Children are the hardest to work with if you do not try to think and feel like them, but the easiest to deal with when you do. My experience in the pediatrics wards is one that I deem to be the most fulfilling, primarily because helping children is the embodiment of saving lives. These kids are our future leaders, future nurses, and the link in the continuation of our generation. Albeit working with a child is probably the hardest task in the planet, if one is willing to learn and is devoted to one’s job, it will be a walk in the park.
In the pediatrics ward, being a leader is of utmost importance, not only to nurses, but to the patients as well. Showing competence in front of the patient is needed in order for the patient to entrust their lives to you. And showing competence in front of a nine year old is much more complicated, especially if his or her parents are watching. One has to be mindful of every single word that is coming out of one’s mouth, and of how one behaves.
In my experience, I felt I was being the leader whenever I do tasks, especially bedside ones, inside the patient’s room whether or not the parents are there. I feel like I am their leader, and I lead them into doing and deciding what is the right course of treatment, especially when they ask me about medically related issues, or whenever I make them have fate in me when I am doing procedures. I also made sure that I was professional in dealing with matters, and to not become too attached to the child.
I show empathy, and I make sure that I am available whenever they need me. I also exuded confidentiality, as I did not share to anybody else private conversations that parents have whenever I came into the room in the midst of a serious exchange. Critical thinking is also called for during this clinical experience. There were times when the physician has not arrived yet and a medical intervention is needed. I had to make a rush judgment, but I made sure that I did not step on the role of the physician and I still did what a nurse ought to do.
Albeit there are not any new skills that have to be acquired in entering the pediatric clinical setting, one has to be aware of the developmental milestones and the children’s fears and needs to be able to work with them well. Because if one is armed with this knowledge, one can never go wrong in trying to convince a child to take their medications, especially if their parents are not around. One also have to be patient in working with children because it takes an ample amount of time before they could trust their lives to you, as that concept is not even formed in the younger ones.
If one is determined to take care of these children, one can be patient and will learn the sufficient knowledge needed in working in the pediatrics ward. My experience in this clinical setting made me become a more holistic, well – rounded nurse, not to mention a grounded one. I deem that in order to be the best in one’s field, one has to be able to work in all kinds of setting, and pediatrics takes on a different knowledge base because of the age difference in adults and therefore different bodily functions.
Taking care of children will make one understand that life for these kids cannot be confined in the bed, they have to grow and develop at the same time. The nurse has to be able to help the child fulfill these things, as it is part of being holistic and well rounded. Also, it made me feel grounded as a nurse because I have learned and experienced for myself the depths at ,which the parents of these children will go to just to see their children alive and well, making it through another day. As a nurse, our goal is to care for patients, in addition to saving lives.
We do not ask for anything in return; we do want anything else in return but to see them alive and well, away from further injury or harm. I believe that this should be engraved in the hearts and souls of nurses, but I know that it is not an easy task because we cannot develop close ties with the patient. The irony of being a nurse is caring for someone and being at world’s end in trying to save their lives, without establishing any personal connection that may compromise care and professionalism.