The chosen healthcare profession is a registered nurse specializing in pediatrics. Pediatric nurses’ daily services include performing examinations, gathering data about patients, entering medical records, checking on patients, administering vaccinations, organizing patient loads, and revitalizing (Darvill et al., 2018). In other words, it includes all the necessary actions for patients that will lead to a speedy recovery and improvement of well-being. Besides, the activities of a nurse also include administrative work and record management.
The pediatric nurse practitioner’s (PNP) scope of practice may be divided into Primary Care groups and Acute Care groups. Primary Care involves diagnosing and treating children’s health problems, performing or recommending age-related screening and diagnosing procedures, and working with children and their families in terms of comprehensive self-care (Leifer, 2018). The Acute Groups implies diagnosing and treating acute health problems, caring for children with chronic diseases, and providing ethical principles while working with children and their families.
The PNP code of ethics implies the main rules of qualitative and appropriate healthcare services. It involves holding a genuine and unrestricted license, maintaining patient’s confidentiality, promoting patient’s security, and updating competency (Leifer, 2018). Besides, the main responsibility is to treat all the patients with respect, regardless of their origin, race, gender, religion, and other features. Similarly, the nurse must treat all the patients equally regardless of their social and economic status and sexual orientation.
There are several requirements in terms of education to enter the profession. Thereby, the minimum degree required for registered nurses specializing in pediatrics is Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) (All Nursing Schools, 2022). There are several institutions that provide the required program. Among these are Duke University, however, without the online option, and the University of Maryland, with the BSN-No Graduate-Yes online option (Nurse Org, 2022).
Duke University has a campus-based full-time program that lasts 16 months and includes 58 credit hours of study and nearly 800 hours of clinical experience (Duke University School of Nursing, 2022). In the University of Maryland program, one may choose three, four, and five-year options.
The two chosen programs significantly vary in terms of the financial aspect. The Duke University program costs $48 294 per year, and the University of Maryland program costs $9 446 per year (Nurse Org, 2022). The minimum degree that can be earned for this health care career is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) (Denver College of Nursing, 2022). Currently, one may notice the shortage of registered nurses, moreover, the demand is expected to grow by 19% by 2028 (Darvill et al., 2018). This is due to the growing need for qualified personnel and the lack of people willing to devote themselves to this career. Thus, the job availability in this area is at a high level and is expected to grow.
For years, nursing has been in high demand, with practically every prominent medical facility hiring in one of the most critical professions in healthcare. It was consequently the third-most in-demand employment of any profession in the United States in 2019, and the trend defeats the purpose of stopping. As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the proportion by which PNPs in the United States are anticipated to grow is 52% by 2030. This pace of expansion is far more than the predicted average of 8% for all occupations in the United States (Correll et al., 2022). PNPs that have become proficient at the practical component of care can move up to managerial roles like a head nurse, nurse supervisor, or unit administrator. They give less hands-on attention compared to the clinical workforce in these positions. Rather, they acquire new staff and mentor or discipline existing ones. As neonatal care is a major necessity in society, qualified PNPs are a major asset. Nurses being in high demand prompts job advertisements to be carried often locally in search of the qualified candidates.
Work experience requirements for registered nurses vary from institution to institution. Basically, the work experience is the time allotted for the theory of the work in the medical setting. This time is provided by some registered nurse training programs. For example, as it was mentioned above, the Duke University full-time nursing program involves nearly 800 hours of clinical experience (Duke University School of Nursing, 2022). Thus, one has the opportunity to combine training and the development of the necessary field experience. Moreover, this will take place under the supervision of qualified personnel, which will contribute to the development of the essential techniques (Leifer, 2018). It is worth noting that in some institutions, the required work experience may be more depending on the requirements of management.
There are several professional organizations that provide required nursing programs. One of the famous institutions is Georgetown University, which implies an effective program to become a professional nurse, including a pediatric specialization (Nurse Org, 2022). The cost to join as a student is $61 872 per year (Nurse Org, 2022). The popular professional journal for pediatric nurses is the Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing. The subscription cost is $335 online using for institutional option (Wiley Online Library, 2022). The requirement of Continuing Educational Units (CEUs) depends on the state. For some states, there is a requirement of a minimum to perform 30 contact hours every two years (Leifer, 2018). For other states, this is an additional option for obtaining additional qualifications.
For obtaining Continuing Educational Units (CEUs), one has the opportunity to use specialized websites. Thus, one chooses the options of getting training online or visiting specialized institutions (Darvill et al., 2018). To do this, one needs to register and pay for additional qualifications and then start training. There are many different areas in which one may get Continuing Educational Units, depending on the specialization or the wishes of the student. Moreover, one can choose the form of study and the time period depending on the possibilities. These can be online courses that the student can schedule on their own. In addition, one has the opportunity to attend group courses where one may take participation in exchanging information and knowledge with other participants. This is an effective method as the student can participate in various interactive training activities.
Speaking about how I see myself fitting for this profession, it is worth noting several factors influencing my choice. Firstly, I have always enjoyed helping people, and providing medical services is a good way to embody this feature. Next, I enjoy working with children and their families, which is vital in pediatric medicine. In addition, I was pleased to study all the necessary information in medicine, especially in pediatrics. I enjoy talking and working with people, which is common in my chosen profession. I will be able to contact all colleagues or patients and give them all the necessary information and convenient health care services.
My personal plans to enter this profession include actions aimed primarily at obtaining the necessary qualifications. In the first stage, my goals are to get Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). This formulates my strategy, namely, meeting the necessary requirements at the first stage and getting the opportunity to work with a higher salary. Further, my goal is to improve my skills with the ability to combine training and work. Thus, in the future, my ultimate goal is to get a high-paying job and accumulate knowledge to a highly professional level.
References
All Nursing Schools. (2022). Which nursing degree does an RN need?
Correll, C. K., Ditmyer, M. M., Mehta, J., Imundo, L. F., Klein‐Gitelman, M. S., Monrad, S. U., & Battafarano, D. F. (2022). 2015 American College of Rheumatology Workforce Study and demand projections of Pediatric Rheumatology workforce, 2015–2030. Arthritis Care & Research, 74(3), 340–348.
Darvill, A., Stephens, M., & Leigh, J. (2018). Transition to nursing practice: From student to registered nurse. Learning Matters.
Denver College of Nursing. (2022). Educational requirements for registered nurses.
Duke University School of Nursing. (2022).
Leifer, G. (2018). Introduction to maternity and pediatric nursing. (8th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
Nurse Org. (2022). Top 10 best nursing schools of 2022.
Wiley Online Library. (2022). The Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing.