As you may be aware, a charge nurse is responsible for supervising other nurses in a specific unit of the hospital.  A pediatric charge nurse works primarily in parts of the hospital dedicated to meeting the health care needs of children.  Without question, this is one of the most difficult child care careers to work in.  Even though each of the children in your care needs to be in a hospital, there’s no question that working with sick children takes a great deal of emotional strength.

Job Description

Depending on your level of education and specialty, you may be expected to perform a wide range of tasks.  For example, if you work in a pediatric oncology unit, you may oversee chemotherapy injections and take charge of providing care in emergency situations.  You’ll also be responsible for supervising other nurses on the unit.  This may include comparing doctor’s orders to the actual activities of each nurse and reprimanding nurses who have failed to follow orders.  You may also have to direct CNAs and deal with parents that want to know about test results and the health status of their children.

Educational Requirements

In order to be a pediatric charge nurse, you’ll need to attend nursing school and take special classes in pediatric nursing.  Once you graduate, you’ll have to take your NCLEX-RN exam in order to become board certified in pediatric nursing.  The results of your exam will be used to determine whether or not you can receive the state license necessary to work in the field.  For the most part, you won’t be able to obtain a job as a charge nurse until you’ve worked for a number of years as a regular nurse.  As you distinguish yourself in your hospital, you may be invited to apply for promotion to the position of charge nurse.

Career Opportunities

When you work as a charge nurse, you’ll be involved in a number of administrative decisions related to hospital operations.  You may be called upon to offer advice on improving hospital efficiency or for your opinion on hiring employees.  However, in many cases, this may mean moving away from direct patient care, which can be disappointing for some nurses.  That said, you may also have the opportunity to work on special hospital advisory boards, as well as take on more supervisory roles.  While you may not be eligible to become a hospital administrator, you’ll still be able to enjoy a number of other prestigious jobs with higher salaries.

Working as a pediatric charge nurse comes with some heartbreaking moments as you watch children suffer and occasionally pass away from terminal illnesses.  That said, just as many other children wind up in hospitals as a result of accidental injury or for more treatable conditions.  Regardless of why a child is in the hospital, you’re bound to experience a great deal of emotional impact.  That said, many pediatric nurses derive a great deal of satisfaction from being able to aid and assist children and their families in their times of need.