Learn More. Article continues here. In it, we discuss: Pediatric nurse practitioner responsibilities and duties Pediatric nurse practitioner salary and employment Educational commitment to become a pediatric nurse practitioner Licensure and accreditation for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner Pros and cons of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner Resources for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner Should you become a pediatric nurse practitioner?
Pediatric nurse practitioner responsibilities and duties Pediatric nurse practitioners provide advanced practice nursing to infants, toddlers, young children, and adolescents. They work in a variety of settings, including: Physicians' offices Clinics Hospitals Surgical centers Outpatient centers Research centers Military facilities Schools As advanced practice registered nurses , PNPs are qualified to perform a broad range of medical tasks, including: Taking patient histories Performing physical exams Ordering and performing diagnostic tests Analyzing test results Diagnosing conditions Devising care plans Conducting research As the shortage of medical doctors in the US grows more acute, medical practices are transferring more primary care responsibilities to nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants.
Educational commitment to become a pediatric nurse practitioner Become a registered nurse Becoming a nurse practitioner is a multi-step process. If you want to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, however, you should seriously consider pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, for several reasons: You need a Master of Science in Nursing MSN to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Earning a BSN will thus shorten the amount of time you must devote to your education. More and more employers are requiring new registered nursing applicants to hold the BSN. The nursing profession as a whole has been moving toward more rigorous credentialing requirements ever since. It is not unlikely that an associate degree will no longer be sufficient to earn RN licensure at some point soon. Earn a Master of Science in Nursing After earning your license, you may choose to work for a few years before returning to school for your master's degree.
Pros and cons of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner Pros of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner Working with children : If you don't see this as a plus—if the thought of treating and helping young children does not excite and inspire you—then this is the wrong practice for you. High demand : The BLS reports that the job market for all nurse practitioners should grow by 26 percent between and That's nearly four times the rate at which the job market as a whole will grow over that same period.
The entire healthcare sector is expanding; now is a good time to become an NP. Overjoyed parents : As a PNP, you will care for the most important people in most parents' lives: their children. When the outcomes are good—as they usually are—parents will be extremely grateful. You'll be on the receiving end of a lot of good vibes as a PNP, which can go a long way toward getting you through a challenging workday. Cons of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner Occasional tragic outcomes : All doctors and nurses have to face the occasional unhappy result, and it's always challenging.
It's especially so when the patient is an infant, a toddler, or a child. You will need fortitude and the ability to distance yourself to manage these situations. Years of study : Earning a bachelor's and a master's degree requires at least five years of full-time study, and, in many cases, more.
Nor will you be done studying once you earn that graduate degree. You'll need to complete continued education courses as long as you plan to renew your license usually every five years. Becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner means committing to a lifetime of learning. Exposure to diseases : Working in healthcare means coming into contact with sick people, obviously. Even so, children are a special case. Their immune systems are still developing, so they are susceptible to many different viruses and infections.
Worse, though, they aren't always so great about covering their mouths when they sneeze or washing their hands thoroughly. Working with kids means constant exposure to nature's many pathogens. If you're a hothouse flower, perhaps you should find another line of work.
Bias against NPs : Most people understand and respect the training and expertise nurse practitioners bring to their work, but there will also be patients who will consider you some sort of lesser medical professional. Their attitude is, arguably, officially sanctioned in states that require NPs to work under a doctor's direct supervision, or that prohibit NPs from writing prescriptions. Resources for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner The Internet offers a variety of sources for remaining up-to-date with both the profession of pediatric nurse practitioner and the field of pediatrics as a whole.
They include the following: Professional associations are great resources for news, job listings, and continuing education opportunities. Both websites offer a wealth of invaluable information as well as networking opportunities. Field-specific research institutes and medical centers are another great source of information.
Pediatric nurse practitioners should peruse the websites of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institutes of Health Institute of Child Health and Human Development for links to journals, continuing education opportunities, conferences, research papers, and online reference materials. The Center for Disease Control maintains an archive of web resources for nurse practitioners , such as an up-to-date scope of practice map showing which states allow NPs full or limited practice authority.
PNPs conduct much of their work independently or with pediatricians and other healthcare providers across settings. They provide services that include teaching and counseling children and their families on health-related issues, performing routine developmental screenings, and treating and diagnosing common childhood illnesses.
These professionals perform health maintenance care, including administering immunizations to children and performing well-child examinations. PNPs who focus on acute care work with children suffering from chronic, critical, and acute illnesses. They interpret diagnostic and lab test results and conduct advanced physical assessments. After completing pediatric nurse practitioner schooling, professionals find employment in a variety of healthcare settings.
Some PNPs provide home care services. These practitioners can consider working in pediatric subspecialties including neurology, cardiology, orthopedics, infectious disease, dermatology, and gastroenterology.
Some of the most common workplace settings for PNPs include private practices, hospitals, community agencies, and outpatient clinics.
Professionals with a doctor of nursing practice DNP experience the largest scope of opportunities. Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.
Professionals researching how to become a pediatric nurse practitioner can review educational, licensing, and certification requirements in the section below. Additionally, earning a BSN allows professionals to pursue a master of science in nursing MSN , required for licensure. In addition to the exam, most RN licensing programs require students to complete an associate degree in nursing or a BSN. Pursuing field experience in their chosen discipline not only gives professionals the required background for licensing and certification programs, but also provides them with valuable hands-on experience.
Completing these components can lead professionals to pursue the Certified Pediatric Nurse certificate or the Pediatric Nursing Certification. DNP programs allow professionals to take advantage of a wider variety of career opportunities along with higher salary possibilities.
Students can also choose to specialize in acute care or primary care, depending on their interests. Full-time students typically earn their doctoral degree in years. Those with a DNP can pursue the most advanced and highest paying opportunities. Optionally, individuals can complete a DNP. Pediatricians and PNPs provide different scopes of practice.
Pediatricians direct patient care, perform major surgery, order diagnostic tests, and prescribe medications. PNPs provide nursing care, including administration of physician-ordered medication. Professionals must renew their APRN licensure in order to continue practicing professionally in their chosen specialty. Professionals who do not renew their license in time are unable to practice but can seek reinstatement through the state in which they are licensed.
PNPs can specialize in neonatal nursing, direct nursing care, developmental disability nursing, and palliative pediatric nursing. PNPs must satisfy a variety of credentials before they can practice professionally. These practitioners must satisfy both licensing and certification requirements.
RN licensing requirements remain specific to states but feature common aspects across the nation. Staff nurses who have no pediatrics experience and who wish to become pediatric nurse practitioners should consider cross-training to pediatrics. The more experience attained, the smoother the transition to a pediatric nurse practitioner in the future. Pediatric nurses differ from pediatric nurse practitioners in many ways.
Pediatric nurses perform essential nursing functions to care for pediatric patients. This includes physical assessment, developing a nursing care plan, implementing nursing care and treatment, and evaluating response. They administer medications and vaccines as well as other procedures in the hospital or ambulatory care setting. Pediatric nurse practitioners are advanced-practice nurses. This means they have earned a bachelor's degree and moved on to a master's or doctoral degree nurse practitioner program.
Pediatric nurse practitioners have also completed a pediatric NP "track" within their advanced-degree program, which prepares them to care for the pediatric population. Additionally, they must obtain pediatric nurse certifications.
Pediatric nurse practitioners can perform the same functions as a pediatric nurse, but they mainly are responsible for the overall management of care of pediatric patients.
They conduct physical exams, take a history, diagnose, and can prescribe medications. Both pediatric staff nurses and pediatric NPs are highly specialized. Children are not just "small adults. Pediatric nurse practitioners are valuable members of the healthcare team. As caregivers, providers, teachers, leaders, and patient advocates, PNPs promote family-centered care to ensure the child's needs are met at every touch-point in the health care spectrum, from ambulatory to acute care. The working conditions of PNPs have both positive and negative aspects.
Pediatric nurse practitioners can suffer from stress, as they may carry a heavy patient load and have many critical decisions and diagnoses to make.
As with physicians, there is no room for error, which can place a heavy load on the PNP. Additionally, some pediatric nurse practitioners must work swing or graveyard shifts, and some may need to be on call. It can be emotionally draining caring for pediatric patients.
While it is difficult caring for sick adults, caring for ill children can be especially heart-wrenching. Dealing with a terminal illness and the loss of young patients can be challenging; nurses must provide comfort to families while confronting their own sense of loss.
The field of pediatrics can be rewarding, however. Providing comfort to sick children, making their hospital stay as positive as possible, educating patients and families in preventive care and maintenance, and watching children grow makes the pediatric specialty an excellent choice in healthcare. Nurses and NPs may work in high-risk areas that may expose them to workplace violence, bloodborne pathogens, and chemicals. However, most organizations are required to provide workplace safety training to protect the health and safety of their workers.
Not all work areas are risky, such as research and education. This is an equally important area in healthcare, as it assists in developing evidence-based policies and procedures which lead to the best outcomes for patients.
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