Duties and responsibilities
A pediatric nurse practitioner is responsible for providing medical care to children from birth to age 18. They treat problems such as injuries, illnesses and diseases. Their typical duties and responsibilities include:
- Recording a patients’ medical histories and symptoms
- Consulting and educating parents on how to care for their child
- Performing physical exams and observing patients
- Creating patient care plans or contributing to existing plans
- Performing and ordering diagnostic tests
- Diagnosing various health problems
- Analyzing test results or changes in a patient’s condition
- Giving patients medicines and treatments and evaluating their response
- Consulting with doctors and other healthcare professionals
Qualifications
Pediatric nurse practitioner will need a bachelors degree in nursing, to achieve a registered nursing license and to complete a musters degree in nursing. After this, they will need to achieve licensure from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB). This certification requires periodic renewal.
In addition, all nurse practitioners should aim to get a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS), or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification.
Skills and relevant work experience
As well as having the physical stamina to be on their feet all day, pediatric nurse practitioners need skills such as:
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- Problem solving skills, as pediatric physical therapists will have find out what is wrong with the child, and overcome issues in treatment programmes
- Patience, as working with children can be slow and frustrating
- Compassion and empathy, as working with children requires a deep understanding of their needs and concerns
- Communication skills, as pediatric nurse practitioners will need to communicate effectively with children and their family. They also need t0 keep written documents up to date
Hours
Pediatric nurse practitioners tend to work full time. However, there are part time opportunities available. They may also have to work nights or weekends to accommodate to their patients schedule.
Salary
According to salary.com, the average annual salary for a pediatric nurse practitioner in the United States was $108,000 in 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $94,436 and the highest 10% earned over $188,125.
Progression
Nurse practitioners have already progressed from registered nurses. Pediatric nurse practitioners have also progressed further to become specialized. Once at a nurse practitioner position, pediatric nurse can progress to research or teaching roles.