Different types of nurses who work with children
Individuals get involved in nursing for many reasons. Many pursue a career in nursing to help people who are sick. Others might have been compelled to pursue nursing after overcoming their own illness with the help of nurses. Many people become nurses to help children, and such individuals will find that there is no shortage of opportunities to help kids in a health care setting.
SCHOOL NURSE
Perhaps no role within the nursing profession is more synonymous with helping kids than being a school nurse. School nurses perform a range of tasks, from administering medication to students during the school day to managing injuries or illness that arise while kids are on school grounds. Since they are employed outside of a health care facility, school nurses typically work alone in an environment that tends to be less stressful than many settings. According to the nursing and health care education resource nursingprocess. org, school nurses typically must be registered nurses and receive their education from a four-year bachelor’s-degree program or a two-year associate program.
PEDIATRICIAN’S OFFICE
Many nurses work in the office of a pediatrician. Nurses working in such settings may administer vaccines and assist in routine wellness visits. A pediatrician’s office may be the ideal setting for aspiring nurses who want to work with children of all ages, as many kids see their pediatricians into their teenage years. The website nursingprocess.org notes that nurses in a pediatrician’s office must be RNs and receive their education from a four-year bachelor’s-degree program or a two-year associate program.
PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT
Nurses who work in a PICU work with children ranging in age from infants to teenagers. Patients in a PICU need roundthe-clock monitoring, so this can be an intense setting for nurses. Though the requirements to be a PICU nurse are similar to those of school nurse and a nurse in a pediatrician’s office, the field is competitive, so it is unlikely that new graduates will find a job in a PICU right away. Experience gained outside of a PICU can prepare nurses for the stress that comes with working in such a facility.
PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Another potentially stressful position for nurses who hope to work with children is a job within a pediatric emergency department. The resource nursingprocess.org notes that patients in pediatric emergency departments typically have suffered trauma or injury, so this environment can be fast-paced and keep nurses on their toes. In addition to being an RN and earning a degree from a four-year bachelor’s-degree program or a two-year associate program, pediatric emergency-department nurses may need to become certified pediatric emergency nurses (CPENs).
LABOR AND DELIVERY NURSE
Labor and delivery nurses work alongside mothers before, during and after the labor process. The website nursingprocess.org notes that labor and delivery nurses monitor the vital signs of both the mom and baby and provide care for the baby immediately after birth. Labor and delivery nurses must be RNs and earn a degree from a four-year bachelor’s-degree program or a two-year associate program.