Just like doctors, nurses have medical specialties like cardiac care, surgery, or pediatrics. In order to be a specialist in their field of choice, nurses undergo specific training for the specialty in which they wish to work. If you are considering becoming a pediatric nurse, here is the path you will need to take to work with young patients.
What a Pediatric Nurse Does
A nurse who specializes in pediatrics may care for infants, children and/or adolescents in a doctor’s office, a hospital, or an urgent care facility. Children require different care than adults because their bodies are growing and developing. Their development has to be monitored to make sure they are healthy and if not, the nurse works with a team of pediatric specialists to discover what is wrong and to help heal the child.
The Education of a Pediatric Nurse
Once you have graduated from nursing school, either by attending classes at a university hospital, or technical college, you will need to take the NCLEX exam to become a registered nurse, or RN. Once you pass this exam, you will also have to be licensed in the state in which you live, so in order to be a pediatric nurse in San Diego, you would need to be a licensed RN in the state of California.
After you have earned your degree and received your license, you can start working in a pediatrician’s office or at a hospital in the pediatrics department in order to gain experience. However, if you want to focus on just pediatrics, then you should consider earning a Master’s of Science in Nursing, an MSN, so you can then become a pediatric nurse practitioner, or PNP. While it will take two to three years to complete your MSN, it will allow you to focus on a specific specialty, such as pediatrics.
What Does a PNP Do?
Becoming a PNP allows you to work alongside pediatricians in their practice or in a hospital setting. However, some PNPs have their own practices in which they see and treat young patients. Unlike a pediatric nurse, a PNP has the authority to not only diagnose illnesses, but to also prescribe necessary medications and/or therapies to help their patients get better. In many areas, PNPs play an important role in children’s healthcare due to a lack of doctors.
The career path you choose as a nurse depends on the education you have, so if you wish to specialize in a field such as pediatrics, then you should consider taking part in a four-year program and earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, or BSN. A BSN gives you more choices when it comes to working as a pediatric nurse. Visit here for more details.
