire to make a career in pediatric nursing should also possess some essential skills, apart from possessing a qualification in nursing. The Society of Pediatric Nurses suggests that professionals need to do extensive study and keep themselves updated on the advanced methods and techniques of child growth and development. Learning the right approach, commitment, excellent communication skills, strong people skills, capability to work under pressure and emotional strength are some of the key skills candidates should possess to make the most of their careers.

Occupational Outlook
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts excellent job growth in this nursing field. The employment growth rate is expected to increase at 23% between the years 2006 and 2016. There are strong job prospects for those who have advanced training, certifications and several years of working experience. The demand for pediatric nurses is increasing immensely. The nursing field being a quite rewarding career, becoming a pediatric nurse is just the right career options for candidates who aspire to establish a career in this field.

Annual Salary
The annual income of a pediatric nurse varies depending on the educational qualification, training and years of experience they carry. Registered nurses who are on staff in pediatrics earn an annual salary ranging between $57,597 and $68,826. Those who are employed as nurse practitioners earn around $20,000 more as compared to the salary of registered nurses. Nurse practitioners employed in the United States can earn as high as $87,008 annually.