Nursing science - Second year ▪️ NursingSubject: Child health nursing▪️Chapter 1: Introduction▪️Topic 3. ROLE OF PEDIATRIC NURSE IN CHILD CARE

Nursing science - Second year Nursing

Subject: Child health nursing

Chapter 1: Introduction

Topic 3. ROLE OF PEDIATRIC NURSE IN CHILD CARE

ROLE OF PEDIATRIC NURSE IN CHILD CARE

The role of the pediatric nurse is constantly changing. These changes are as a result of expanding medical and nursing practice, emerging challenges in different aspects of child care, consumer demands & technological advancements.

The role of the pediatric nurse may vary from one institution to others, but basic responsibilities remain the same.

1. ROLES OF PEDIATRIC NURSE ARE:

1. Primary care giver

2. Coordinator and collaborator

3. Advocate

4. Health educator

5. Consultant

6. Counselor

7. Case Manager

8. Recreationist

9. Social worker and

10. Researcher

1. Primary care giver: Pediatric nurses should provide preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative care in all levels of health services. In hospital, care of sick children includes comfort, feeding, bathing, safety etc. At community set up, basic responsibilities include health assessment, immunization, primary health care & referral etc.

2. Coordinator & Collaborator: The nurse plays an extremely important role with the combination of health care team members. Nurse maintains good inter personal communication with the child, family and health team members. The nurse coordinates nursing care with other services for meeting the needs of child. For ex: physician, social worker, surgeon, physiotherapist, dietician etc.

3. Nurse Advocate: The pediatric nurse acts as an advocate to safeguard the child's rights, to assist & to provide best care from the health care team. The nurse acts as a representative for the child, family & other health care providers. Ex: it can range from the consulting dietary department for special foods to arrange team meetings to discuss plans of care with other health team members.

4. Health Health Educator: The nurse's goal of health teaching is to provide information to the child parents and significant other about prevention of illness, promotion or health maintenance.

The characteristics of the nurse teacher include 4 C's:

C-Confidence

C-Competence

C-Communication

C-Caring & empathy

5. Nurse Consultant: The pediatric nurse can act as consultant to guide parents for maintenance and promotion of health. For ex: Guiding parents about feeding practices, accident prevention

6. Nurse Counselor: Providing guidance to parents in health hazards of children and help them for own decision making in different situations.

7. Case Manager: The pediatric nurse should organize care, monitor and evaluate patient treatment for successful outcome. She/he acts as a manager of pediatric care units in hospital clinics and community.

8. Recreationist: The pediatric nurse plays supportive role for the child to provide play facilities for recreation and diversion. It helps to decrease crisis imposed by illness or hospitalization

9. Social Worker: Pediatric nurses can participate in social services or refer child & family to child welfare agencies for necessary support.

10.Nurse researcher: Research is an integral part of professional nursing. Pediatric nurse should participate or perform research activities. It helps to provide basis for changes in nursing practice, improvement in the child health care and evaluate the care.

2. ROLE OF PEDIATRIC NURSE

The pediatric nurse's role is unique because of developmental immaturity and vulnerability of children. 

The goals of nursing care of children, based on primary health care are:

1. Promote the healthy maturation as a physical, intellectual and emotional being within the context of his family and communities (primary level).

2. Provide health care for the child who requires treatment from disease(s) (secondary level). Dealing with the child's disabilities (tertiary level). Therefore, the role of the pediatric nurse includes:

I. In Primary Level: Through health education to the child and his parents and providing the child's basic needs and immunization, she can:

1. Maintain a child's health.

2. Help the child achieve his optimum growth and development.

3. Prevent diseases and their complications.

II. In Secondary Level:

The nurse has to provide care to sick children and their families by:

I. Assessing their needs.

2. Planning for care.

3. Implementing the plan.

4. Evaluating children's conditions.

5. Providing heath teaching to children and their parents

III. In Tertiary Level:

The nurse should assist children to return to their maximal level of functioning following illness and/or disabilities.'

3. AS A NURSE DEPENDS ON:

1. Education

2. Experience

3. Job structure

4. Professional demand

5. Preventive care

6. Promotive care

7. Curative care

8. Health education

9. Restoration health

10. Co-ordination

4. NURSING TASK AND SKILL:

General nursing care:

1. Monitoring of vital signs

2. Administration of fluid and electrolytes and drugs 

3. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

4. Nursing procedures

5. Resuscitation skills

6. Specialized nursing and monitoring skills

7. Vaccination

8. Prevention of nasocomial infection

9. Universal precaution

Through the international activities of WHO (world health organization). IMCI-(Integrated Management of Childhood Illness), UNICEF (United Nations International Children and Emergency Fund) and other health agencies are providing to develop the level of child; health care throughout the world. 

5. NOW DAYS THE CHILD CARE IS VERY MUCH IMPROVED IT INCLUDES: 

1. Hospital environment for a sick child

2. Advanced changes in medical and nursing care 

3. Expansion in independent role of the paediatric nurse

4. Paediatric nurse practitioner.

5. Paediatric clinic nurse specialists.

6. Paediatric nurse master clinicians.

6. OLD CONCEPTS AND NEW CONCEPTS

OLD CONCEPTS:

1. Disease (centered care)

2. Discourage the families on neglect of the female child

3. Care of the women after becoming pregnant

4. Special care during the last trimester and the postnatal period to the child born with congenital anomalies and hereditary disorders.

5. Caring of children after the birth only

6. Care of the sick children in the hospital

7. Care the physical condition of the child in hospital only

8. Not allowed the parent to be with the child in the hospital and reduce the visiting hours ward.

9. One of illness oriented

10. Only cleanliness and treatment oriented

11. Curative and rehabilitative care to the children in hospital only.

12. Adopt the indifferent attitude to child neglect & abuse by family and society.

NEW CONCEPTS

1. Child centered care

2. Take care of female children with Immunization of tetanus

3. Health education on planned parenthoods and doing the maternal health

4. Early identification & family counseling based on bio chemical screening & chromosomal studies it helps to prevent congenital anomalies and hereditary disorders in children.

5. Caring the health of the child from the day of conception.

6. Participate in the prevention of illness and health promotion activities.

7. Comprehensive cares of children in his home community health centers.

8. Ensuring that the children must stay with them and participate in the care, flexible visiting hours in paediatric

9. One of health oriented.

10. Warmth and love oriented.

11. Health promotion activities by ensuring environmental stimulation and intelligent manipulation of the environment, adequate play activities service related to the fertility, sex, education & counseling

12. Safe guarding and protecting the children rights by health providing. cultural practice & laws encouraging.

MCQ:

1. What is one of the primary responsibilities of a pediatric nurse?

a) Providing guidance to parents in health hazards of children

b) Coordinating and collaborating with healthcare team members

c) Administering vaccinations to children

d) Conducting research activities related to pediatric care

2. Which characteristic is essential for a pediatric nurse as a health educator?

a) Competence

b) Case management skills

c) Recreational abilities

d) Counseling expertise

3. What is the goal of nursing care in the primary level for children?

a) Prevention of diseases and their complications

b) Assisting children with disabilities

c) Providing care to sick children and their families

d) Monitoring vital signs and administering medications

4. In the tertiary level of nursing care, the pediatric nurse aims to:

a) Promote a child's healthy maturation

b) Prevent diseases and their complications

c) Help children achieve optimum growth and development

d) Assist children in returning to their maximal level of functioning after illness or disabilities

5. Which is a characteristic of the new concept of child-centered care?

a) Focus on disease-centered care

b) Neglect of the female child

c) Care of sick children only in the hospital

d) Ensuring children stay with their parents and participate in care

Answers:

b) Coordinating and collaborating with healthcare team members

a) Competence

a) Prevention of diseases and their complications

d) Assist children in returning to their maximal level of functioning after illness or disabilities

d) Ensuring children stay with their parents and participate in care

SHORT QUESTIONS 

1. What are some of the basic responsibilities of a pediatric nurse in providing care for sick children in a hospital setting?

2. Explain the role of a pediatric nurse as an advocate for children and their families.

3. What are the characteristics of a nurse teacher when it comes to health education for children and their parents?

4. Describe the role of a pediatric nurse as a case manager in organizing care for patients.

5. How can pediatric nurses contribute to research activities in the field of child health care?

Answers:

1. Some basic responsibilities of a pediatric nurse in providing care for sick children in a hospital setting include comfort, feeding, bathing, safety, and monitoring vital signs.

2. The role of a pediatric nurse as an advocate involves safeguarding the child's rights, assisting and providing the best care from the healthcare team, and representing the child, family, and other healthcare providers.

3. The characteristics of a nurse teacher in health education include confidence, competence, effective communication, and caring and empathy.

4. As a case manager, a pediatric nurse organizes care, monitors and evaluates patient treatment, and acts as a manager of pediatric care units in hospitals, clinics, and the community.

5. Pediatric nurses can contribute to research activities by participating in or performing research, which helps provide a basis for changes in nursing practice, improvements in child healthcare, and the evaluation of care.

ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss the evolving role of pediatric nurses in child care, highlighting the factors contributing to these changes and their impact on healthcare delivery. Provide examples to support your answer.

2. Explain the various responsibilities and roles of a pediatric nurse in promoting the health and well-being of children. Discuss how these responsibilities differ in a hospital setting versus a community setting. Provide specific examples to illustrate your points.

3. Reflecting on the shift from old concepts to new concepts in child care, analyze the key differences and advancements in the approach to pediatric nursing. Discuss the implications of these changes for children's health outcomes and the overall quality of care provided by pediatric nurses.