Introduction on My Research About Pediatric Nursing Stress
My goal in life is to become a pediatric nurse. I have spent countless hours at the children’s hospital, not as a patient but as a family member. My brother has been hospitalized numerous times with the longest one being over a month-long. My younger brother and I have an indestructible connection. Ever since he was diagnosed with his two conditions, I have had an interest in wanting to be a pediatric nurse because I played a vital role in his recovery. He told me things that he would refuse to tell my parents or the doctors. At the hospital I witnessed many nurses who took care of him. Some of the nurses I could tell were not the best. They came in and never had a smile on their face. On the other hand, you could tell the ones who were meant to be pediatric nurses. They walked into the room with a big smile on their face and always had positive energy, even when the times were tough. This is my main motivation to become a pediatric nurse. I want to be the nurse who was meant to work with sick kids and to do everything in my power to make them feel better. I am the type of person who always has a smile on their face and works incredibly hard at what they are passionate about.
My question is, “how does being a pediatric nurse cause stress and how can we help solve these issues?” I know that being a pediatric nurse is tough. You are helping kids who can be incredibly sick. I also know that it can be a very rewarding profession because you are helping sick kids get better in hopes they can live the rest of their lives healthy. I need to research other topics regarding what the stressors of being a nurse have on your body. I think there are more topics relating to the interaction with the child’s parents, losing a patient, or the burnout concerning pediatrics. Nurse burnout is, “a physical, mental, and emotional state caused by chronic overwork and a sustained lack of job fulfillment and support. Common burnout symptoms may include physical or emotional exhaustion, job related cynicism, and a low sense of personal accomplishment” (“Avoiding Burnout As A Nurse”). It is well known that stress and nursing go hand in hand. When I tell people that I want to go into pediatrics, most praise me, while others warn me. Researching the topic of pediatric nursing and stress is important to me as a prospective pediatric nurse so I can gain knowledge before I start the profession and know if it is what I want to do. It is also important to realize what pediatric nurses go through to keep children alive. I do not currently have a full understanding of the stress pediatric nurses face because I have not experienced working as a nurse in the pediatrics wing. I am a Certified Nursing Assistant and did my clinical in the neurology wing at the UW Hospital. I have experienced some of the stress that nurses face, with the heavy workload and long shifts, but I never got the experience of practicing as a RN with children.
This topic and question are important because there is a shortage of pediatric nurses. According to the Nurse Journal, “the job outlook for pediatric nurses is the same as the job outlook for a registered nurse, placing it at a 19% predicted growth by the year 2022. This growth is faster than the average rate in comparison to other jobs across the U.S. It may be that the level of job growth is due to the current calling for all kinds of nurses across the country, as the U.S. faces a nursing shortage due to an aging population and a continuing battle against illness such as diabetes and obesity” (“Pediatric Nursing Careers & Salary Outlook- 2019”).
My question is, “how does being a pediatric nurse cause stress and how can we help solve these issues?” I know that being a pediatric nurse is tough. You are helping kids who can be incredibly sick. I also know that it can be a very rewarding profession because you are helping sick kids get better in hopes they can live the rest of their lives healthy. I need to research other topics regarding what the stressors of being a nurse have on your body. I think there are more topics relating to the interaction with the child’s parents, losing a patient, or the burnout concerning pediatrics. Nurse burnout is, “a physical, mental, and emotional state caused by chronic overwork and a sustained lack of job fulfillment and support. Common burnout symptoms may include physical or emotional exhaustion, job related cynicism, and a low sense of personal accomplishment” (“Avoiding Burnout As A Nurse”). It is well known that stress and nursing go hand in hand. When I tell people that I want to go into pediatrics, most praise me, while others warn me. Researching the topic of pediatric nursing and stress is important to me as a prospective pediatric nurse so I can gain knowledge before I start the profession and know if it is what I want to do. It is also important to realize what pediatric nurses go through to keep children alive. I do not currently have a full understanding of the stress pediatric nurses face because I have not experienced working as a nurse in the pediatrics wing. I am a Certified Nursing Assistant and did my clinical in the neurology wing at the UW Hospital. I have experienced some of the stress that nurses face, with the heavy workload and long shifts, but I never got the experience of practicing as a RN with children.
This topic and question are important because there is a shortage of pediatric nurses. According to the Nurse Journal, “the job outlook for pediatric nurses is the same as the job outlook for a registered nurse, placing it at a 19% predicted growth by the year 2022. This growth is faster than the average rate in comparison to other jobs across the U.S. It may be that the level of job growth is due to the current calling for all kinds of nurses across the country, as the U.S. faces a nursing shortage due to an aging population and a continuing battle against illness such as diabetes and obesity” (“Pediatric Nursing Careers & Salary Outlook- 2019”).
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