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. 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 nurse 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 childs right, to assist & to provide best care from the health care team. Nurse acts as a representative for the child, family & other health care providers. Ex: it can range from consulting dietary department for special foods to arrange team meeting to discuss plan of care with other health team members. 4. Health Health Educator: The nurses goal of health teaching is to provide information to the child parents and significant other about prevention of illness, promotion or health maintenance. Characteristics of nurse teacher includes 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 health 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 nurse can participate in social services or refer child & family t 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.

ROLE OF PEDIATRIC NURSE The pediatric nurse's role is unique because o f d e v e l o p me n t a l

i m ma t u r i t y a n d vulnerability of children. The goals of nursing care of children, based on primary health care are: I. 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 child and his parents and providing child's basic needs and immunization, she can:
1. Maintain child's health. 2. Help the child achieves his optima9 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. 3. 4. 5.

Planning for care. Implementing the plan. Evaluating children's condition. 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.'

As a nurse depends on

Education Experience Job structure Professional demand Preventive care Promotive care Curative care Health education Restoration health Co-ordination

e) Nursing task and skill:

General nursing care:

Monitoring of vital signs Administration of fluid and electrolytes and drugs Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Nursing procedures Resuscitation skills Specialized nursing and monitoring skills Vaccination Prevention of nasocomial infection Universal precaution

Through the international activities of WHO (world health organization), IMCI-(Integrated Management of Child hood 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. Now days the child care is very much improved it includes;
Hospital environment for a sick child Advanced changes in medical and nursing care Expansion in independent role of the paediatric nurse Paediatric nurse practionnaire. Paediatric clinic nurse specialist. Paediatric nurse master clinicians.

Old concepts
Disease (centered care)

New Concepts
Child centered care

Discourage the families on neglect Take care of female child with of the female child Care of the women after becoming pregnant Special care during the last trimester and the postnatal period to the child born with congenital anomalies and hereditary disorders. Immunization of tetanus Health education on planned parenthoods and doing the maternal health Early identification & family counseling based on bio chemical screening & chromosomal studies it helps to prevent congenital anomalies and hereditary disorders in children. Caring of child after the birth only Caring the health of the child from the day of conception.

 Care of the sick children in the hospital Care the physical condition of the child in hospital only Not allowed the parent to be with the child in the hospital and reducing the visiting hours ward. One of illness oriented Only cleanliness and treatment oriented Curative and rehabilitative care to the children in hospital only.

Participate in the prevention of illness and health promotion activities. Comprehensive cares of child in his home community health centers. Ensuring that the children must have stay with them and participate in the care, flexible visiting hours in paediatric One of health oriented. Warmth and love oriented. Health promotion activities by ensuring environmental stimulation and intelligent ma n i p u l a t i o n o f t h e e n v i r o n me n t , adequate play activities service related to the fertility, sex, education & counseling

through

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

Safe

guarding

and

protect

the

children rights by health providing, cultural practice & laws

encouraging.