“Working with children really creates a certain kind of vulnerability in our caregivers because children aren’t supposed to get sick,” said Rushton. “They’re not supposed to die. It adds a dimension of concern that sometimes you don’t have with adults,” she said.
Different needs of children
Caregivers must remember that children are not small adults. They have very different needs and issues, from medication management, to communication approaches and psychological requirements.
Advancing the practice of pediatric nursing
The Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) serves as an advocate focused on improving the care of infants and children. SPN has grown by over 2,500 members since its beginnings in 1990 and continues to expand today as a premier resource for this specialty practice. The mission of the SPN is to advance the specialty of pediatric nursing through excellence in education, research and practice.
The same goes for the Institute of Pediatric Nursing, a collaborative network of organizations and children's hospitals. Their goal is to leverage collective expertise to optimize the health and well-being of children and families. IPN's strategic focus areas include strengthening education for pediatric nursing professionals, creating meaningful connections and resources to share knowledge, and supporting care coordination.
Looking to the future of pediatric nursing, IPN has developed its Strategic Plan 2014-2018. To advance pediatric nursing, IPN hopes to develop more leadership in the pediatric specialty, partner across academic and clinical settings, look at opportunities to integrate care for children and families into nursing school curriculum, and focus on creating more pediatric residency programs for nursing school graduates.
If you are a pediatric nurse, why did you choose the specialty?
