By 
Thinkstock | istockphoto
We’re now in our final week running down the top 10 best paying nursing specialties. Here’s a little refresher on the top nine:
1. Certified RN anesthetists
2. Orthopedics
3. Geriatrics
4. Perioperative nurses
5. Clinical nurse specialists
6. Psychiatric nurse practitioners
7. General nurse practitioners
8. Certified nurse-midwives
9. Neonatal nurses
Pediatric nurses
Salary:
$42,000-$67,000
Why you might love this job:
Assuming you love kids (a pretty big requirement for this gig), you’ll get to spend your days working with babies, children and adolescents. A “child whisperer,” your job is super important since kids can’t always clearly communicate “what hurts.” Pediatric nurses are skilled in how to communicate with children and dispel their fears. They also know how to ask about their health and gather complete and accurate information to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
Like many nurses, pediatric nurses will perform physical examinations, measure vital statistics, take blood and urine samples and order diagnostic tests. Nurses with advanced training can interpret test results to form diagnoses and develop treatment plans.
What other nurses think:
“I wasn’t planning on working Peds! Of course, life had a different idea. I had a background in education working with children before nursing school and the idea of working with sick children just felt scary and too emotionally challenging for me. But, my first and only job offer after school was in Peds Onc (I had been targeting oncology from the start) and now I am so happy I am working in this specialty. I realized all my fears were really because I love kids so much and didn’t want to be around them suffering, but I’ve come around significantly and have learned so many ways to help them. Very, very fulfilling. I am even interested in working peds palliative care/hospice someday. What a switch!” – La Rose RN, AllNurses.com
Hot tip:
Pediatric nurses are currently in high demand! A nurse will want to obtain a BSN or MSN and gain experience in a hospital that has work growth opportunities in order to move into this field.
Technical jargon:
Pediatric nurses work in doctors’ offices, clinics, hospitals, surgical centers and other health care settings. They often see children being treated in acute care departments, such as the neonatal unit, pediatric critical care unit (PICU) and pediatric oncology ward. Pediatric nurses also work in schools, in private practice, and for community groups and other organizations that provide outpatient and preventive health care services for children, including children who have limited access to health care.
A peds nurse will typically work with doctors and other healthcare professionals who also specialize in working with children.
Are you a pediatric nurse? Share with the Scrubs community what you think about your field in the comments below.
