What is the role of a pediatric nurse?

Contributions by: Ashton Thornton, RN, BScN

Our KixNurses are all pediatric registered nurses, but what does this mean?

What is a Registered Nurse (RN)?

Registered Nurses (RNs) have a 4-year university degree in nursing, which provides them with training on diseases and illnesses, symptoms, interventions and treatments, and how to provide overall patient care.

They can identify conditions, recommend over-the-counter medications and interventions, and provide health teaching and promotion.

How does an RN become an expert in pediatric care?

Technically, RNs and pediatric RNs have the same medical qualifications. However, what makes pediatric registered nurses unique is their passion and commitment to pediatric healthcare.

Pediatric RNs choose to dedicate their education and clinical skills to pediatric healthcare early in their careers. Most pediatric RNs, because of their commitment to helping children, know that they want to specialize in the niche sector of pediatrics early on. Through their work experience, they learn everything there is to know about pediatric health.

Pediatric RNs understand better than anyone that children are not just small adults. They need specialized care due to numerous factors such as their fragility, height, and weight. These varying factors impact how medical professionals administer care to your child, and it takes a pediatric specialist to feel comfortable supplying that unique treatment.

Most pediatric nurses have advanced certifications in pediatric care, such as trauma and pediatric advanced life support, to further understand your child’s specific healthcare needs and how to provide the quality care they deserve.

What is the role of a pediatric nurse?

Pediatric nurses play a role in both urgent care and proactive health and wellness.

They take detailed health assessments, perform physical examinations of children, take blood and urine samples, asses vitals, and much more. Pediatric nurses work alongside practitioners to interpret medical tests for diagnosis and treatment plans needed to care for your little ones.

Outside of the world of urgent care, pediatric nurses are also trained to educate parents, or other caregivers, about proactive health care for their children. Whether it’s lactation, sleep, mental health, or developmental milestones, pediatric nurses can advise parents on how to tackle their child’s proactive health effectively. If your child has chronic conditions, such as juvenile diabetes or complex medical needs, pediatric nurses can create individual care plans that are tailored to help families navigate their child’s illness alongside their team of specialists.

What are some unique skills of a pediatric nurse?

Pediatric nurses are specialized in treating and caring for children. This means they know the exact questions to ask the caregivers to gather accurate information that will help your child’s diagnosis and treatment plan. Through being children's health and wellness experts, pediatric nurses often form strong therapeutic relationships with children and their families because they believe in family-centred care.

Pediatric Nurses in the Kix360° Program

Our team of pediatric nurses practice to their full RN scope. Not only are our KixNurses the initial and primary contact within the Kix360° program, but they help support our KixFamilies throughout all health and wellness concerns. Our KixNurses provide assessments, manage illnesses and symptoms, and provide the support needed to empower our KixFamilies to prevent unnecessary trips to the emergency department.

In addition, our KixNurses are trained to triage our KixFamilies to our nurse practitioners whenever required to provide our families with the full Kix360° healthcare experience.

Sign up for a Kix360° membership to gain unlimited access to specialized pediatric care! No matter how big or small your concern is, our team of pediatric healthcare experts is here to address all your child-related queries.

Our pediatric nursing team is available 24/7 and is supported by specialized Nurse Practitioners when needed. Our team of pediatricians is available by referral as needed for consults such as mental health, dermatology, and much more. Try our service today at https://www.kixcare.com/kix360/!