The best thing about the medical field is that it offers various niches to select from. People can decide their area of interest quite easily. Take example of nursing assistant's job. You can see varieties of options in front of you after the training and certification process is over. If you love children, of course, who does not, you can choose to become a pediatric CNA.
Requirements
Children need special care and attention since they are not in a stage to communicate their problems like adults. While nursing them, you have to be one of them and able to see their problems even before it crops up. To grasp what children are going through, a training is compulsory, that must not be less than 75 hours. To do the training, you are required to have a GED or any equivalent diploma. As maturity comes with age, you need to be 18 years old for the training. Then there are safety issues to take care of. For that, clean background and medical history are essential. You must be free from disease that can cause problems to others. After these requirements are fulfilled, you can take the training and then become certified after you have attained good outcome in the exam.
Role and Responsibilities
As a pediatric nurse assistant, you can work in hospitals, child-care centers and any other organization that are specialized in offering treatment and nursing care. You will help nurses and pediatricians in the treatment of infants, children and teenagers. Here are the following responsibilities you have to take care of:
Since children are still at the developing state, they are bound to be care-free. However, sometimes their careless attitude pose high risks to their health. As a pediatric nurse, you have to keep watch on their hygiene and security. You have to keep out of reach of children any sharp objects, medicines, and things that become a source of infection.
Taking vital signs regularly and reporting to the pediatrician has to be done as soon as the shift starts. If the condition of the child demands, you may have to do it more than once in a shift. Of course, the pediatrician will direct you for that. In addition, you also need to check the food and medicine intake. If there is any usual and unusual sign noticeable, you have to bring it to the immediate concern. You can also raise any doubt if you find any change in the child's behavior and routine.
You have to attend children's basic needs such as toileting, and bathing. You need to assist them in finishing these tasks on their own. If the patient is less than 2 years, your duty is to do all the necessary things done by a mother to her child. You need to give them bath, groom and feed them. The toughest part is to convince the children to take the medicine as they hate the taste.
Since children are more susceptible to infection than adults, extra care in cleaning the equipments used for the treatment is necessary. Any machinery, and utensils used must be sterilized before and after the treatment. This is compulsory to avoid infection.
Children should not be left in the bed for a longer time. This slows downs their growth. If their condition is better to play around, you can engage them in some fun activities. This will keep them fresh, and the need of recreation can be accomplished. You can try some creative act to satisfy their psychological needs.
Recording the medical details about the patients are necessary in all types of child care units. Several tests are performed based on the patient's conditions. You have to assist the nurses and pediatrician in such tasks and file the reports of the testing.
These are the tasks of a pediatric nurse assistant. Further, the child care unit or the center you are employed with will also include additional duties depending on their rules and the number of patients under their treatments.
Kacie is in nursing assistant profession for the last three years. She loves her job the same way like a child loves ice-creams. She is sincere, matured and a thorough professional who takes pride in what she is doing. Kacie is an ardent reader full of passion to share her feelings and experience with different communities.