Mrs. Anna McGhee
ENG 101 Online
12 June 2018
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
A pediatric nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has additional education and training in the specialty area of pediatrics. Educating children and their families about things like normal growth, health benefits, and childhood development issues is a big part of the pediatric nurse practitioners role. Normally, they work alongside pediatricians in a hospital or an outpatient facility, but some have their own private practices. It is imperative for pediatric nurse practitioners to be specific, compassionate and understanding while dealing with children. In some cases, nurse practitioners are requested because some people feel practitioners spend more …show more content…
A variety of things are checked that could provide a diagnosis’ including weight, temperature, and physical exams. It is vital for practitioners to check patient's medical history because different patients vary each day; therefore, it is important to stay organized to avoid misdiagnosing patients (Shoe 2016). For example, prescribing a patient with a history of anemia (a condition in which the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells), blood thinners, that could be avoided by learning the history of the patient. It is pertinent that all pediatric nurse practitioners follow the series of steps while checking for diagnostic information according to the Nurse Practice Act of the state of employment (Shoe 2016). Being compassionate, detail oriented, and resourceful while working with children as a pediatric nurse practitioner is critical. Receiving diagnostic information is extremely helpful and important for any practitioner or …show more content…
Follow-up visits are normally weeks after the initial appointment to make sure conditions are improving and not worsening. During a follow-up, symptoms are rechecked, extra medication is prescribed and x-rays are given if needed. Follow-up appointments are just as important as the original appointment because some conditions, like a urinary tract infection, can resurface days or weeks after being treated (Amako). According to Kangpe writer, Dr. Okechukwu Amako, “Follow-up appointments allow the doctor or practitioner to monitor the patient for possible complications after the patient has completed a treatment for a health condition” (Amako). Educating kids and their families about growth and childhood development issues is a big part of the pediatric nurse practitioners role during patient