Pediatric Nurse Jobs Are among the Best Jobs in America
CNNMoney.com listed “staff nurse,” a general category which includes pediatric nurses, in its top 5 best jobs in America. One reason for the designation is that the job growth of staff and pediatric nurses is expected to be 29% in the next 10 years. The report anticipates that there will be more than 1 million job openings for staff and pediatric nurses in that time. The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) confirms this projection and estimates that even more jobs will be added in the nursing field. The BLS currently projects that 4 million jobs will be added in the healthcare and social assistance category, of which nursing is a part.
What Pediatric Nurses Earn: The Salary of a Pediatric Nurse
The median hourly rate of pay for pediatric nurses is between $19.75 to $28.56, according to PayScale.com. The low and high hourly rates are typically determined by the number of years of experience a pediatric nurse has. PayScale.com reports that the highest paid pediatric nurses work in California. Pediatric nurses working in California earn $33.64 per hour on average. However, CNNMoney, in conjuction with Salary.com, has estimated that staff and pediatric nurses earn an average of $59,800 per year.
Working as a Pediatric Nurse: The Job Responsibilities of a Pediatric Nurse
A pediatric nurse is a professional registered nurse who assists pediatricians. The job responsibilities of a pediatric nurse are as follows:
- Pediatric nurses assist pediatricians.
- Pediatric nurses handle emergencies in the absence of pediatricians.
- Pediatric nurses provide professional nursing care for sick babies and children.
- Pediatric nurses work in a children’s ward of a hospital.
- Pediatric nurses dispense medication and carry out medical examinations.
- Pediatric nurses wash, dress, and feed sick babies and children.
