Pediatric endocrinology nurse job description
Pediatric endocrinology nurses play a very important role in children’s lives. There are many different aspects to the job. The care of sick children with diseases of the endocrine system relies on the nurses to take care of them. There are many qualifications for a registered nurse to become a pediatric endocrinology nurse or PEN for short.
A PEN cares for children with problems growing. They also care for children whose problems with the endocrine system including diabetes, hypoglycemia and problems with the pituitary glands.
Providing treatment and testing patients by giving exams, taking blood, putting in a catheter and checking vital stats are part of the everyday routine. Pens also pass medication to patients as well. Educating parents on the diseases that their children have and how to treat them while they are at home is essential.
Pediatric endocrinology nurse education requirements
To qualify to become a PEN a nurse would need a Bachelors of Science in nursing degree, associates in nursing degree or a graduate of a nursing diploma program. You would also have to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Nurses who wish to become a PEN would need to pursue a masters or doctorate degree. Also you would need to gain experience in pediatrics, endocrinology and internal medicine. There are no certifications for a PEN but with the right training you can become one. To help you get there you can take on the job training, self-study, or classes.
Pediatric endocrinology nurse salary
The salary of a PEN varies from state to state but the national average is around eighty thousand a year. Nurses start out at about sixty-three thousand and can increase in salary by specializing in certain fields. PENs are one of the highest paid specialty nurses in the industry.
Why there is a demand for a pediatric endocrinology nurse?
Nurses in general are in high demand mainly because they are already short staffed. Pediatric endocrinology nurses are in particularly high demand because they are extremely short of having enough nurses. Some towns do not have a PEN, so they have to travel some distance to be treated by a specialist. They can work in hospitals, children hospitals, clinics and private practices.
As far as expanding further into your career as a PEN you can become an educator to other nurses. There are always other opportunities to learn more and become further advanced in your field. Another thing that you can do is become a department head or become a specialist in one of the categories associated within being a PEN.
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