How to Become a
Pediatric Nurse

1. Understand the specialized role of a pediatric nurse

儿科护理是一门专业，需要有能力用一种安慰孩子(和他们的父母)的语言和举止与孩子沟通。. 如果你与孩子有一种天然的融洽关系，并渴望在他们的幸福和健康发展中发挥重要作用, becoming a pediatric nurse might provide the gratifying, meaningful career you’re looking for.

The role of a pediatric nurse can be quite different from other types of nurses. For example, most RNs are adept at administering immunizations or inserting IV lines. However, with a pediatric patient, 你可能还需要使用分散注意力的艺术，或者用温柔的声音来照顾孩子. In addition, you’ll spend time educating parents on the importance of immunizations, nutrition and exercise to promote and support healthy child development.

作为一名儿科护士，每天都可能带来新的挑战和机会，为他人的生活带来积极的影响. According to the Institute of Pediatric Nursing, in a 2014 study 92%的儿科护士表示，他们鼓励其他人加入他们的职业生涯，因为有机会改变孩子的生活是值得的.

Where do pediatric nurses work?

As you might imagine, wherever there are babies, 一旦你把儿科护理确定为你的人生使命，并获得必要的证书，那么受过专门培训的儿科护士就会一直有市场, you’ll be able to grow your career in a city, suburban or rural environment and a wide range of facilities. For example, an Institute for Pediatric Nursing survey of Certified Pediatric Nurses revealed that:

1. 30.3% of them are employed at free-standing children’s hospitals.
2. 28.3% work at children’s hospitals associated with a major medical center.
3. 11.7% are employed at outpatient care facilities.
4. 9.9% are employed at community hospitals.
5. 4.8% work at amajor medical center.
6. 2.4% work in school setting.

With the right education and training in pediatric nursing, you’ll have a wide range of environments where your knowledge and skills are in demand.

What will your workdays be like as a pediatric nurse?

作为一名儿科护士，你的工作日在很大程度上取决于你受雇的医院类型. If you’re employed at a doctor’s office, hospital or clinic, your duties and responsibilities may be similar to those of any registered nurse, except the care you provide will be administered to younger patients. The job description can include:

• Work with pediatricians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to develop care plans for babies, toddlers, kids and teens.
• Calm and reassure worried parents and teach them how to best care for their children.
• 与你的年轻病人建立联系并进行有效的沟通，帮助他们消除对疾病的恐惧, injuries and treatments.

You may also choose to take a job as a school nurse, 在这种情况下，你的日常活动可能包括促进学生的预防性保健, faculty and members of the community.

How much can you make as a pediatric nurse?

If you’ve already started crunching the numbers on a career in nursing, you’re probably encouraged by the average annual wage for registered nurses being $94,480 per year ($45.42 per hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).*

作为一名注册护士，获得更多的经验，你将有更好的机会增加你对雇主的价值，并为自己增加薪水.

What is the current jobs outlook for pediatric nurses?

For pediatric nurses, the future appears bright. The BLS is predicting 6% growth in employment from 2022-2032 for registered nurses.* That’s faster than the average for all occupations, 但劳工统计局也指出，拥有护理学学士学位(BSN)的注册护士比没有学士学位的护士有更好的就业前景, and employers may also prefer candidates who have certification in a specialty area, such as pediatric nursing.

3. Pass Your NCLEX Exam

在美国，每个注册护士都必须参加(并通过)全国委员会执照考试, commonly referred to as NCLEX-RN. 这是一项综合性考试，只对已经完成了像赫zing这样的护理课程的学生开放. The test focuses on your knowledge of four specific areas of nursing, including:

1. Safe, effective care environments
2. Health promotion and maintenance
3. Psychosocial integrity and how to cope with the stresses of being a nurse
4. Physiological integrity and your ability to deliver proper nursing care

Studying for and passing your NCLEX doesn’t need to be an overwhelmingly stressful experience. In fact, as a future pediatric nurse, 明智的做法是，把目光放在目标上，听从那些已经走过你的木屐的注册护士的建议，并与他们分享他们的经验 tips for success.

7. Begin your career as a certified pediatric nurse!

Making a difference in the life of a child isn’t something just any nurse can do. Becoming a pediatric nurse takes compassion, empathy and a level head to handle emergency situations calmly and professionally.

If pediatric nursing is tugging at your heartstrings (and your professional aspirations), the best place to start is with a world-class nursing education.

赫京大学是您的终身学习伙伴，帮助您实现护理职业目标. Consider our pediatric nurse practitioner programs for the future if you’re thinking ahead to advancing your nursing career in pediatrics.