What Does a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Do?
A pediatric nurse practitioner is a registered nurse and a licensed nurse practitioner. He or she has also taken advanced studies in the field of pediatrics, so that primary work will be with children up to the age of 18. Many pediatrician’s offices and hospitals employ these specialists because in most cases they can work unassisted by a doctor and are able to provide significant range in care.
A pediatric nurse practitioner is a registered nurse and a licensed nurse practitioner. He or she has also taken advanced studies in the field of pediatrics, so that primary work will be with children up to the age of 18. Many pediatrician’s offices and hospitals employ these specialists because in most cases they can work unassisted by a doctor and are able to provide significant range in care. Unlike a registered nurse, a pediatric nurse practitioner is able to diagnose conditions, discuss them with family, and prescribe medications. She can also order tests, such as x-rays or blood tests, to confirm diagnosis. Usually, these practitioners work with or directly under the supervision of a doctor, which whom they can confer should a case seem extremely complicated. However, in doctor’s office settings, very often the pediatric nurse practitioner works in an independent fashion and sees patients, without needing physician consultation.
