5 Pediatric Nurse Courses a Nurse Should Consider
Higher Education Articles October 13, 2013While everyone pursuing a nursing license will learn a small degree of information about pediatrics, most could substantially benefit from taking a more in depth pediatric nurse course. If you plan to pursue the specialty of pediatrics, then the choice is obvious.
However, knowledge about pediatric issues can prove useful in a variety of specialties. The following five courses represent important topics in nursing of particular important to the pediatric field, but relevant to many others:
•Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC): The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) developed this course to help close the gap in general knowledge of nurses about emergency pediatrics. It is a 16 hour long course that provides knowledge and skill foundation, for nurses at all levels.
oThe information covered includes assessment, physiology, pathology, prevention, and many other concepts. The course utilizes actual hands-on skill training, lecture, group discussion, online content, and video content. It is a very thorough and well-regarded class, and one worth taking.
•Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Taking a course on ASD will prepare you for both the substantially growing number of pediatric diagnoses today, as well as the adults that these children will grow into.
oLearning to identify and address this complicated, lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder will make you a stronger and more capable nurse no matter what specialization you seek out. If you think that you would like to specialize in pediatrics, a course focusing on Autism Spectrum Disorder will be indispensable to you.
•Common Eye Conditions: While eye health and vision considerations are important for everyone, children are particularly susceptible to ocular problems and associated difficulties. Poor eye health as a child can have a major affect on eye health as an adult.
oDeveloping a base knowledge of ocular physiology and pathophysiology can provide you with the tools to recognize and address these problems before they become serious.
•Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS): Developed by the American Heart Association (AHA), this course is designed to provide essential information for dealing with pediatric emergencies via assessment, basic life support, resuscitation, and team dynamics.
oThis class aims to improve the care provided to children needed emergency care with video-based, but instructor-led, classroom coursework. At the end of the successfully completed course, you will receive a PALS course completion card.
•Allergy and Immunology: Children are especially sensitive to allergies and immune issues. They are also prone to develop new allergies or not be aware of all allergies they might have. This makes the study of pediatric allergy and immunology particularly important, but not exclusively relevant to those specializing in pediatrics.
oThere are also greater levels of allergies today – especially in children – than ever before, according to an article in Time magazine, which quotes Dale Umetsu, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital Boston. Taking a class in this would prove particularly valuable for those interested in pediatrics.
