Bethany
What is my Nursing Specialty
I've taken a few quizzes and I've found a possible interest in being a pediatric nurse. I do love children, but I don't know if I'd do well in that setting. I'm outgoing, very energetic, not very detail oriented (but a perfectionist at times), I like either working in small groups with people I trust or working alone, and I'm a good communicator.
I guess I'm mainly asking any current nurses about what specialty I would excel in. I'm just starting out in my want to be a nurse, and I want to see if this is the right path for me. Thank you in advance! #nursing #nurse #pediatrics #children #pediatric
4 answers
Teresa Bentley
Teresa’s Answer
Hi Bethany! When I decided to be a nurse I wasn't sure what type I wanted to be either- I thought I wanted Pediatrics or even adult ICU. When I went to school I had several "clinical" times where I would follow a nurse and actually take care of patients in my senior year. This really helped me to decide- I chose pediatric nursing and did that for a year, but then talked to a friend who was working in the Neonatal ICU and transferred there. I have been in this speciatly for 28 years now and really love it! I think a great thing about nursing is the variety of fields within the profession. So- You will have time to figure out the specialty- Just get started and keep asking questions and you will find the right place- Best of luck!!
Teresa
Gabrielle Le Sage
Gabrielle’s Answer
Many nursing students don't decide their specialty until nursing school clinicals and even after internships. I always knew I wanted to be a pediatric nurse and have never looked back. To be a good pediatric nurse, you have to be patient, outgoing, cheerful, kind, have good critical thinking skills, and be able to respond and adapt quickly to change. Within pediatric nursing, there are many subspecialties: oncology, cardiac, orthopedics, surgery, post-operative care, ICU, and NICU to name a few. I worked a little while in each before becoming a nurse practitioner and enjoyed them all. Best wishes for your future!
Daniela Silva
Daniela’s Answer
Hi Bethany,
Working with Infants and Children:
The following nursing careers are some of your options if you want to spend most of your time working with infants, children, and their families.
Neonatal Nursing. Neonatal nurses work with newborn infants and have increasingly advanced training, depending on whether you want to work with healthy infants or seriously ill babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Pediatric Nursing. From well-child exams and immunizations to serious illness, pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners work with children and adolescents in a wide range of settings from hospitals to doctor's offices.
Perinatal Nursing. This nursing career focuses on helping women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
Parent-Child Nursing. You'll provide education and support to help families during transitional phases of childrearing. An example of the parent-child nurse role includes helping new parents adjust to the birth of a child.
Oncology Nursing. This type of nurse cares for adults or children who are chronically or critically ill with cancer. You may administer chemotherapy, provide education and support to patients' families, or provide other care to help patients fight their disease.
Psychiatric Nursing. You will provide care to people suffering from mental illnesses. Helping patients overcome the symptoms and stigma of psychiatric disorders can be challenging but hugely rewarding.
What kind of person makes a good children’s nurse?
Someone who can carefully listen to and interpret a child’s needs, feelings and behaviour, and act upon these effectively, no matter what the child’s stage of development.
You’ll need to be intuitive and sensitive to reassure the children in your care, as well as their parents – who may find their child’s health problem very distressing.
Good observational skills are also important, because children’s health can deteriorate rapidly when they are unwell, and good communication skills will help you teach parents how to help their child at home.
Read more in:
http://www.allnursingschools.com/nursing-careers/article/nursing-careers-and-specialties/
http://nursing.nhscareers.nhs.uk/careers/nursing_specialisms/children_nursing
Have a good choice!!
Diane Stanley
Diane’s Answer
Hi Bethany,
If you are interested in becoming a nurse but are not sure what specialty to go into,I think that the best thing is go to nursing school and then decide which specialty you are interested in pursuing. During nursing school you will have plenty of opportunities to experience different specialties as you do your clinical rotations. This is often the time that most nursing students decide what they think they will enjoy the most. I wanted to work in the nursery but when I did my OB rotation I decided that I no longer wanted to do that. Instead I became a med-surg nurse and have had great experiences for the past 40 years!! I will also suggest that you work on a med-surg floor for one year to get some basic medical experience under your belt prior to specializing as becoming a specialist may limit future options should you want to try something different. Good luck in whatever you decide!