Cconrad - Journey - Final Draft
Cconrad - Journey - Final Draft
Cconrad - Journey - Final Draft
Carly Conrad
Mr. Alburger
English 3
Carly Conrad
Mr. Alburger
English 3
Pediatric Nursing
There is a calling that has reached over 100,000 people in the U.S. That calling is for
Pediatric nursing. Pediatric Nurses are responsible for providing exceptional care and
monitoring the development of the many children that come through their doors.
Pediatric nursing is defined as the practice of nursing involved in the health care of
children from infancy through adolescence. “This type of nurse is very important because
compassionate care that focuses on their changing physical and emotional needs.” (Kyle) These
pediatric nurses are in charge of providing that. Their primary focus is on the child and to
provide this direct care while also being an advocate and educator for the child and their
families.
These nurses have many responsibilities in their field. While their one responsibility is to
provide exceptional care for the child they also have to be aware of a wide variety of topics. “A
pediatric nurse must look at the different milestones of the infant to see how they are growing.”
(Bowden) Children while they are growing go through these milestones/checkpoints. A pediatric
nurse must look for these, for example,”....by the age of 10, a school-aged child should weigh
around 70 pounds and 54 inches tall.” (Silbert) If the child is exceptionally under that the nurse
must notice that. Another responsibility that is placed on the shoulders of a pediatric nurse is
making the child and family comfortable. A pediatric nurse is the first face a patient and their
family see. This means that the nurse must make sure they are comfortable and answer any
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questions that the family or patient might have. Another big responsibility of a pediatric nurse is
to be observant. The nurse must observe any warning signs that may be present on the child’s
body or through their behavior. They have to look for signs of abuse, disease, mental health
issues, and psychological development. On top of all of that, “When caring for a child, the way a
family interacts becomes a big part of the overall care for the child.” (Potts) While looking at the
Going into more detail about the importance of a pediatric nurse, a big topic to look at is
the differences between a child and an adult. The population of children requires different
assessments and evaluations that are only unique to infants, children, and adolescents. Some
people consider children to be just small adults but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. “The
physiology is massively different between adults and children. For starters, a child’s heart is
different from an adult’s so when a child is having problems with their heart doctors or surgeons
must refer to a different checklist.” (Ricci) Also, children have more flexible bones than adults as
a result they are harder to break. That is why a fractured bone has more impact on a child than an
adult. Also since pediatric nurses are with children from infants to adolescence they are
responsible for checking the child’s growth patterns and look for things only unique to a child
and not an adult. One of the biggest differences is resilience, a child has more resilience than an
adult because children have more hope and they believe. They have such a big imagination
which helps them survive worse and recover faster. This is just a sample of the big overview of
this career, pediatric nursing hasn’t always been this advanced. These advances would not be
The history of pediatric nursing dates all the way back to 1855. Before the career of
pediatric nursing became a specialty, newborns would be delivered by a midwife and then all the
care would be done inside the home. “The first pediatric hospital was the Children’s Hospital of
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Pennsylvania, founded in 1855.” (Rudd) During this time of pediatric nursing, things were
massively different from the present. In the past nurses were in charge of preventing the spread
of infectious disease. Also if a child was in the hospital parents were not allowed to visit their
children. All the care and responsibility was placed upon the nurses/staff. Still looking at the
past, during the 19th and 20th centuries nursing care was limited. Nurses were mostly working
through private health initiatives. Out of all of these differences, the biggest is how in the early
days of pediatric nursing, the emotional and psychological needs of children were not considered
As of today, there have been many advances in the field of pediatric nursing throughout
the years. Starting off In 1917, the “Standard Curriculum for Schools of Nursing (Standard
Curriculum) started to require that classes on pediatric nursing must involve lectures on social
issues, infectious diseases, orthopedic and surgical conditions, and psychology/mental health.”
(Rudd) Previously these things were not considered in the care of children. In the latter half of
the 20th century, the profession of pediatric nursing continues to define itself and improve.
“Pediatric has started to define itself by showing developments and publication of professional
organizations, etc.” (Rudd) Also as of today there are pediatric nurses working in many different
places when in the past they would only work in private medical offices and pediatric nurses are
more involved in care. The early field of pediatric nursing has had a lot of influence and impact
At first glance, the education that is required to become a practicing pediatric nurse looks
intense, but the harsh reality is that these nurses have to be prepared for life and death situations.
To start the journey of becoming a pediatric nurse a degree must be achieved. Usually either an
the core part of this journey to becoming a pediatric nurse as it is the stepping stone. There are
many schools that have their own branch of nursing that will offer great programs for aspiring
nurses.
The top school in the United States for pediatric nursing is the Duke University School of
Nursing. This college is residing in Durham, North Carolina. What makes this school the number
one is how it advances nursing science in the issues that face the world. The school also fosters
the scholarly practice of nursing. The Duke University School of Nursing was also named the
leading graduate nursing program in the nation. The second best school in the U.S for nursing is
John Hopkins University. This school resides in Baltimore, Maryland. John Hopkin University’s
nursing program has received three NLN Center of Excellence awards. Their nursing program
has always been in the top 5 nursing schools since they opened their doors. What makes this
school the number two is that their staff always makes sure that their students are at their best
and provide them with the materials to go out in the world and be the best nurses they can be.
Going out into the work field is the finale of the journey to becoming a pediatric nurse,
but many things have to be put into play. “Nursing can be considered more than an occupation,
rather a calling.” (CTU) Many pediatric nurses have said that their journey has started with this
calling. Some qualities and skills that will have to be brought out once a pediatric nurse goes into
the work field are critical thinking skills, good communication, compassion, empathy, being
detail-oriented, emotional stability, strong organizational skills, and high physical stamina. These
skills are highly important to the workplace. This is only one of the many parts of the workplace.
Another part of the workplace is the many different settings one could work in. Pediatric
Nurses have the opportunity to work in many different locations, so they can find the one that fits
their skill set the best. Pediatric Nurses can choose to work in either a hospital, doctor’s office,
clinics, surgical centers, and specific pediatric centers. It is important that these nurses are
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available in all these medical places. This is due to the countless amounts of children that are
A factor of this job that can be important is the salary that pediatric nurses will make. The
average salary for pediatric nurses ranges from $59,000 to $110,000 and above. This can depend
on the workplace and specialty. Another thing that can affect one’s salary is pay raises. The more
experience and years a peds nurse works can gain one a pay raise. For example, for the first 5
years, the salary will be on the lower side of the range. Once one hits 10 years of working in the
field the salary will increase. Due to the high demand for nurses in the United States, salaries
The job market is an important aspect when talking about a career. “In recent years, the
demand for pediatric nurses has continued to outweigh the supply creating a mass shortage of
nurses.” (Rudd) As the population continues to grow in the United States the demand for those in
the nursing field will only increase as well. This demand must be met by addressing issues that
can potentially add to the shortages themselves. For example, the lack of educators and the high
turnover rate of nurses are just a few of the contributing issues of the pediatric nurse shortage.
Unlike other jobs where many years from now those jobs might not be needed. There will always
be a need for pediatric nurses to help children who are in need of medical care and do anything
In conclusion to the overview of the field of pediatric nursing, pediatric nurses are
responsible for caring for children of all ages. They must be knowledgeable about the growth and
development as they are to a child’s unique and individual developmental level. Some of the best
pediatric nurses are ones who can handle all of the responsibility that comes with the job while
The career of Pediatric Nursing impacts the community by being an essential part of the
healthcare system, by providing a health care experience that is unlike any other, and by going
out into the community to make sure everyone gets a health care experience.
With all aspects of this profession, the impact is one of the most diverse and important
topics to talk about. Nurses are the foundation of the healthcare system. “...Not only do they
deliver outstanding care and support to patients and their families, but they also advocate on your
behalf every single day.” (AdventHealth) For example, the pediatric nurse will always make sure
the child is okay and their voice is heard. They don’t want the parent to do all the talking because
the parent might not be saying exactly what is going on. Pediatric nurses always make sure that
they are on the same page as the child. Pediatric nurses are known as the backbone of the child
health care system, they provide comfort, support and security to a child as well as their families.
Pediatric nurses are the first to face a patient, so within the first few minutes, it can make
an appointment turn into a great experience or make the child hate the doctor and never want to
come back. “Studies have found that the nurse’s communication with their patient’s care in every
setting promotes lower readmission rate, lower lengths of stay, higher safety scores and lowered
instances of hospital-acquired conditions.” (Sumner College) This initially helps the community
by opening up hospital beds and promoting healthiness throughout the community. Also to add
to that quote Pediatric nurses can calm a patient so their appointment will go smoother and will
make the child not as scared to come back to the doctor in turn the child when they feel sick will
want to go to the doctor and not keep living their life and risk making others sick.
One thing that sets Pediatric and all nurses apart from other professions and their impact
is that there will always be a need for nurses. All jobs are important, but to keep the community
healthy and safe you are always going to need nurses. As long as there are people you will need a
nurse. Everyone is going to get sick or get injured and the first person to examine it will always
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be a nurse. Also, there will never be anything that can match the personal care for children that
pediatric nurses give. Pediatric nurses will always be there to promote health, care for
individuals, and stop the spread of illnesses throughout the children of the world.
Throughout the community, nurses have a very big impact. “Nurses advocate for health
promotion, educate patients and the public on the prevention of illness and injury, provide care
and assist in cure, participate in rehabilitation, and provide support.” (McGill) To promote good
health many nurses will visit elementary,middle and high school to hold seminars. This way they
will be able to personally teach them ways to stay safe, and prevent themselves from catching
illnesses in school and outside of school. With these lectures, many kids will pay attention,
especially at younger ages when they are very eager to learn. “Above all, nurses must be
understood and be acknowledged for their importance and the immense impact they have on the
The relationships between a pediatric nurse and their patient is a very big part of the
impact they make. During an appointment, a pediatric nurse has to form a connection with the
patient to gain trust. This will help the relationship and make the child feel more comfortable and
be prepared for when they see the doctor. The relationship can be different wherever the nurse is.
For example, if a child is going into surgery the pediatric nurse will see them first and walk them
through the procedure as well as prep them and get vitals. The child is going to be nervous going
into surgery so the Pediatric Nurse will make sure the child feels safe and comfortable before
they go into surgery. That is just one instance, within any situation or setting a pediatric nurse is
seeing a patient they have to make them feel safe. “By acknowledging they understand their
patient is suffering through their body language, nurses are able to convey to patients that they
are safe and in the best place to receive the best care possible.” (Sumner College)
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Pediatric nurses will always make sure the patient knows that they are on their side and
will advocate for them. “Nurses are there to listen to you, support you, and help connect you to
resources you may need.” (Advent Health) These nurses always have the patient’s best interest in
mind. When a patient knows that the nurse is on their side it can help them for example admit
things like vaping, smoking, drinking, and sexual activity. This can have a big impact by
allowing the medical team to know things that can affect the care they receive and how the
appointment goes.
Another key impact Pediatric nurses have is on how doctor’s offices or hospitals run.
Nurses will play a big role in the efficiency of an office or hospital. “Nurses are critical to the
delivery of high-quality, efficient care.” (Needleman and Hassmiller) Pediatric Nurses make sure
policies are enforced so that the patient can get the best medical care possible at that location. To
add on because nurses are the first to see the child the get all the necessary information so they
have to be organized and make sure it all gets back to the doctor. This helps with the efficiency
of how the office or hospital is run. It will also affect the patient’s experience and can affect if
Focusing back on the relationships with patients and their interactions many patients have
come forward and said that solely based on their interactions with nurses can turn their trip
around. “.....nurses help the patients on an emotional level that a lot of doctors don’t do. We are
there for when the patient hears bad news, we help them cope and also give the patient and their
family hope.” (Feagans) To add onto this quote nurses especially with children have a keen
ability to distract them and make them feel better because the doctor’s office can be very
intimidating especially if let’s say they have to get a shot. Every child is scared to get a shot but
if the nurse can distract them with something else they can “take” some of the pain. This all ties
together with giving kids the best medical care and making sure their appointment goes well.
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It is very important as well for Pediatric nurses to help out in the community. Whether
this is visiting schools, going out into communities, and visiting families. Some pediatric nurses
will visit a school to perform exams, give immunizations to children, and overall look at their
well-being. They will also go out into the community to help improve the effectiveness of health
care for children. They will make sure every child has a chance to see a medical professional
because some children aren’t so lucky to be able to go to a doctor’s office. Aside from the actual
medical side of it, pediatric nurses will check in on neighbors, they will serve on local boards,
and will even organize events to help with health issues and also teach the community about how
to stay healthy.
Another aspect of working throughout the community is stopping the spread of disease.
This can be through speaking in the community to talk about how to protect yourself. For
example talking to children about making sure you wash your hands, don’t share drinks, if you
are sick stay home, etc. These pediatric nurses’ main aspect of their job is to keep everyone
healthy, especially children, so they want to make sure they are reaching children and informing
them about an illness and how to protect themselves. Nowadays this is very important while we
are in the age of COVID-19. With this virus being very contagious it is important that these
nurses are informing everyone how to protect themselves and how dangerous this virus can be.
Children might not understand the big deal with the virus so nurses have to make sure they are
aware. Also, Pediatric nurses have to be there to take care of the children if their condition
In conclusion, the career of Pediatric Nursing has a very big impact on the community
whether it is through their relationship with the patient, acting as the baseline and one of the most
essential parts of the healthcare system, and or helping to provide a medical experience that is
Works Cited
AdventHealth. “The Many Ways Nurses Make a Positive Impact in Health Care.” AdventHealth,
www.adventhealth.com/blog/many-ways-nurses-make-a-positive-impact-health-care#:~:t
ext=Nurses%20use%20their%20voice%20and,stop%20at%20the%20hospital%20level.
www.coloradotech.edu/degrees/studies/nursing/articles/how-to-become-a-pediatric-nurse.
Jack Needleman, and Susan Hassmiller. “The Role Of Nurses In Improving Hospital Quality
And Efficiency: Real-World Results: Health Affairs Journal.” Health Affairs, 1 Jan. 1970,
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.28.4.w625.
books.google.com/books?hl=en.
www.mcgill.ca/nursing/events/today.
Potts, Nicki L., and Barbara L. Mandleco. Pediatric Nursing: Caring for Children and Their
Sumner College. “How Nurses Impact The Patient Experience.” Sumner College, 27 May 2020,
www.sumnercollege.edu/associate-degree-nursing/nursing-facts/how-nurses-impact-the-p
atient-experience/#:~:text=Studies%20have%20found%20that%20the,instances%20of%2
0hospital%2Dacquired%20conditions.
Ricci, Susan Scott, et al. Maternity and Pediatric Nursing. Wolters Kluwer, 2021.
Rudd, Kathryn, and Diane M. Kocisko. Pediatric Nursing: the Critical Components of Nursing