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How to become a pediatric nurse? Some pathways to take.
I'm going to graduate with a BA in Psychology and a Minor in Wellness this year. And thinking about applying to an accelerated nursing track to earn the bachelors of nursing. I'm trying to figure out what the best path is in becoming a pediatric nurse. Such as after earning the BSN should I get the LVN or RN (I'm still a bit confused about the different nurse levels.) If you're a pediatric nurse I would love to connect with you and ask questions about how you reached the career. :) #pediatricnursing #nurse #healthcare
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Tonya’s Answer
Congratulations on your up-and-coming graduation. A degree in psychology and wellness are valuable in supporting your work as a nurse. You are correct in your next step in applying to an accelerated Bachelor of Science of Nursing (BSN) program. You also have an option to apply to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program (accelerated/alternate) because you will already have an undergraduate degree.
To clear the confusion, your BSN/MSN will prepare you to take the NCLEX-Registered Nurse (RN) exam, and not the LVN-licensed vocational nurse/LPN-licensed practice nurse NCLEX-LPN exam. As a RN, if you work with LPNs you would supervise LPNs/LVNs and provide assessments and care that a LPN/LVN would not have a license to provide.
Even though my background is not fully in pediatrics, I can still share career guidance due to my background in nursing, education, academic & career advisement, and leadership. For your interest in pediatrics, during your accelerated BSN program you should be offered a capstone/senior specialty clinical experience. When your faculty ask which specialty you would like for your experience say that your first choice is pediatrics. The faculty may ask you why, so have an answer ready to explain your passion for pediatrics. Depending on the opportunities available for clinical sites that your school works with you may have an experience in a hospital on a pediatric unit, ambulatory/out-patient setting, long-term care home, or other healthcare facilities that care for pediatric patients. There are a wide variety of specialties within pediatrics. For example, pediatric: oncology, surgery, behavioral health, and more. I have seen within my profession when nursing students complete their capstone/senior specialty clinical experience in pediatrics, they make a good impression, and there is a position available the student maybe hired right out of nursing school (or after passing the NCLEX exam) into the area where they completed their pediatric experience.
Another option is, you may be interested in applying to BSN-to-MSN program or direct entry MSN program where you can study straight through to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (advance registered nurses with a specialty is pediatrics).
I have included resources below on pediatric nursing, websites to search for nursing schools, and sample schools with BSN-to-MSN program/direct entry MSN programs.
All the best to you as you prepare to enter nursing school. Keep your mind flexible as you may discover a specialty within pediatrics that is needed for patients and the community. Your fresh new ideas are valuable as we care for one of the most vulnerable populations in healthcare.
Nursing School Resources:
* American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2021). Find Accredited Programs. https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE-Accreditation/Overview-of-Accreditation/Find-Accredited-Programs
* Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (2021). Search ACEN Accredited Nursing Programs.
http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm
*Best Nursing Schools in Texas: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-nursing-schools/nur-rankings/texas
*NICHE: https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-nursing/s/texas/
Pediatric Resources:
*Pediatric Nursing Certification Board: https://www.pncb.org/students
*National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: https://www.napnap.org/
BSN-to-MSN programs/Alternate Entry MSN:
*Nurse Journal (information on people who have a degree in a different specialty and want to return for a nursing degree): https://nursejournal.org/degrees/msn/best-direct-entry-masters-in-nursing-programs/
*The University of Texas at Austin: https://nursing.utexas.edu/academics/graduate/degree-offered/aemsn
*Columbia School of Nursing (NY): https://www.nursing.columbia.edu/programs/masters-direct-entry-program-non-nurses
To clear the confusion, your BSN/MSN will prepare you to take the NCLEX-Registered Nurse (RN) exam, and not the LVN-licensed vocational nurse/LPN-licensed practice nurse NCLEX-LPN exam. As a RN, if you work with LPNs you would supervise LPNs/LVNs and provide assessments and care that a LPN/LVN would not have a license to provide.
Even though my background is not fully in pediatrics, I can still share career guidance due to my background in nursing, education, academic & career advisement, and leadership. For your interest in pediatrics, during your accelerated BSN program you should be offered a capstone/senior specialty clinical experience. When your faculty ask which specialty you would like for your experience say that your first choice is pediatrics. The faculty may ask you why, so have an answer ready to explain your passion for pediatrics. Depending on the opportunities available for clinical sites that your school works with you may have an experience in a hospital on a pediatric unit, ambulatory/out-patient setting, long-term care home, or other healthcare facilities that care for pediatric patients. There are a wide variety of specialties within pediatrics. For example, pediatric: oncology, surgery, behavioral health, and more. I have seen within my profession when nursing students complete their capstone/senior specialty clinical experience in pediatrics, they make a good impression, and there is a position available the student maybe hired right out of nursing school (or after passing the NCLEX exam) into the area where they completed their pediatric experience.
Another option is, you may be interested in applying to BSN-to-MSN program or direct entry MSN program where you can study straight through to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (advance registered nurses with a specialty is pediatrics).
I have included resources below on pediatric nursing, websites to search for nursing schools, and sample schools with BSN-to-MSN program/direct entry MSN programs.
All the best to you as you prepare to enter nursing school. Keep your mind flexible as you may discover a specialty within pediatrics that is needed for patients and the community. Your fresh new ideas are valuable as we care for one of the most vulnerable populations in healthcare.
Nursing School Resources:
* American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2021). Find Accredited Programs. https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE-Accreditation/Overview-of-Accreditation/Find-Accredited-Programs
* Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (2021). Search ACEN Accredited Nursing Programs.
http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm
*Best Nursing Schools in Texas: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-nursing-schools/nur-rankings/texas
*NICHE: https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-nursing/s/texas/
Pediatric Resources:
*Pediatric Nursing Certification Board: https://www.pncb.org/students
*National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: https://www.napnap.org/
BSN-to-MSN programs/Alternate Entry MSN:
*Nurse Journal (information on people who have a degree in a different specialty and want to return for a nursing degree): https://nursejournal.org/degrees/msn/best-direct-entry-masters-in-nursing-programs/
*The University of Texas at Austin: https://nursing.utexas.edu/academics/graduate/degree-offered/aemsn
*Columbia School of Nursing (NY): https://www.nursing.columbia.edu/programs/masters-direct-entry-program-non-nurses
Hi Dr. Lawrence! Thank you soooo much for taking your time to provide me with excellent feedback about my career of choice. It is very informative and I will definitely take a look at the MSN program and the resources you have provided me with. Again, thank you so much for all of your help. Blessings!
Martha
Your welcome Martha S. All the very best.
Tonya Lawrence, PhD, MSN, RN, CNM
Updated
Shannon’s Answer
On way to find your own answer to this question is to find someone doing the job you want to do. If you're not sure exactly, ask many people who work in your chosen field doing similar but different things. Would you rather be with patients during a crisis (Emergency Medicine), during their hospital stay (clinical nurse), at their annual physical (office nurse) or during surgery (OR nurse)? Do you prefer more or less paperwork? There are many variations of the same role from place to place as well. The very best way to assess these roles is to follow someone around for a few hours as they do your dream job. That may be a thing of the past now that covid has ruined everything. If you can volunteer in a hospital someday, you could make friends with nurses and ask them all kinds of questions. You might be able to follow a nurse around in a doctor's office on their 'paperwork day' when there are no patients coming in. Maybe you could talk to a nurse while he/she has lunch, or on the phone/zoom after work. Try multiple scenarios. Be very conscious of using up their time & be very grateful to them! You might also consider interviewing instructors at a nearby school of nursing. Maybe someone you know has a connection to a nurse in your chosen field. Also consider related fields - Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Anesthetist, Paramedic. You might also consider being an EMT, Medical Assistant &/or Certified Nurse Assistant for a year so you could work closely with nurses and form a very informed opinion (those jobs take only 4-6 months of training and could provide you with great references for getting into nursing school). Many people start with a lower-level job like EMT and then become a nurse or even a doctor. Be aware that not everyone working in an office or hospital is nice. Many nurses will try to discourage you from going into nursing. Many doctors will yell at you even when you've done nothing wrong. This can happen anywhere but imho it's worse in healthcare. Isn't that irony for you. Don't give up if this is your dream. Interview at lots of colleges until you find one that's comfortable for you.