Nurse
Comparison in the Role of a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) and Psychiatric Technician (PT)
In the field of medicine and health care, the job profile of a LVN, that is to say, a Licensed Vocational Nurse, and a Psychiatric Technician are often used in relation with one another. However, the two professions vary greatly and each of them entails entirely disparate job qualifications, responsibilities and expectations.
In general, Licensed Vocational Nurses are also referred to as Licensed Practical Nurses or LPNs. The job profile and the term used for a Licensed Vocational Nurse often vary from region to region, depending upon country specific criterion. For example, while the term is Licensed Vocational Nurse in California and Texas, the term used in Australia and New Zealand is Enrolled Nurse.
On an average, a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be expected to undertake simple as well as intricate medical responsibilities, but these can be performed only under the specific supervision of a physician or a registered nurse. All Licensed Vocational Nurses can register medicine dosages, and in some regions they can be expected to fulfill other responsibilities as well. These responsibilities range from having to initiate IV medications and administering the IV push medications, administering wound and injury care, to maintaining records of patients. A Licensed Vocational Nurse is also expected to collect blood and urine samples when these are needed for lab testing.
Also, a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be asked to perform straightforward lab diagnostic and analysis practices such as urine- analysis as well. The work of Licensed Vocational Nurses is not limited to only hospitals. They can work in hospitals and clinics under the express supervision of physicians, and they can also work in long- term health care facilities where they sometimes might be assigned the responsibility of over- seeing the work of orderlies and nursing assistants. Another responsibility of a Licensed Vocational Nurse is to monitor the patient’s vital signs such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation.
In the United Kingdom, where Licensed Vocational Nurses are often referred to as State Enrolled Nurses, they are expected to aid in drawing blood samples of patients, record the readings of the ECG and also change wound dressings as and when they are so required. In the United States, it is compulsory for a prospective Licensed Vocational Nurse to have completed high school at least after which there are a number of programs that the candidates are expected to sit for and qualify, depending on their individual aspirations.
The responsibilities of a Psychiatric Technician might oftentimes appear to resemble that of a Licensed Vocational Nurse, but the difference lies in the respective fields of work. While a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be of assistance to a physician or a registered nurse on a wide variety of medical responsibilities, Psychiatric Technicians specifically deal with medical responsibilities arising in the field of Psychology. A Psychiatric Technician is expected to work with a medical team providing professional services, in the capacity of assisting individuals suffering from problems arising out of developmental and emotional difficulties.
Psychiatric Technicians are involved in the process of working with people who suffer from psychological ailments such as dementia, depression and psychosis, when these conditions are causing visible and palpable mental distress as well as emotional duress to the patient. It is important for those looking to take up the profession of a Psychiatric Technician to have studied pharmacology for Psychiatric Technicians are expected to be educated in the field of administering and understanding medication in terms of drug standards, dosages requires and the effects of different medicines in contexts of different psychological issues.
A Psychiatric Technician works under a psychiatrist, a registered nurse or any other category of mental health workers, and forms an important and integral part of a medical team.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts offers LVN/LPN programs and Psychiatric technician programs through their campuses in California.
Licensed Vocational Nursing Program
School Nurse Job Description
It is one of the most noble medical jobs, being a nurse and caring for the sick and the needy especially if they are school kids. The school nurse job description involves mostly providing primary health care for school children and to inculcate health and hygiene awareness. Like most nurses the school nurse is the first contact a patient has with professional medical help when in need of medical attention. One of the qualities required when dealing with children and young adults is patience, and it is important that a school nurse has this. Providing medical care under a school can be very tasking at times, due to the unavailability of sophisticated diagnostic equipment. The school nurse has to be extremely vigilant and knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms of infectious diseases because the school setting makes it vulnerable for an outbreak.
School Nurse Educational Qualification
Education is instrumental in providing an individual specialized training, and it also comes handy when securing a job that pays well. It is an important job application criteria that the individual applying for a school nurse job has completed a certain level of education and has the necessary licenses to practice as a nurse. If you are planning for a career as a school nurse, it is recommended that you atleast have a bachelors degree. The school nurse job description does not involve dealing with complex medical problems, and the role lacks standardized requirements. This makes it possible for the job applicants to have training in vocational programs as well as doctorates to apply for a school nurse job. The school nurse must however complete a state approved nursing program in practical nursing. These programs are offered by vocational training institutes, nursing schools and community colleges. After completion of this year long program, the individuals then have to take the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-PN to be able to practice as licensed practical nurse.
Job Description of a School Nurse
In a school setting, they are the first line of health care and provide basic medical care and prevention measures. Taking vital signs and providing basic medication are some of the duties of a school nurse. Administering allergy medication is one of the most common duties of a school nurse, the other is providing first aid for bruises and cuts. The middle school environment is such that a nurse has to deal with children who fall and cut themselves while playing games and during lunch hours. Most kids dread the idea of medication and a school nurses has to be very patient and tactful when dealing with young patients. A school nurse has to deal with a range of students from toddlers to young adults and needs effective communication skills in dealing with this varied age group. Asthma and Diabetes are a few conditions that are prevalent in school kids and a nurse is required to handle any such situation that may arise from these conditions. The nurse is required to administer medication that may alleviate the pain experienced under these condition or take a decision to move the patient to the nearest medical facility, which is equipped to deal with such an emergency. The school nurse may also be called upon to run immunization programs and kids health awareness lectures. Teenage pregnancy is also one sensitive issue which a nurse has to deal with, and the school nurse is expected to provide medical advise along with some good counseling. Sex education, alcohol and drug addiction awareness programs are also some areas where a school nurse can contribute. Obesity is on the rise among American children and devising an individualized diet plan and healthy eating habit programs is something that a school nurse may be called upon to do. Counseling for mental stress, peer pressure and learning disabilities also comes under the school nurse job description. The average school nurse salary in the United States is USD 43,000.
The school nurse job description involves dealing with children, hence a nurse should posses personal qualities such as patience and sympathy. A fervor to serve children who cannot care for themselves will go a long way in making a successful and satisfying career as a school nurse.
Comparison in the Role of a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) and Psychiatric Technician (PT)
In the field of medicine and health care, the job profile of a LVN, that is to say, a Licensed Vocational Nurse, and a Psychiatric Technician are often used in relation with one another. However, the two professions vary greatly and each of them entails entirely disparate job qualifications, responsibilities and expectations.
In general, Licensed Vocational Nurses are also referred to as Licensed Practical Nurses or LPNs. The job profile and the term used for a Licensed Vocational Nurse often vary from region to region, depending upon country specific criterion. For example, while the term is Licensed Vocational Nurse in California and Texas, the term used in Australia and New Zealand is Enrolled Nurse.
On an average, a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be expected to undertake simple as well as intricate medical responsibilities, but these can be performed only under the specific supervision of a physician or a registered nurse. All Licensed Vocational Nurses can register medicine dosages, and in some regions they can be expected to fulfill other responsibilities as well. These responsibilities range from having to initiate IV medications and administering the IV push medications, administering wound and injury care, to maintaining records of patients. A Licensed Vocational Nurse is also expected to collect blood and urine samples when these are needed for lab testing.
Also, a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be asked to perform straightforward lab diagnostic and analysis practices such as urine- analysis as well. The work of Licensed Vocational Nurses is not limited to only hospitals. They can work in hospitals and clinics under the express supervision of physicians, and they can also work in long- term health care facilities where they sometimes might be assigned the responsibility of over- seeing the work of orderlies and nursing assistants. Another responsibility of a Licensed Vocational Nurse is to monitor the patient’s vital signs such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation.
In the United Kingdom, where Licensed Vocational Nurses are often referred to as State Enrolled Nurses, they are expected to aid in drawing blood samples of patients, record the readings of the ECG and also change wound dressings as and when they are so required. In the United States, it is compulsory for a prospective Licensed Vocational Nurse to have completed high school at least after which there are a number of programs that the candidates are expected to sit for and qualify, depending on their individual aspirations.
The responsibilities of a Psychiatric Technician might oftentimes appear to resemble that of a Licensed Vocational Nurse, but the difference lies in the respective fields of work. While a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be of assistance to a physician or a registered nurse on a wide variety of medical responsibilities, Psychiatric Technicians specifically deal with medical responsibilities arising in the field of Psychology. A Psychiatric Technician is expected to work with a medical team providing professional services, in the capacity of assisting individuals suffering from problems arising out of developmental and emotional difficulties.
Psychiatric Technicians are involved in the process of working with people who suffer from psychological ailments such as dementia, depression and psychosis, when these conditions are causing visible and palpable mental distress as well as emotional duress to the patient. It is important for those looking to take up the profession of a Psychiatric Technician to have studied pharmacology for Psychiatric Technicians are expected to be educated in the field of administering and understanding medication in terms of drug standards, dosages requires and the effects of different medicines in contexts of different psychological issues.
A Psychiatric Technician works under a psychiatrist, a registered nurse or any other category of mental health workers, and forms an important and integral part of a medical team.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts offers LVN/LPN programs and Psychiatric technician programs through their campuses in California.
Licensed Vocational Nursing Program
What You Need to Know to Become a Nurse Educator
Nurse educators are very crucial to the field of nursing and are needed at just about every level of practice. They can teach nurses pursuing undergraduate studies as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and also those at the advanced level, seeking to play the role of nurse educators, nurse researchers, practice nurses, future nurse leaders and nurse administrators.
Due to the high demand s for the skills of a nurse educator, their jobs tend to be very secure. In most cases, they have to cope with their double roles as an educator and a patient care provider. As a nurse educator one has to implement, evaluate, revise and design different educational nursing programs. They tend to bear job titles such as continuing education specialist, clinical nurse educator, staff developmental officer and administrative nurse faculty to name a few.
Education
In order to become a nurse educator for licensed practical nurses or those pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree, a level of education is required. The individual must first be a licensed registered nurse with experience and hold a master’s degree in nursing. If you are desirous of teaching in the graduate program then a doctoral degree in nursing will be required. In addition to having these degrees, nurse educators must have specialized degrees in nursing education or another area of specialty in the nursing field. Nurse educators will also need to have a lot of experience and advance training in clinical specialty, along with the nursing certification offered by the national League of nursing as a sign of excellence in the area of a academic nurse educator.
Salary
The salary that a nurse educator can receive will heavily depend on their specialty, location, experience, qualification and role. On average however, the director of a nursing school can receive anywhere from $84,743 to $114,705. A nurse educator coordinator on the other hand may receive on average $71,297. It is clear however that nurse educators do earn much more than RNs because of the advanced specialized skill that they possess. Basically they earn a salary that is comparable to that of advance practice nurses, with the added benefit of working more flexible hours and having a workload that is predictable.
Job Availability
It is expected that as the years progress the need for nurses will significantly increase for about the next 8 – 10 years. What this means, is that there will also be an increase in the demand for nurse educators to adequately prepare the new nurses that will be entering the field to fill the demand. In addition, as the years go by, more and more experienced nurse educators will retire, further increasing the demand for nurse educators.
As in any sector, the demand for a particular position is going to affect the salary, job openings, schedule, government grants for academic training and the availability of training schools positively. Based on these reasons along with the fact that nursing is a gratifying professing, the desire to be a nurse educator should be looking like a very enticing and satisfying career.
Cures for the Nursing Shortage – More Seats in Licensed Practical Nurse Education Programs
Licensed practical nurses are in demand. There are wait lists for public nursing programs and the nursing shortage in Canada is acute.
It might seem that a logical solution to prepare more nurses to meet the demand is simply to create more spaces for students in licensed practical nurse education programs. However, it really is not that simple.
Let’s imagine for a moment that the government is prepared to address the nursing shortage and has announced that nursing schools can register any number of students they want to and the funds will be there to support that seat.
It might appear at first glance that more nurses in the system more quickly is exactly what our what the Canadian health care system needs. But if you use a systems approach to analyzing this decision it is obvious that a number of problems would arise from this imaginary blessing.
who will teach these students? – Virtually all nurse education programs report unfilled vacancies for nursing faculty. Without qualified and experienced nursing instructors to teach these new students the quality of the education program is at risk and the mandate of public protection is not being fulfilled.
where will the physical space to house these new students come from? – Many nursing labs are already too small to service the needs of existing nursing schools. Creating more space will require funds and time.
where will these students receive their clinical experience? – There is tremendous pressure on the system already for clinical placements. Clinical placements must be requested up to 10 months in advance. How can placements be requested if the school is unsure of how many students they will have at that time? and how can an already pressured system handled more requests?
who will mentor these new graduates at work? – New nurses need mentoring in order to adjust to the workplace and develop the independence needed to work as an autonomous and independent practitioner. Mentoring new nurses is a rewarding but a demanding addition to an already stressful workload for most nurses. Flooding the workplace with a large number of new graduates might lead to mentor burnout with the result that more nurses leave the system.
who will supervise these new licensed practical nurses? – In almost all provinces in the Canadian health care system the nursing scope of practice for a LPN is to work under the supervision or direction of a registered nurse. With large numbers of vacancies in the system for registered nurses who will supervise these new practical nurses when they start working?
All systems have various parts and processes that contribute to final outcomes. In order to create a good quality outcome all parts of a system have to be stable and strong. The Canadian health care system in no different.
This analysis has revealed some of the parts of the system that are necessary to support an increased number of nurse education seats for LPN’s. All parts of the system have to be considered in order to create lasting and effective solutions that creat quality outcomes.
In this case quality outcomes would mean graduates of nursing schools who are able to pass the Canadian nursing entrance test for a licensed practical nurse at a consistent rate and additionally are successful in the workplace as competent, knowledgeable, and ethical practitioners.
Although the Canadian health care system needs more licensed practical nurses to address the prolonged nursing shortage, long term practical solutions must be sought, not quick fixes.
A website about the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada
Registered Nurse Job Description
Nursing is one of the oldest and most traditional professions of the world. Since Florence Nightingale made a revolutionary contribution in making nursing a full fledged and disciplined profession, it has evolved to become one of the most popular medical jobs. Consequently, career opportunities in this profession are immense. As professionalism in nursing has gained momentum, nurses with certificates and licenses are given preference in employment opportunities. With increasing challenges in hospital management and patient care, the domain and range of duties related to registered nurse job description has increased tremendously. With growth in this field and requirements of specialized skills, nursing profession has diversified into various specializations. Now a days, every department in health care units has specialized nursing jobs like in emergency rooms, ICU rooms, neonatal registered nurses and so on. In this article, I will discuss about some of these jobs.
Registered Nurse Job Description and Salary
When we are going through the job description of a registered nurse, we have to look into the type of specialization the nurse is working, as that determines various sets of duties and responsibilities.
ICU Registered Nurse Job Description
ICU is a special ward allotted to critical patients in health care units who are struggling with life due to some diseases or accidents. In the ICU, patients require extra care and monitoring due to their poor medical condition. It is one of the tasks of emergency room registered nurse job description to look after proper functioning of life supporting equipments, feeding tubes, ventilators and other systems installed in the ICU to look after the patients. Registered nurses also administer intravenous injections, medications and insert catheters as per the need of the patients. ICU registered nurses can direct junior nurses to assist him/her in patient care. As per the salary data of 2010, ICU registered nurses can earn as high as US$ 80,000 approximately, per year.
Pediatric Registered Nurse Job Description
Pediatric nurses treat infants, children and teenagers. Among different types of nursing careers, pediatric nursing has gained immense popularity in the recent years as there are tremendous growth opportunities in this field. The duties of a pediatric nurse range from giving medicines to children when in the hospital to counseling and emotionally supporting tensed parents and children. Regular supervising the health child’s health and taking proper care is definitely a challenging a task and a good pediatric nurse must ensure that health of children is always her/his first priority. The pediatric nurse salary range is between US$ 40,000 to US$ 70,000.
Neonatal Registered Nurse Job Description
Neonatal nurses treat newborn babies with problems related to respiration and low weight at birth. Neonatal nurses have to be skilled in feeding newborn babies with gavage tubes at times when they are unable to eat or feed on mother’s milk. Monitoring the health of the baby and storing the information for future reference about the child’s health are important aspects of neonatal nurse job description.
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Job Description: Registered Nurse
Nursing Degree Online
Certified Nursing Assistants
Nursing is definitely a rewarding profession especially when it comes to job satisfaction. Students who are wondering as how to become a registered nurse must be aware that besides their normal nursing degree, they have to crack registered nursing exams after completion of their graduation courses. Besides that, it is good to have some work experience before applying for a license for being a registered nurse. The earning potential for registered nurses (RNs) is very decent and seeing the growth in this field, this profession holds promises for much better salaries and career development. The registered nurse job description involves many tasks pertaining to patient’s health and care and RNs are one of the most important hospital staff members.
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The word ‘nurse’ lets us in on the basic profession that we are speaking about here. So all that goes as the basic duties of nurses, applies here as well. But what is an acute care nurse practitioner and what are some of the duties that they undertake? Let’s get into another facet of nursing for the time being – a ‘practitioner’ suggests that the professional has the ability to carry forth a practice, for which they have to take up the required professional training and have degrees backing them as well. In the following article we shall be looking into the basic acute care nurse practitioner role and why and how are they an important part of medical jobs.
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Job Description
The following are some of the important duties of the acute care nurse practitioner job description:
An acute care nurse practitioner will carry forth varied forms of duties that have to basically do with patient care.
Although they are an important link in not only hospital jobs, clinics, health care facilities and other institutions, they cannot practice on their own without proper degrees and certifications and therefore most acute care nurse practitioners will work under the supervision of doctors and other health care professionals.
An acute care nurse practitioner is the one who is responsible for undertaking certain steps in health care. These steps will work towards the decrease of the patient’s stay at the medical facility.
Their entire focus is on the ways in which they can speed the patient’s recovery by administering excellent care and helping them get better quicker.
Their specialty lies in the fact that they need to treat patients by not only diagnosing them, but also educating them about their medical condition in detail and giving them all the information required about their condition.
At the outset they are the ones that diagnose the patients even before the doctors get there. They examine them for recording varied details that are needed to administer proper treatment.
They are responsible for recording their medical history, along with monitoring and making a record of their ailments, the signs, and the symptoms that they portray. After which they determine the kind of tests that need to be carried out to get a full record of what they want.
They help with all the types of tests that have to carried out like blood and urine tests, scans and x-rays as well as certain other specific and specialized tests that are prescribed on the basis of the patient and his condition.
They need to develop the course of treatment that is to be administered to the patients.
They can also prescribe certain drugs and medicines to the patients.
If they feel that a certain patient requires a more specialized course of recovery treatment, then they will advise them to seek help.
Depending on their specializations, they might be asked to assist with deliveries, acute care, ambulatory services, administer anesthesia in the operating room among others.
They are responsible for managing and treating acute health problems.
They have to be there for the patients and therefore they do all that is required for patient care – these would also include answering their questions and queries regarding all aspects of the treatment and disease.
The acute care nurse practitioner salary gives us an inkling of how important this post is considered! But keeping that aside, I hope this article has been able to dispel whatever doubts you might have had about the workings of an acute nurse care practitioner and the duties that they are expected to carry forth.
Why Nurse Recruiters Serve an Important Role in the Medical Community
Let’s face it, nursing is in VERY high demand these days, and although there are many nurse recruiters out there who are actively trying to get the best nurses to the hospitals who are in need of them, something should be taken into consideration: the importance of them specifically in the medical community.
The recruiters don’t just recruit for money, for the most part. Most will tell you that he or she has a passion for staffing hospitals and medical centers. Since there is and has traditionally been such a high-demand for nurses, this means a lot of personal fulfillment; not just for those who recruit, but for those who are hired as well as those who do the hiring: not to mention, the patients they all serve, ultimately.
One of the biggest challenges that recruiters face has to do with the fact that there are an over-abundance of nurses who are and will become available; this is a highly competitive business, the world of nursing. There are ways to entice individuals to certain hospitals, and have been traditionally used to do so. Many nurses who are already in positions will, at times, see what other hospitals have to offer. Nursing itself is a very demanding job, with sometimes the worst hours, long shifts, and other such worries.
The recruiters know how demanding this job is, however. It is their job to make it sound as enticing as is possible. One of the angles used to entice nurses to open positions, is to find out what the nurse likes about his or her current job. Once the dislikes are found out, a recruiter can work from there, as well as improving the good points, hopefully. Nurses ultimately know what will or will not work for them, however.
One thing that nurse recruiters should never do, is promise a nursing candidate something that is not deliverable. How disappointing it can be for a nurse to obtain another position, only to find that he or she will not get something promised, never mind that other things might have been blown up, way out of proportion! This is a good reason why many nurses are hesitant to even work with a recruiter in the first place, although typically hospitals do not want to work with individuals; the recruiters usually perform a screening on each one, which is highly desired by hospitals for insurance purposes.
If you are a nurse, please bear in mind that there are many recruiters out there who are dedicated toward getting you the nursing job of your dreams, if you are currently disgruntled with the job you have. While thinking about going through a recruiter, don’t be afraid to ask what his or her history is and verify the information you are given. If you are a recruiter, remember that nurses are your clients just as much as the hospital is. Treat them both with respect and dignity, and your commissions will be not only forthcoming, but in abundance as well.
What You Need to Know to Become a Nurse Educator
Nurse educators are very crucial to the field of nursing and are needed at just about every level of practice. They can teach nurses pursuing undergraduate studies as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and also those at the advanced level, seeking to play the role of nurse educators, nurse researchers, practice nurses, future nurse leaders and nurse administrators.
Due to the high demand s for the skills of a nurse educator, their jobs tend to be very secure. In most cases, they have to cope with their double roles as an educator and a patient care provider. As a nurse educator one has to implement, evaluate, revise and design different educational nursing programs. They tend to bear job titles such as continuing education specialist, clinical nurse educator, staff developmental officer and administrative nurse faculty to name a few.
Education
In order to become a nurse educator for licensed practical nurses or those pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree, a level of education is required. The individual must first be a licensed registered nurse with experience and hold a master’s degree in nursing. If you are desirous of teaching in the graduate program then a doctoral degree in nursing will be required. In addition to having these degrees, nurse educators must have specialized degrees in nursing education or another area of specialty in the nursing field. Nurse educators will also need to have a lot of experience and advance training in clinical specialty, along with the nursing certification offered by the national League of nursing as a sign of excellence in the area of a academic nurse educator.
Salary
The salary that a nurse educator can receive will heavily depend on their specialty, location, experience, qualification and role. On average however, the director of a nursing school can receive anywhere from $84,743 to $114,705. A nurse educator coordinator on the other hand may receive on average $71,297. It is clear however that nurse educators do earn much more than RNs because of the advanced specialized skill that they possess. Basically they earn a salary that is comparable to that of advance practice nurses, with the added benefit of working more flexible hours and having a workload that is predictable.
Job Availability
It is expected that as the years progress the need for nurses will significantly increase for about the next 8 – 10 years. What this means, is that there will also be an increase in the demand for nurse educators to adequately prepare the new nurses that will be entering the field to fill the demand. In addition, as the years go by, more and more experienced nurse educators will retire, further increasing the demand for nurse educators.
As in any sector, the demand for a particular position is going to affect the salary, job openings, schedule, government grants for academic training and the availability of training schools positively. Based on these reasons along with the fact that nursing is a gratifying professing, the desire to be a nurse educator should be looking like a very enticing and satisfying career.
How to Become a Pediatric Nurse
The medical job of a pediatric nurse is one of the most prominent careers in the health care sector. A pediatric nurse practitioner is a medical expert who is proficient in taking care of children’s health in clinical facilities. This career is in demand due to a good amount of per annum remuneration and also because it is related to emotional satisfaction. The demand for nurses in pediatric care is expected to grow in the years to come. If you are wondering how to become a pediatric nurse; along with education, you are also required to obtain the license for practicing your profession. The following paragraphs will tell you more about the job description of a pediatric nurse.
Pediatric Nurse Job Description
Pediatric nurses work in a variety of medical settings from large public hospitals to small clinical child care facilities. They are medical experts who specialize in taking care of patients who are children and adolescents. The duties of a pediatric nurse include getting the medical examinations done on children and recording the progress in health. A pediatric nurse has to diagnose and treat any disorders in children. She also has to inform the parents of patients about what steps are to be taken to maintain good health in children. Let us get to know about the pediatric nurse requirements.
How to Become a Pediatric Nurse?
To become a pediatric nurse you most importantly need to have a desire to help and work with children. Coming to the education, the first step you need to take is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). For this you will be required to complete a vocational nursing program which is around a year long. After obtaining the LPN license, you will then need to become a Registered Nurse (RN) or go in for the Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Aspiring pediatric nurses will have to obtain the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) which usually is a two year course. The next step is to move on to obtain the BSN degree, which lasts for around four years. The first year consists of prerequisite study related to nursing jobs; whereas in the other three years, you will be taught about actual nursing responsibilities. After completing these educational requirements, you will need to become licensed by sitting for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
This examination is a multiple choice test; which determines the candidate’s knowledge about patient care, healthy living practices, psychosocial integrity, and other clinical aspects. Moving on being certified, you may opt for enrolling in three-month pediatric nursing trainings offered by some hospitals. Or else, you can even find a nursing job in the pediatrics field. You will obtain the certification after you successfully pass the Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) exam. This certification is quite important to increase the salary range for job as a pediatric nurse.
In order to further increase your salary prospects, you do have the option of attending advanced courses such as Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course (ENPC). You can even check some relevant courses and trainings with the Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN). These advanced courses will enable you to gain better understanding about the latest advancements going on in pediatrics. If you intend to become a teacher of pediatrics, you can choose to do a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).
As you can see that along with the basic educational requirements, there are several different advanced courses that help to increase the pediatric nurse salary range. The average pediatric nurse practitioner salary comes to a decent $60,000; which may differ according to the location of employment, type of certification, and experience in pediatrics. Those wondering how long does it take to become a pediatric nurse should remember that the duration depends on the fundamental degrees required. Hopefully, by now you might have got a basic idea about how to become a pediatric nurse.
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