Pediatric endocrinology nurses provide care to infants, children, and adolescents under the age of eighteen who suffer from endocrine disorders affecting the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, as well as problems like diabetes, intersex disorders, hypoglycemia, and others. These nurses work with patients, their loved ones, and pediatric endocrinologists to administer effective medical treatments designed to manage the child's endocrine disorder. Additionally, pediatric endocrinology nurses are tasked with educating the child's parents - and depending on their age, the child too - about ways to most effectively deal with the condition (i.e. medications, diet/lifestyle changes, and more).
What Are Some Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse Duties?
Job tasks common to pediatric endocrinology nursing typically include the following:
Work with endocrinologists to develop, implement, and assess treatment plans to manage pathologies within the patient's endocrine system
Maintain records to track the progression of the patient's disorder or disease
Perform physical assessments
Insert catheters
Draw blood for lab tests
Educate patients and their parents about the endocrine system, how their disorder effects it, and what they can do to limit the effects
Administer medication
Take and record vital signs
Monitor the effects of prescription medications
Where Do Pediatric Endocrinology Nurses Work?
These specialty RNs can find employment in a variety of settings, but are most often found working in:
Hospitals
Physician's offices
Children's healthcare facilities
How to Become a Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse
Before embarking on a pediatric endocrinology nursing career, students must commit to earning an RN education and license. Many will then go straight into the nursing field and begin gaining important experience in areas like pediatric nursing, endocrinology, diabetes education, etc. Since there is no nationally recognized pediatric endocrinology nursing certification, after gaining enough education and hands-on clinical experience, RNs will be ready to begin a career working within the pediatric endocrinology nursing sector.
Step 1: Educational Requirements
To become a pediatric endocrinology nurse, the following educational requirements must be met:
Earn an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university
Pass the NCLEX-RN pre-licensure exam
Hold an active and unrestricted RN license
Do Pediatric Endocrinology Nurses Need an RN Degree?
Yes, pediatric endocrinology nurses are highly specialized registered nurses who must hold an RN license to practice in their field.
At the moment, there's no certification which merges endocrinology and pediatrics into a single certification for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and other advanced practice nurses. However, there are a number of specialty certifications available that, if acquired, position a nurse for a career in pediatric endocrinology nursing. Such certifications include the following:
For nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses who would like to work in the pediatric endocrinology nursing, the following certifications are available:
The National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that between 2002 and 2012, the rate of newly diagnosed cases of Type 1 diabetes in youth increased by around 1.8 percent each year. Within the same period of time, the rate of newly diagnosed cases of Type 2 diabetes in youth increased even more rapidly, at 4.8 percent each year. Unless these trends can somehow be reversed soon, pediatric endocrinology nurses will likely continue to be in demand.
Job Description & Information
Essential Skills Needed - Efficient communication abilities, strong interpersonal skills, empathy, excellent assessment capabilities, teaching skills, ability to work well with children, sociability, and critical thinking skills
Job Outlook - The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that the number of jobs in the nursing field will grow by approximately 16% between 2014 and 2024. It's likely that jobs within the pediatric endocrinology nursing specialty will increase at a similar rate.
What Is the Average Salary of a Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse?
ZipRecruiter reports that the average yearly salary for pediatric endocrinology nurses is $93,966. Annual and hourly salaries will vary based on location and employer. Other factors that will play into the earning potential of pediatric endocrinology nurses is how many years of nursing experience they have, as well as educational credentials and certification. In addition to their base salary, pediatric endocrinology nurses who are employed full-time tend to receive benefits packages which typically include medical insurance, retirement plans, and paid vacation/sick leave.
How Much Do Pediatric Endocrinology Nurses Make per Year?
$63,000 – $109,000 annually
How Much Do Pediatric Endocrinology Nurses Make per Hour?
