If you’re great with children, you may be curious about how to become a pediatric nurse. First, you’ll need to earn a BSN degree. Once you’ve completed pediatric nurse schooling, you’ll take the NCLEX to obtain a nursing license. Then, you can look for your first pediatric nursing job.
Children are more than little adults; they have unique health and developmental concerns and needs. As children grow, it’s particularly important to ensure they receive preventive health care and to keep a close eye on their physical, socioemotional and cognitive development. Pediatric nurses play a vital role in caring for children, educating their parents about healthy practices and identifying any potential issues. You might be wondering how to become a pediatric nurse if you’re passionate about working with children and interested in pursuing a career in nursing.
How many years does it take to become a pediatric nurse? Earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree doesn’t have to take as long as you might think. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 54 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible to apply to Concordia University, St. Paul’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. It’s possible to complete your nursing education in as few as 16 months and start your career as a pediatric nurse.
Before getting started, you’ll want to learn more about this nursing specialty, such as the typical job duties, work environment and career pathway.
What Does a Pediatric Nurse Do?
Pediatric nurses specialize in providing care to children from birth through adolescence. During this period of rapid growth and development, children might experience illnesses, injuries, developmental problems and mental health concerns unique to the field of pediatrics. As a pediatric nurse, you would have a significant influence on your young patients through health promotion, education and developmental monitoring.
Pediatric nurses, also called “peds nurses,” often forge close ties with patients and their caregivers. The job requires building rapport, trusting relationships and paying close attention to detail.
Some typical pediatric nursing job duties include:
- Administering medications and treatments
- Delivering patient and caregiver education
- Performing diagnostic tests
- Performing head-to-toe assessments
- Recording symptoms, vital signs and parents’ observations
Some pediatric nurses choose to subspecialize. Options include pediatric oncology nursing and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nursing.
Where Can Pediatric Nurses Work?
Although pediatric nurses focus on a specific patient population, they can work across a range of settings. You’ll find pediatric nurses working in regional hospitals as well as specialty children’s hospitals. They also work in family care practices, pediatric clinics, community health centers, schools, and doctor’s offices.
There are a few things you should know about going back to school for nursing.
Steps to Become a Peds Nurse
Becoming a pediatric RN is a straightforward process but requires hard work and dedication. You’ll need to complete your pediatric nurse schooling, pass the NCLEX and obtain your nursing license. After you’ve gained some clinical experience, you can pursue career opportunities like certifications to enhance your career potential.
1. Find the Right Nursing Program
The first step is finding the nursing program that works best for you. If you have a completed degree or at least 54 non-nursing credits, there’s no need to go back to school for another four years.
Instead, you may be eligible to apply to the ABSN program at Concordia University, St. Paul. You can attend our ABSN Learning Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, or choose from our two locations in Portland, Oregon.
Follow a step-by-step guide to make applying for nursing school easier.
Your dedicated admissions advisor will walk you through the process step by step, answering your questions and supporting you along the way. Your advisor will determine which, if any, prerequisite courses you need to take before enrolling and guide you in putting together your application.
2. Complete Your Pediatric Nurse Schooling
Once you’re enrolled, you’ll work through a comprehensive curriculum that includes interactive online coursework that teaches nursing concepts. You’ll visit the ABSN Learning Center to participate in nursing skills labs, which teach important nursing skills like nasogastric tube placement and wound care. You’ll also complete clinical learning at nearby healthcare facilities and practice delivering patient care under supervision.
3. Earn a License for a Pediatric Nurse Career
After earning your BSN, you’ll be eligible to sit for the NCLEX. This rigorous exam tests your nursing knowledge and ability to develop appropriate clinical responses to various patient care scenarios. At Concordia University, St. Paul, our nursing instructors are committed to helping students prepare to excel on the NCLEX. By the time you graduate, you’ll be familiar with the exam format and the types of questions.
4. Land Your First Nursing Job
Once you’ve passed the NCLEX, you’ll be able to obtain a license for a pediatric nurse career. It should be noted that states do not issue different types of RN licenses for different nursing specialties. Your nursing license will qualify you to pursue your first clinical nursing job, which could be in pediatrics. If you’re unable to find a pediatrics job right away, you might consider gaining some experience in primary care or at a birthing center, as these positions can provide a good transition to pediatrics later.
5. Obtain the Pediatric Nursing Certification
After you’ve gained some clinical experience as a peds nurse, you may wish to take the next step in your career and get certified. The Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) offers the Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) credential to those who meet the work experience requirements and pass the certification exam. Once you’re a CPN, you’ll need to complete continuing education requirements and renew your certification annually.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Pediatric Nurse?
Every nurse candidate’s career pathway is a little different, even for two people attending the same ABSN program. How long does it take to become a pediatric nurse? Although the timeline can vary, there are a few general expectations to be aware of:
- Complete prerequisites: The time it takes to complete prerequisites will vary depending on how many you need and whether you earn a satisfactory grade the first time you take each of them.
- Apply to nursing school: Although it doesn’t take that long to put together an application package, you’ll also need to pass the TEAS exam and submit your scores.
- Start nursing school: Concordia University, St. Paul, offers three start dates each year. This means you can get started sooner than at many other nursing schools.
- Earn your BSN: You can earn your BSN in as few as 16 months.
- Obtain your license: You’ll likely take the NCLEX within a couple of months of graduating. If you don’t pass it the first time, you can retake it; however, that will add more time to your nursing journey.
Once you’re officially an RN, you can start looking for a pediatric nursing job.
Is Peds Nursing Right for You?
Aside from a nursing degree and license, the most important qualification for a peds nurse is a passion for working with children. If you relate well to children and can establish a good rapport with them, then peds nursing could be a good choice for you. You’ll also need to work well with your young patients’ parents or caregivers.
Other essential skills and characteristics of a pediatric nurse include:
- Ability to build trust
- Ability to work well with distressed families
- Communication
- Empathy
- Patience
- Sensitivity
- Strong understanding of developmental milestones and symptoms/conditions unique to children
See more in-demand nursing specialties and what each nursing career path entails.
Your Nursing Career Begins at Concordia University
A nursing career can offer many possibilities. Even if you ultimately decide that pediatric nursing isn’t the right choice for you, you can transition to a different nursing specialty.
With three ABSN Learning Centers in Minnesota and Oregon and three start dates each year, Concordia University, St. Paul has the capacity to enroll more nursing students. Plus, you’ll benefit from our educational outlook informed by Christian values. Our nursing instructors focus on graduating highly competent, compassionate nurses capable of providing holistic, patient-centered care.
Contact an admissions advisor today to begin your nursing journey.