Children's Nurse
Last updated: 22 April 2021
Children's Nurse
Children's Nursing involves everything from nursing a sick newborn to an adolescent road accident victim. Communication is also a factor when treating children. Adults can express their feelings and can identify the severity and nature of pain. A child may not be able to communicate this in such detail and the nurse needs to interpret child’s behaviour and reactions. You'll need to consider the care and support needed by the wider family, including parents and carers. There are many reasons why you should consider a career as a children’s nurse. It offers you the chance to make a difference, a high degree of flexibility and a career with excellent employment prospects.
A day in the life
Nursing a child is not just a question of caring for a small adult. Children have very specific health needs and you need to understand how a healthy child develops towards adulthood to minimise the impact of illness. This involves:
- working closely with parents or guardians
- being able to spot when a child's health is deteriorating and responding quickly
Your development
Once you have qualified as a children's nurse, there are a wide range of opportunities. You could specialise in a certain field such as health visiting or school nursing. You may want to move into management, teaching or clinical research.
For more information regarding joining our Nursing Workforce team, please submit a form through the ‘Contact us’ page or contact the Human Resources team, who are more than happy to help, on 02392 286577 or email hr.inbox@porthosp.nhs.uk.
My story
Rebecca Rosser
Senior Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care
What made you become a Nurse? - "I love caring for our patients and their families and working alongside the incredible team on the unit"
How did you become a Nurse? - "Following a placement on the unit as a student nurse I decided it was the place I wanted to start my nursing career when I qualified and have worked here ever since for 13 years."
What do you do on a day to day basis? - "I mainly work in our Intensive Care area, caring for patients on respiratory support and supporting their families."
Why did you choose PHU? - "I enjoyed my placements as a student in the trust and loved the unit."
What do you enjoy about being a Nurse? - "I really enjoy all aspects of my job and the unit I work for. I find it very rewarding."
Career plans and advice for others - "I will be continuing to do the job I love on the unit. My advice for others if something feels right in terms of career path don’t be afraid to follow it."
