A pediatric home health nurse’s role differs from other pediatric jobs. Rather than simply assisting babies and children when they require hospitalization or regular checks, pediatric home health care presents the opportunity to invest in children’s lives and assist them in reaching health milestones.
If you want to become a pediatric home health nurse, read this article to learn more about the duties of a pediatric home health nurse and see if it’s a suitable fit for you.
Table of Contents
Registered nurses or licensed practical nurses provide individualized care to patients and their families on a shift basis rather than a visit basis. If you want to be a private duty nurse but want to work with children, you could work as a pediatric private duty nurse (PDN). You’ll offer the same care to patients, but they’ll be 0 and 20. You may continue to provide care to most patients as long as they qualify for PDN.
This sort of nursing is sometimes considered an extension of the nursing care provided to a child. Pediatric home health nurses conduct educated observations, record progress and setbacks for doctors to examine, offer medical treatments and medicine, and even educate caregivers. Creating a planned routine and establishing a care plan are two very important jobs of pediatric home health nurses that strengthen families and help them maintain stability.
Pediatric nurses utilize particular nursing abilities to care for children. Here are some of their roles and duties:
Child home care is most commonly used for children who have serious or chronic conditions, such as:
Nurses can also provide the following services in addition to meeting your child’s medical needs:
Being a pediatric nurse at home is promising and provides various benefits. For example:
You will have a direct effect on the lives of your patients. This might be demanding labor, but it can also be quite rewarding. For instance, you play an important part in assisting a medically fragile youngster in living and experiencing life as normally as possible. You get to help ensure their lives get off to a good start, regardless of their condition.
Because of their experience and many families and children, pediatric nurses are in high demand. As a result, there is much well-paying employment available in this industry. Furthermore, most positions have outstanding benefits packages that include the best in health, dental, and vision insurance.
Similar to the previous advantage, the demand for home health care for children puts this medical role in high demand. You should have no issue obtaining enough hours of a well-paying job that makes you happy.
Below you can see some of the skills that nursing school does not necessarily teach you that you’ll need to excel in this specialized nursing industry.
Nurses have the most contact with patients and their families. While adults are usually easy to obtain information from, children are not. They might not be able to show their emotions or may be nonverbal. This means that you must be an attentive listener and observer.
Not only should you observe and listen for signs in your young patient, but you should also pay attention to their family life. For example, some parents have restricted financial means, transportation problems, or other life stresses that may influence the level of care their child gets. You can collaborate with the family to provide more affordable care if you are aware of these concerns.
As medical technology advances, Pediatric Nurses must operate medical equipment and analyze results. Nurses also use computers to access patient information, update data, and fill prescriptions.
It is common for a medically complicated child and their family to feel afraid and out of control when dealing with them. However, because these families are dealing with serious medical difficulties, it is critical to have open and honest contact with them.
Fortunately, children are tough. They may cry for a minute and then laugh the next. Talk slowly and clearly when delivering news to kids, and keep your explanations basic. Then, you can go into greater depth with the parents.
Remember that parents of medically complicated children are frequently worried and exhausted, requiring extra compassion. Communicate with them in the same way that you do with the child. Also, remember to include the siblings in your discussions. A family-centered strategy that involves, engages, and teaches everyone in the family works best for families!
Parents frequently bring their child to a pediatric nurse, who collaborates with other healthcare specialists to assess the child’s symptoms and develop a treatment plan. This technique necessitates highly developed problem-solving abilities.
As previously said, you must be emotionally healthy to work as a private duty nurse. Of course, you will encounter some problems, but you must remain cool. When a young child is involved, these situations can be difficult, but the patient and their family rely on you to be strong and level-headed.
When you have a clear mind, you can make the best judgments for your patient. Then, as you gain expertise as a pediatric nurse, you’ll learn how to deal with scary situations easily. Physical fitness is also vital because it is normal to work long hours and be on your feet all day.
All nurses require empathy and compassion, which is especially important in pediatric home health care. These nurses work with medically complicated children with major, potentially life-threatening health problems. So even on your worst days, you must keep cool and cultivate compassion and empathy.
Of course, this isn’t to imply you shouldn’t have some professional separation because you can’t bear the family’s difficulties as your own. But you can see from their eyes and grasp their point of view. This mindset will help you talk warmly and kindly when coping with separation anxiety and other challenges.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing is frequently required for employment as a Pediatric Nurse. However, a master’s degree may be recommended. Pediatric nurses must also pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) and acquire specific training in child care. Some companies may additionally require Pediatric Nurses to get certification from the Pediatric Nurse Certification Board before or during employment. For example, the CPNP-PC or Primary Care Certified Pediatric Nurse certification needs a master’s degree in nursing and pass the test.
Many pediatric nurses may undergo training through an internship or residency during their schooling. Pediatric Nurses are frequently expected by hiring managers to have specific training in working with small children. Hiring managers may also demand entry-level Pediatric Nurses to shadow a more experienced nurse before working alone.
Baby nurses are non-medical workers assisting parents in caring for their children. Bringing a kid home from the hospital may be stressful, whether your first or fifth. A baby nurse assists parents and caregivers in everything from breastfeeding and washing to establishing good sleep habits and diapering and helps them adapt to a routine. In addition, a baby nurse’s expertise and ideas give comfort, enrichment, and solutions to parents who are prepared to pay for the service. Take a look at the specific duties of a baby nurse.
A baby nurse must use extraordinary caution and care with an infant. This includes ensuring the baby’s safety on a changing table, in a crib, swing, or infant seat, and in the car.
A baby nurse in any environment is also accountable for informing parents and caregivers about infant-related legislation and teaching safe infant-care techniques to all household members.
Certain elements must be in place for the baby nurse to properly care for the infant. The nurse must restock diapers, keep the nursery clean, and clean bottles and items that came home with the infant. A baby nurse also changes linens, dumps the diaper pail, and washes the baby’s clothing and bedding.
Some baby nurses work 12-hour shifts, while others are only needed for a few hours daily. For instance, a woman with two older children may want assistance bottle feeding and washing the baby in the mornings while she gets her other children ready for school.
A baby nurse prepares bottles, feeds the infant, then cleans and sterilizes the bottles in preparation for the next meal. Next, a baby nurse cleans the umbilical cord, lovingly cares for a circumcision, applies appropriate bathing supplies, and carefully brushes the cradle cap off the infant’s head while washing the infant.
A baby nurse provides warmth and comfort to an infant due to the unpredictable temperature patterns of a newborn. In addition, they ensure that the infant is properly swaddled and suited for the weather.
They must also be aware of current safety guidelines, including keeping loose blankets out of the crib. Furthermore, a baby nurse’s tasks include changing a baby’s diaper swiftly and effectively, and correctly and regularly responding to any rashes or skin issues.
Infants require assistance developing appropriate sleeping patterns, a major feature of a postpartum nurse’s work description. A baby nurse records when the baby naturally awakens and sleeps and advises parents on effectively controlling feeding and sleeping patterns.
In addition, due to shifting hormones and sleep disorders connected to the baby’s requirements, moms of newborns are virtually always sleep-deprived. As a result, a baby nurse employed overnight is required to sleep near the baby, so she can hear the baby scream and feed, burp, diaper, and get the baby to sleep on its back without disturbing the mother.
Before beginning home care, patients must obtain a reference from their doctor. Referrals are made during outpatient therapy, before hospital release, or by your doctor. When a child is released from the hospital, there is usually a discussion about what is suitable. Depending on the requirements of the kid and family, home care is a very suitable option.
While children are in the hospital, certain home care providers provide services. Some examples include:
Following hospital release, the kid receives home care treatment. The frequency of visits, length of care, and therapy are tailored to the child’s requirements and the physician’s medical directives. The home care organization provides information to the referring pediatrician after each visit.
A Pediatric Nurse earns an average weekly pay of $1,224. Depending on geographical area, degree of expertise, and place of work, Pediatric Nurse wages can range from $200 to $3,000 per week. A Pediatric Nurse with several years of experience working for a big hospital may often expect to earn more than an entry-level Pediatric Nurse working for a smaller pediatric clinic.
At Health & Care Professional Network, our mission is to relax you and your family. Our caregivers and nurses have received specialized training in working with children. We are committed to delivering exceptional treatment and treating our patients as if they were family.
Contact us online if you have any questions about our professional and compassionate care for your children.