Children are not small adults. Their bodies, medicine doses and ways of showing illness are different, and their care always involves the family. Paediatric (or children’s) nurses are trained for exactly this.
A frightened five-year-old refuses every injection, until you turn it into a game with a teddy bear. That small moment of trust is what paediatric nursing is made of.
What paediatric nurses do
- Care for babies, children and young people from birth to 18
- Calculate weight-based medicine doses carefully
- Recognise early signs that a child is getting sicker
- Support and teach parents and carers
- Use play and distraction to reduce fear and pain
- Work in neonatal units, children’s wards, emergency departments, intensive care and the community
Routes in
In the UK and Ireland, you can study a dedicated children’s nursing degree. In the US, Canada, Australia and most other countries, you qualify as a registered nurse first, then gain paediatric experience and often a specialist certification, such as the Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) credential in the US.
Key skills
- Communicating at a child’s level
- Patience and creativity
- Precise drug calculations; try our drug calculation calculator
- Recognising subtle signs of illness
- Safeguarding awareness
The challenges
Seeing children in pain and supporting families through serious illness or loss is emotionally demanding. Good supervision and peer support matter.
“But I would find it too sad to care for sick children.”
Some moments are very hard, but most sick children get better, and paediatric nurses see a great deal of recovery and joy. Good teams also support each other through difficult cases.
Your next step: Volunteer with children, such as in schools or youth groups, and look up children’s nursing programmes or post-registration courses near you.
Related: Normal heart rate by age · Paediatric nursing questions
Sources: Nursing and Midwifery Council (UK) standards; Society of Pediatric Nurses (US); Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
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