Top Job Opportunities for Nurses who Love Working with Children

Nurses are a necessary part of our healthcare delivery system. They are just as important as doctors, sometimes even more so, since they administer medication and check up on patients frequently. Some nurses even conduct medical tests in lieu of a doctor and analyze all of the results on their own. Nursing is a fulfilling career, helping patients in a hospital or clinic to restore them to their healthy state, and it can be even more fulfilling when nurses get to work with children.

According to several studies, many nurses like to work with children and babies. A large portion of nurses are female (approximately 80% on average across all fields of nursing) and they have expressed a growing interest in working with young children. We have composed a list of viable nursing career options that allows nurses to interact with children and administer healthcare to them. Tender loving care is necessary for children, and nurses who embody that are able to be successful in these positions. Here are some nursing professions with detailed information on the requirements, job functions, and average salaries.

  

Pediatric Registered Nurse

A pediatric registered nurse works with babies and children in hospitals. They provide assistance for doctors by providing routine checkups to all children. A pediatric RN has the following key responsibilities:

•    Give development screening and immunizations
•    Provide routine checkups on children
•    Treat children-specific illnesses
•    Communicate with parents and family members

To be a pediatric RN, you would need a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The average salary of a pediatric RN is $67,000 per year.

Related : 5 Tips to Keep in Mind While Caring for Chronically Ill Children

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse

As an NICU nurse, you work with newborn infants. The NICU is full of newborn babies who struggle adjusting to their new environment after spending 9 months in their mothers’ wombs. These babies need assistance to adapt to their new environment and with the help of advanced medical technologies and experienced personnel like NICU nurses, this is made possible. The responsibilities of an NICU nurse include:

•     Monitor vital signs of babies
•   Work under the supervision and guidance of a neonatologist
•     Continuously inform parents on the status of their newborn baby
•      Ensure that all equipment is running properly

To be a NICU nurse, you need a BSN. NICU nurses also require experience in general pediatrics. Am NICU nurse has an average salary of $65,000 per year.

School Nurse

A school nurse does not work with babies but with children instead. A school nurse provides care and medical treatment to children in schools who get a little hurt on the playground. The responsibilities of a school nurse are as follows:

•      Administer prescription medication to children
•     Treat wounds that children may have while at school
•     Ensure health requirements are met including immunizations
•   Conduct education seminars and instruct health education programs

School nurses have a BSN and experience in acute care before working at a school. They typically earn $70,000 per year.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurse

While NICU nurses deal with newborn babies, PICU nurses take care of children of any age – infants, children, and teenagers. PICU nurses tend to treat life-threatening illnesses that affect children. These are the responsibilities of a PICU nurse:

•   Monitor the vital signs of children afflicted by a disease
•   Work with parents, doctors, and other healthcare providers to aid in the recovery of children

A PICU nurse needs to be a registered nurse that holds a BSN degree. They typically earn $72,000 per annum.

Related : 5 Ways to Stay Healthy When Caring for Sick Kids 

Certified Nurse Midwife

  

A certified nurse midwife delivers babies into the world on a regular basis. Some of the responsibilities of a certified nurse midwife are listed below:

•    Perform gynecological exams
•    Consult on family planning, prenatal care, and birth plans
•    Monitor the vital signs of the mother and baby
•    Deliver the baby from a mother’s womb
•    Assist mothers with breastfeeding

Most certified nurse widwives obtain a BSN and pursue a Master’s degree to further strengthen their theoretical knowledge. They generally earn around $84,000 per annum.

 

Development Disability Nurse

 

A development disability nurse works with children of all ages who struggle with special needs, e.g. Down’s Syndrome, autism, or any other mental or neurological disorder. Typical job responsibilities include the following:

•  Help patients eat, drink, and perform basic bodily functions they would otherwise find difficult  to do on their own.
•  Teaching patients to move on their own.
•  Assisting patients with language and communications skills.

To become a development disability nurse, also known as a special needs nurse, you will need an RN license and work in the field for a few years. After acquiring some experience, nurses need to attain a Development Disabilities Nurse Association (CDDN) certification. These nurses typically earn $62,000 per annum.
To be a successful nurse who works with children, you must exhibit compassion, kindness, and effective communication skills.
 

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