A pediatric nurse provides care for infants, children and teens who are injured or diagnosed with an illness. To become a pediatric nurse, the nurse practitioner (registered nurse) must receive her master's degree in nursing, along with board certification for the specialty area of pediatrics. A pediatric nurse generally works in family practices or the pediatric department of a healthcare facility. All of the laws and protocols stated in the Nurse Practice Act must be followed by a pediatric nurse, or she could face a malpractice suit and lose her nursing license.
Medical Records
Keeping an accurate record of a patient's medical history is a part of a pediatric nurse's protocol. A patient's medical record includes the types of medication taken, the dosage, the times the medication was taken, any tests that were performed on the patient, the results of the tests, change in health care plan or healthcare provider and other important facts concerning the treatment of the patient. The importance of a patient's medical record is to help nurses and physicians determine the best way to treat the patient, and to make sure all health risks are avoided. If a nurse forgets to record one medication, or one test, it could put the patient at a serious health risk.
Contact With the Attending Physician
The Nurse Practice Act must be followed, which will prevent the nurse from performing health procedures that she has not been properly trained and certified to do. In those instances, a pediatric nurse must locate the attending physician. If it is impossible to locate the attending physician, the nurse should contact the healthcare administrator, who will properly advise her on what to do. Issues in which a pediatric nurse should contact the proper healthcare provider before proceeding with treatment or care include a bad reaction to medication or treatment, drainage from a wound or the eyes or ears, transferring a patient to another healthcare facility or provider, cardiac or respiratory arrest and other healthcare issues.
Fever
A pediatric nurse has specific protocol to follow when it pertains to a patient's fever. The patient's oxygen saturation and full set of vital signs must be obtained at all times. The nurse must check for a rash, sores, swollen anterior cervical nodes, throat redness, white patches in the throat, eardrum drainage or redness, stiff neck or any other abnormalities. A nurse must monitor the patient's temperature every hour until the temperature is less than 101, and then every four hours or until the patient's temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours. If a patient's temperature is between 103.5 or 104, a pediatric nurse must give the patient a tepid bath for 30 minutes.
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