Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

While you may have a general idea of what nurses do, you may still be wondering what a pediatric nurse is. A pediatric nurse is specially trained to care for patients that are children, whether they be premature babies, adolescents or patients at any age in between.
 

What a Pediatric Nurse Does

A pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) is a high-level registered nurse with an advanced education in pediatric nursing and health care that allows him or her to provide the best possible treatment to children.
 
A PNP works closely with the child’s family members to teach them about relevant medical conditions and treatment options and techniques. This ensures that the child will receive the best care possible if the pediatric nurse is not there. PNPs are licensed to diagnose patients and prescribe medication, both of which are tasks that licensed practical nurses are not able to perform.

Working as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

A PNP works in a variety of different healthcare environments, including:
  • children's hospitals
  • community or private hospitals
  • healthcare institutions
  • private nursing
  • schools
  • specialty clinics.
A PNP must be able to work well under high stress situations and must be able to react quickly and efficiently under pressure.
 
Some of the duties of a PNP include:
  • administering immunizations
  • diagnosing common illnesses and injuries
  • managing children's health conditions
  • ordering lab or diagnostic testing, such as blood tests, laboratory tests and x-rays
  • performing physical exams
  • providing the required treatments, therapies, medication and procedures that are necessary to the child’s well being.

Education for PNPs

To become a pediatric nurse practitioner, you must complete a nursing bachelor’s degree and become a registered nurse. The next step is to obtain a Master of Science Degree in Nursing, with a specialization in pediatrics.
 
After completing this required education, students then have to go on to earn the proper certification and licensing. Like the bar exam for lawyers, the pediatric nurse practitioner licensing exam must be taken in the state in which you choose to practice. After you have passed the licensing exam you can apply for certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
 
The average salary of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners is $69,321. The more experience a PNP has, the more their potential salary will increase.
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