Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs

As a parent you need to know what to do when your kid needs care. It can be for any number of reasons – the little one may be suffering from a prolonged or chronic illness, medical aid may not be immediately available when the child takes sick or is injured, or the child has returned from a stay at the nursing home but still requires a good deal of care.

Fortunately, the internet is a good resource of information on how to take care of a sick child like a nurse does. It can be a big physical and emotional support for a child to have someone close at hand who knows what to do. It is not that difficult to educate ourselves on some common situations that kids invariably face, such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, toothache, ear infection, cold, cuts, scrapes, etc.

Remember, nurses follow instructions and are answerable to doctors. When trying to educate yourself on how to best care for your sick child, resist the temptation of administering medication yourself without a doctor’s prescription. For example, more often than not we pop an aspirin to cure fever-related aches but aspirin is not advised for children, instead they should be given Acetaminophen but only with the doctor’s consent. You can always administer tried and tested home remedies when you’re sure of the cause of sickness. For example – nothing beats chicken soup for a cold.

In order to make an informed decision on your child’s health care you need to be aware of when it is sick. Once sickness is established you can plan the next course of action. The key to good nursing care at home is to be prepared. You should have some knowledge on common childhood illnesses and conditions, especially for a given time of the year. Accidents and injuries are a part of growing up. Having a first aid kit at home and knowing how to tie a splint will surely alleviate a kid’s pain and discomfort should it meet with an accident and till proper help arrives.

It helps to remember grandma’s cures for different things such as coughs, fevers, and sprains will help your child get relief fast. In these days of allopathic medicines, given even for the smallest problem, often with side effects, it is not a bad idea to first try some traditional medicines. Of course, it’s a personal call to take.

Keep the doctor’s phone number handy so that you can call him, apprise him of the child’s symptoms, and ask for instructions. You can learn cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the Heimlich maneuver to tackle a choking situation.

Diarrhea can attack a child unexpectedly and the effects can leave the kid dehydrated. Offer the child fluids and some electrolytes, even a solution of common salt in water will do the trick. If the stools are bloody or if the diarrhea persists, call the doctor. Keep in mind that one of the first signs of a good nurse is to know when a situation needs to be reported to a superior. Do your best to take care of the kid like a good nurse but do not try to play doctor.

It is not uncommon for an illness to come calling in the middle of the night when the clinics are closed and you do not have any emergency care number handy. Know that having a kid lie down is not always the best option; by propping a kid up you alleviate ear pain and chest congestion.

Be relaxed and cool when you’re around a sick child, keep the kid in good spirits and confident. Keep the kid occupied if it cannot sleep and is feeling distressed. You can always play a small card- or board-game with the kid. Read a story to the kid.

Information, experience, and understanding are all that one needs to take care of a sick child like a nurse.