A Day in the Life of a Pediatric Nurse: Advocating for Children

The role of the pediatric nurse in the clinical setting can either be hectic or stress-free at times. The nurse has many duties that they perform in a day. "The pediatric nurse's role as an advocate includes safeguarding the interests of children and their families, informing them of their rights and responsibilities, and assisting them in making informed consents." The many roles the nurse has is to advocate for the children. Some parents may not understand some things and need a better understanding. So as the nurse, he or she will assist in informing the parents about any misunderstandings they may have. A nurse's role is endless, and that is what makes them great.

The pediatric nurse that I observed for the day did many things. First thing in the morning, the pediatric nurse checked all the appointments that they had for the day. She cleaned all the equipment that was going to be used for the day with alcohol wipes. She also prepared the rooms where the doctor was going to see the children. She arrived at the clinic around seven thirty in the morning and did not start getting patients until nine o'clock. When patients arrive, she weighs them and then takes them to the room. Depending on the age, the length and FOC are also measured. Once in the room, the nurse sat them down and took their temperature. The nurse asked the parents what symptoms their child was having. The nurse then prepares for any procedure that the child may need. The nurse then informs the family that the doctor will be with them shortly.

For the sick visit, a six-year-old boy came in with his mother with complaints of a cough for ten days. The mother also complained that her son had been throwing up for a few days and could not keep anything down. As the child walked in, his weight was taken, which was 52.6 kg. Their mother stated that he had been having a constant temperature of 99 degrees celsius for a few days. He was in no pain, just lethargic, weak, and had shallow breathing. For the cough, the mother stated she gave him cough syrup, but he was unable to keep it down. The nurse checked the child's oxygen saturation, and his highest reading was 92 percent. Wheezing was also heard upon auscultation. The doctor requested that the child have an albuterol nebulizer treatment. The nebulizer was started, and the child tolerated it well for a while. After a few minutes, the child threw up on the floor. Wheezing and shallowing breathing were still present, so the doctor requested that another treatment be given. After the second treatment, the child tolerated it well, and his oxygen saturation increased to 96 percent. Upon auscultation, no wheezing was heard, and shallow breathing stopped. The child felt much better and was sent home with no medications.

For the well-child appointment, a two-month-old female baby came in with their mother and father for a good check-up. The baby had no issues or complaints. Since the child was two months, it was time for her two-month vaccines. The baby was weighed without her diaper on, height was measured with a measuring tape, and FOC was measured. She weighed ten pounds and eight ounces. Her length was twenty-three inches, and her FOC was fifteen inches. The nurse asked if the baby was on any medications, and her mother denied it. The baby was not allergic to any medications that they knew of. The scheduled vaccines, Hepatitis B, HIB, IPV, and rotavirus, were prepared to be given. Every vaccine except rotavirus was given in the right thigh. The rotavirus vaccine was given orally. "Recently, however, a new oral attenuated rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix) has been approved for human use in a few countries." RotaRix was the vaccine that was given orally to the baby. This new vaccine has been used in the clinic for some time now. All vaccines were tolerated well, with minimal crying. The parents were educated about the vaccines prior to administration. The parents were educated about the next scheduled vaccines and were sent home.

A day at the clinic is definitely exciting because you meet different children of all ages. They come in with different issues and leave feeling better or on their way to recovery. Overall, the clinic does a good job of keeping children on track with vaccines and general good health. Not only does the child leave feeling better, but the parents are also at ease.

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