What is a pediatric nurse? Also known as a “peds nurse,” this is a registered nurse who specializes in the care of children—from infancy through adolescence. Pediatric nursing can be highly rewarding, as it can enable you to bring comfort to sick children and help them get well again.
Are you passionate about healthcare and interested in a career that allows you to work with kids and their families? You might consider becoming a pediatric nurse. Here, we will examine the career path to this practice area, learn how Mercer University’s Second Degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track can be an efficient way into nursing, and explore common questions like “What is a pediatric nurse?”
What Is a Pediatric Nurse?
A pediatric nurse, often called a "peds nurse," can be mistakenly referred to as a "pediatrician nurse." However, a pediatrician is a physician specializing in the care of children and adolescents. In contrast, a pediatric nurse provides care for patients from infancy through adolescence.
Some pediatric nurses might further specialize in a subfield like pediatric oncology. Others might specialize in working in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), providing care to critically ill children.
Key Responsibilities of Pediatric Nurses
Pediatric nurses have in-depth knowledge of childhood development and the unique healthcare needs of kids. This enables them to care for children dealing with a wide range of acute and chronic diseases, as well as injuries. Pediatric nurses also provide preventive care.
What is a pediatric nurse’s typical day like? Their responsibilities can vary but may include the following:
- Performing head-to-toe assessments
- Taking health histories, checking vital signs, and asking about symptoms
- Administering vaccinations and medications
- Ordering diagnostic tests
- Developing or contributing to care plans
- Coordinating care among different providers
- Monitoring patients’ responses to treatment
Pediatric nurses also serve as a vital source of empathy and compassion for kids and their families, especially when a child has sustained a serious injury or been diagnosed with a severe illness. Patient education is a significant component of this nursing specialty. Pediatric nursing involves helping parents and other caregivers learn about the following:
- How to care for their children at different stages of childhood and adolescence, ensuring their socioemotional and physical needs are met
- Developmental milestones
- Medical conditions, treatment options, and potential side effects
What is an accelerated nursing track, and could it be the right choice for you?
Essential Skills and Qualities for Pediatric Nursing
Because patient and family education is such an important part of pediatric nursing, communication skills are essential. A peds nurse must also be skilled at developing a good rapport with young patients and their parents, as building trust is important in the patient-provider relationship.
Other important skills and qualities for an aspiring pediatric nurse include the following:
- Empathy and compassion
- Attention to detail
- Observation skills
- Emotional resilience and stress management
- Patience
- Patient/family education
- Nursing advocacy
Where Do Pediatric Nurses Work?
If you pursue a career in pediatric nursing, you will have many work settings to choose from. Pediatric nurses can work in community hospitals, as well as:
- Teaching hospitals
- Specialty hospitals
- Physicians’ offices
- Outpatient care centers
- Surgical centers
- Schools
- Community health centers
How to Become a Pediatric Nurse
If you feel that becoming a pediatric nurse is the best choice for you, congratulations on pursuing a career path that will make an immeasurable impact on the lives of children and families! There is no single path toward becoming a registered nurse and attaining a pediatric nursing position, but we will examine the general requirements that must be met.
Earn a Nursing Degree
The first step to becoming a peds nurse is earning a nursing degree. If you do not have any prior college education, a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program may be the right path for you.
If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you may be eligible to apply to the Second Degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track at Mercer University. This ABSN track leverages your prior education so you can graduate in as few as 12 months with the successful completion of any necessary prerequisites.
At Mercer University, you will work through a combination of online nursing theory coursework and hands-on experiential learning components. You will go to the ABSN Learning Site to take nursing skills and simulation labs, which allow you to develop crucial nursing skills and appropriate nursing responses to various patient care scenarios.
Lastly, you will work through a series of clinical rotations, or “clinicals.” During clinicals, you will be placed at top healthcare facilities in the Metro Atlanta area, where you will practice providing direct patient care and working with other healthcare providers. Each clinical rotation focuses on a different nursing specialty, such as pediatrics or maternity care.
See how you can prepare for nursing school and set yourself up for success as an ABSN student.
Obtain a Nursing License
After graduating with your BSN, the next step to become a peds nurse is passing the NCLEX. This is the national licensing exam that all aspiring RNs must pass. Passing the exam leads to eligibility for a state nursing license. Upon obtaining licensure, you will be free to apply to pediatric nursing positions and officially enter this career path.
Consider Additional Optional Credentials
After gaining clinical experience as a practicing nurse, you might consider pursuing additional degrees or credentials. For instance, you could earn a graduate degree like a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Some graduate degree programs offer a specific focus in pediatrics. With a graduate degree, you may be eligible to pursue board certification and licensure as a nurse practitioner (NP) in the pediatric specialty.
Another option is to earn professional certifications in your nursing specialty. Professional certifications can demonstrate your expertise in your specialty area and may increase your job opportunities. For example, you might consider pursuing pediatric nursing certifications from the following organizations:
- Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- National Certification Corporation (NCC)
Each certification has its own eligibility requirements. For example, you may be required to demonstrate a certain amount of clinical work experience in your specialty.
The Rewards and Challenges of Pediatric Nursing
Like any nursing specialty, pediatric nursing offers both rewards and challenges. As a pediatric nurse, you may find that your work is especially meaningful, as it allows you to comfort sick children, provide much-needed guidance to their guardians, and guide young patients through recovery. This specialty can be a great choice for individuals who love working with children, but it also has a few challenges, including difficult emotional moments at times.
Pursue a Career in Peds Nursing at Mercer University
At Mercer University, you can pursue an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing to launch a rewarding career as a peds nurse. Our ABSN track offers a rigorous curriculum designed to prepare future nurses to tackle modern challenges in healthcare. A wide range of student support services, including Academic Success Coaches, small class sizes, and state-of-the-art technology and lab equipment, is available for each student.
Learn whether Mercer University’s ABSN track could be the right choice for you. Contact an enrollment counselor today to get started.