Those who enter nursing will find that this fascinating career offers lateral and upward career mobility, which abounds in healthcare. Nurses who love working with patients and attain satisfaction from the rewards of helping others might find themselves working on the floor their entire careers, with some advancing to management and executive management positions. Alternatively, the field has grown so much that nurses who work with patients can move out of traditional nursing to become nurse practitioners (NP). This equally rewarding career places the professional in a clinical setting.
Nurse practitioner field rowing, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting that nurelypractitioners’ with nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists jobs will grow by 40% between 2021 and 2031. This translates into roughly 30,200 openings every year for the entire decade. The field is relatively new, comprised of professionals that more and more organizations rely on to drive positive healthcare outcomes. The area is relatively new, consisting of professionals that more and more organizations relyng on to drive positive healthcare outcomes.
What do nurse practitioners do?
NPs are increasingly playing an integral role in providing healthcare to many Americans. In the past, nurses played a secondary role to physicians who diagnosed and treated patients for various conditions. However, today, nurses who pursue careers as NPs become professionals who diagnose and treat patients while encouraging patients to engage in preventive measures for optimal health. Within this field, pediatric nurse practitioners specialize in caring for children.
How do nurse practitioners benefit healthcare organizations?
In a practical sense, nurse practitioners can lower healthcare costs for organizations. These healthcare professionals provide high-quality healthcare that is less costly than traditional care. In many cases, patients with nurse practitioners visit them regularly, reduce the number of emergency room visits, have shorter hospital visits, and have patients with lower medication costs. In the last few years, they have also had a role in addressing provider shortages. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, this group of health professionals provides quality healthcare, providing over 355,000 solutions for primary care shortages that many healthcare organizations experience today.
In terms of industry credibility, nurse practitioners are involved in making sure that professional standards are maintained. They accomplish this as mentors, researchers, administrators, and educators. They also affect change in healthcare through memberships in professional associations. They are involved at the grassroots level inin getting government policies introduced at the local, state, and national levels.
The qualifications for becoming a nurse practitioner
Nurse practitioners are usually registered nurses before they obtain advanced education. However, their education and training involve earning a master’master’storate, including clinical training. Some of these programs offer professionals a fast-track way to get a degree, leading to quickly advancing one’s cones. For example, some Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs have a fast-track curriculum for earning a nurse practitioner degree.
Designed to assist mid-career professionals with obtaining an advanced degree, many college and university programs provide students with counseling on how to become pediatric nurses. Spring Arbor University, for example, provides various flexible options for achieving education through online programs that offer general degree tracks and ones that allow nurse practitioners to specialize in a specific area.
After training to be a nurse practitioner, the professional must undergo an arduous certification process. This process involves getting through the national certification process, undergoing peer review, clinical outcome evaluations, and following ethical guidelines. After their initial education and certification, they must participate in professional development to maintain clinical competency. These professionals might also lead lectures and healthcare forums, perform research and use findings in clinical work.
Good characteristics of a pediatric nurse practitioner
Above are the educational and professional requirements a nurse must have to become a nurse practitioner. Within the field of nurse practitioners, there is a need for pediatric nurse practitioners, which requires a certain number of soft skills. However, for those who want to become pediatric nurse practitioners, soft skills that make it easier to communicate, care for, and treat children can impact their success with their young patients. Below are a few of the qualities of a great pediatric nurse practitioner.
Patience
Children might not always be cooperative with their physicians. Moreover, because of their age, children might not be able to articulate clearly what health issues they are experiencing. Furthermore, they might be fearful of or even resist being treated. With the end goal of treating the child, the nurse practitioner must be patient in getting the child to communicate their issues. This patience also extends to dealing with worried or anxious parents.
Unafraid to cut loose
The hospital is a cold, clinical setting that can be frightening for young children. To break the ice, playfulness can go a long way in getting a child to cooperate with you. Diversions (songs, games, and stuffed animals) meant to distract young patients can help them relax during the visit.
Critical thinking skills
As stated above, sometimes, children cannot effectively communicate with caregivers about some of the issues they might be experiencing. Because children cannot directly share the case, the nurse practitioner must examine the patient and their symptoms to conclude the child’schild’sion logically.
Good rapport with children
The more a healthcare provider can connect with children, the more trust the child develops for the caregiver. For this reason, pediatric nurse practitioners must naturally like children to be able to build this type of relationship. Moreover, this rapport goes a long way in creating clever ways to keep them calm during their treatment’s scariest or most uncomfortable parts.
Communication skills
Pediatric nurse practitioners have the job of communicating with doctors and with the child’schild’ss. When dealing with the child especially, nurse practitioners must explain to children using age-appropriate language things that happen during the visit and other important information. More significantly, they must explain to parents any information in a way that does create alarm.
Remaining calm during emergencies
In the backdrop of any pediatric floor are monitors beeping, doctors barking orders, and orderlies going about their business. An emergency can transform this environment into an uproar in a split second, and nurse practitioners do not want to transfer any anxiety to the patients or their parents. Again, a nurse practitioner who does not succumb to a chaotic environment during a crisis can better communicate with parents and children. Again, a nurse practitioner who does not succumb to an environment that can be chaotic during a crisis can better communicate with parents and children.
Empathy is essential
To provide care, healthcare providers are always advised to keep a professional distance from where their emotions are concerned. Children dealing with many issues might be worried about what might happen, so while being professional is normally a good way to relate to patients, it might not be the best way to deal with children. Children might find the healthcare professional cold. Plus, being professional does not necessarily mean you cannot be empathetic, making the parents and their children more comfortable with the situation.
Avoid burnout
Healthcare, in general, is one of those professions where providers find themselves under a lot of stress. Exposure to sickness and trying circumstances can wear on the professprofessional’sy to bounce back after a setback. This very emotional, sometimes volatile, environment can lead to mental overwhelms. To avoid this, the nurse practitioners must find ways to care for themselves emotionally, so they do not burn out. Moreover, they must take care of themselves to take care of the young patients.
Detail-oriented
Attentiveness is very important in healthcare, especially when providers must dispense drugs. The slightest miscalculation in dosage can result in a medical disaster permanently affecting the child’s health and becoming ruinous for the healthcare organization. Moreover, outside of the errors that can be made, the more attentive the healthcare provider is, the better the patient’s care.
Positive attitude
Healthcare providers are responsible to their patients to convey the truth regarding the child. At the same time, successful nurse practitioners positively interact with patients. Nurse practitioners who have happy dispositions can positively impact patients when interacting with them. Nurse practitioners who have happy dispositions can positively impact patients when interacting with them. Further, research shows negative thinking (psychological stress) can interfere with wound healing. This might also be the case with pediatric patients recovering from trauma.
Final words
Nurse practitioners work differently than most healthcare providers in caring for patients. This group of healthcare workers looks at the entire individual when addressing the health and well-being of the patient. In helping patients, nurse practitioners promote health, disease prevention, health education, and counseling.
Pediatric nurse practitioners must go the extra mile to build relationships with their young patients. While this group of professionals must be grounded in their vocation, the best pediatric nurse practitioners connect with their patients to deliver quality care. The above qualities are a great part of why these healthcare professionals can provide great care to children.
