CHILD HEALTH NURSING

Presented by:
Mrs. Archana Maletha M.Sc. (N)
Asst. Prof. Child Health Nursing
SGRRU
INTRODUCTION

Children's health, or pediatrics, focuses on the well-being of

children from conception through adolescence. It is vitally
concerned with all aspects of children's growth and development
and with the unique opportunity that each child has to achieve
their full potential as a healthy adult.
 Children's health was once a subset of adult
medicine. In the 19th and early 20th century, people
recognized pediatrics as a medical specialty because
of the gradual awareness that the health problems of
children are different from those of adults. It was also
recognized that a child's response to illness,
medications, and the environment depends upon the
age of the child.
DEFINITION

CHILD
A young human being below the age of puberty.

Or

A child is a human being who is not yet an adult . 

HEALTH

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental

and social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity."

WHO, 1948.
NURSING
Nursing is a profession within the health
care sector focused on the care of
individuals, families, and communities so
they may attain, maintain, or recover
optimal health and quality of life. 
 CHILD HEALTH NURSING
OR
PEDIATRIC NURSING

Pediatric nursing is the medical care of neonates and children up to

adolescence, usually in an in-patient hospital or day-clinic. 

Pediatrics comes from the Greek words 'paedia' which means child,

'iatrike' which means treatment and ics means branch of science. 
 CONCEPT OF CHILD
HEALTH

“FATHER OF PAEDIATRICS - DR ABRAHAM JACOBI”

 Children are the major consumer of the health care.

 In India about 35 % of total population are children below 15 years of age.

 They are not only large in number but also vulnerable to various health
problems and consider as special risk group.

 Majority of the childhood sickness and deaths are preventable by simple

low cost measures.

 Disease pattern and management of childhood illness are different than

that of adult.
 Children always need special care for survive and thrive.

 Good health of these precious member of the society should be ensured as

prime importance in all countries. As said by Karl Meninger “What is
done to children they will do to the society.” Children are wealth of
tomorrow.

 A child is unique individual, he or she is not a miniature adult, not a little

men or women.

 The childhood period is vital because of socialization process by the

transmission of attitude, custom and behavior through the influence of the
family and community.
 Family’s cultural and religious belief, educational level and
ways of living influence the promotion and maintenance of child
health.

 Children are vulnerable to disease, death and disabilities owing

to their age, sex place of living, socioeconomic status and a host
of other variables. They need appropriate care for survival and
healthy development.
 The triad problem, poverty, population explosion and
environmental stress are great threat toward child health in
developing countries.

 Better nutrition, education (especially girl child) and family

planning are essential aspect to improve child health. Healthy
well-nourished children develop better mentally and benefit more
from education.

 Better education associated with more health knowledge, better

health practices and more use of health services.
 CONCEPT OF CHILD HEALTH
NURSING
 Health of the children has been considered as the vital importance to all
societies because children are the basic resources for the future
humankind.

 Nursing care of the children is concerned with for both the health of the
children and for the illness that affect their growth and development.

 The increasing complexity of medical and nursing science has created a

need for special area of child care, i.e. pediatric nursing.
 The specialized area of nursing practice concerning the care of
children during wellness and illness. It includes preventive,
promotive, curative and rehabilitative care of children.

 It emphasis on all round development of the body mind and

spirit of the growing individual. Thus pediatric nursing
involves in giving assistance, care and support to the growing
and developing children to achieve their individual potential for
functioning with fullest capacity.
PEDIATRIC NURSING PRACTICE IS CONCERN WITH:
 Well-being of the children towards optimal functioning

 Integration of developmental needs of children into nursing care with

holistic approach.

 Integration of scientific principles and theory related to child health into

nursing practice.

 Delivering care to the family child unit.

 Interdisciplinary team approach to plan and provide child care in

comprehensive manner

 Focusing on the ethical, moral and legal problems regarding child care.
GOALS
 To provide skilful intelligent need based comprehensive
care to the children in health and illness.

 To interpret the basic needs of children to their parents and

family members and to guide them in child care.
GOALS CONT……
 To promote Growth and Development of children towards
optimum state of health for functioning at the peak of their
capacity in future.

 To prevent disease and alleviate suffering in children.

QUALITIES OF A PAEDIATRIC NURSE

“Staying on their feet, keeping their head cool in a crisis,

and a calm attitude are great qualities in a nurse.”

Nursing is much more than a career; it truly is a calling. It

takes a special kind of compassionate personality, calm head,
and intestinal fortitude to care for people in their times of
need. 
 While the medical field is among the most challenging
professions, and each healthcare professional faces very real
and difficult challenges, it takes a special kind to be a
pediatric nurse.

 Not only does it require technical skill, the right

temperament, and a propensity for patient-centered care, but
there is a certain level of resolve that is necessary to do the
job well.
1. CARING
“By far, the number one quality of a good nurse is caring,”
Pfeiffer says,” If you do not care about others and yourself, you
cannot be compassionate and provide quality care to others.”

Nurses care for people during some of the most vulnerable

and scary times of their lives, and usually act as the most regular
and accessible point of contact for patients and families. A great
nurse is able to do their job effectively while also showing
compassion, concern, and sympathy for each individual they
serve.
2. COMMUNICATION SKILLS
 Communication skills are one of the most important requirements of
a nurse’s job both following directions and communicating with
patients and families.

 Patients who are sick or suffering often are not in a position of

strength to speak up for themselves. Patients and families rely
primarily on their nurse for this kind of support.

 For a good nurse, being supportive includes being an effective

advocate for the patient when you anticipate a problem or see a
concern that needs to be addressed.
 A genuine smile gives a patient a sense of comfort,
knowing that their nurse cares about them.

 Beyond that, there are many communication styles a good

nurse knows how to work with, and not all of them are
verbal.

 A great nurse can communicate in ways that make a

patient feel at ease and feel confident that they will be
cared for.”
 When you’re going through a health scare with a loved one,
particularly an infant, it can be difficult to fully understand
what is happening, and very easy to feel out of control.

 It is important for the medical staff to be able to 

effectively communicate what the child is going through, and
how they are being treated.

 Parents are naturally protective of their little ones, and they

need to understand that you know what is wrong, and are
doing all you can to address the issue and help their baby
recover.
 3. EMPATHY
 Caring, compassion, and empathy sometimes are confused as one
and the same, but there is an important distinction.

 Empathy is the ability to really hear and share in a patient’s feelings.

 For a nurse, this doesn’t mean you always have to agree with what a
patient or their family thinks. And for your own self-preservation,
you don’t need to internalize the pain and suffering they may be
experiencing. But it is very important that you listen and try to
understand where they’re coming from.
 Great nurse can make each patient feel seen and heard,
without judgment, and with a recognition that each
individual has their own valid set of values, life
experiences, and perspectives.
 Particularly in home care, empathy is of the utmost importance.
When you are in a home, treating a child, a cold, off-putting
attitude can be a deal breaker for parents and loved ones.

 The situation is extremely personal to them, and it is important

to them that their caregiver feels the same way, to a degree.

 There is a certain amount of professional separation that is

necessary, but being sympathetic and warm towards the families
Is an important characteristic for a pediatric nurse.
4. ATTENTION TO DETAIL
 When it comes to providing medical care, attention to
detail is crucial.

 Even in the most busy, hectic environment, a good nurse

must be detail-oriented, making sure that instructions are
followed to the letter, ensuring proper medication dosages,
and keeping accurate records.
 A good nurse will be the first to notice subtle changes in a
patient’s medical condition and alert physicians and other
members of a health care team to respond in ways that can
avoid a serious adverse health event.
5. PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS
 Similarly, a great nurse exercises excellent judgment and
can think quickly to anticipate and address problems.

 “No two patients are ever the same, so a good nurse is

always solving problems and trying to individualize what
is the best care for each patient.”
 Being set in one’s ways is not a useful quality for a nurse.
Providing excellent health care can be very dynamic and
unpredictable at times. A great nurse is willing and able to be
flexible and adapt to any unforeseen circumstance.

 In the day-to-day provision of health care, it is up to nurses to

sometimes juggle hectic schedules and competing demands, to
make calm decisions and respond to unexpected events
effectively, and often, to find creative ways to make a
difference for patients in the limited time you are able to spend
with them.
6. RESPECT
 Decision-making on the job can be a delicate balancing
act, and when it comes to nursing, respect goes a long
way. Whatever may come, it is important for a good nurse
to respect healthy boundaries and to respect all of the
diverse people you serve and work with.
 A nurse who exercises respect for all coworkers, patients, and
families will earn a high level of respect in return.

 This quality is demonstrated by a professional demeanor, a

mindfulness for rules and confidentiality, and a high regard for
each patient’s wishes.
7. EMOTIONAL STABILITY
 Nursing is a stressful job where traumatic situations are
common.

 The ability to accept suffering and death without letting it

get personal is crucial. Some days can seem like non-stop
gloom and doom.

 That’s not to say that there aren’t heartwarming moments

in nursing.
 Helping a patient recover, reuniting families, or bonding with
fellow nurses are special benefits of the job.

 A great nurse is able to manage the stress of sad situations, but

also draws strength from the wonderful outcomes that can and
do happen.

 These situations can be especially scary when they happen to

small children, but in order to provide effective care for the
patient, and assurance to their families, it is important to
remain calm and perform the task at hand. 
8. FLEXIBILITY
 Being flexible and rolling with the punches is a staple of
any career, but it’s especially important for nurses.

 A great nurse is flexible with regards to working hours and

responsibilities. Nurses, like doctors, are often required to
work long periods of overtime, late or overnight shifts,
and weekends.
9. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
 Nurses are the link between doctors and patients.

 A great nurse has excellent interpersonal skills and works

well in a variety of situations with different people.

 They work well with other nurses, doctors, and other

members of the staff.
10.  QUICK RESPONSE
 Nurses need to be ready to respond quickly to emergencies
and other situations that arise.

 Quite often, health care work is simply the response to

sudden incidences, and nurses must always be prepared
for the unexpected.
11.  DEDICATION
 In order to provide the type of care consistently that these
patients need, it is important to be truly dedicated to your
patients, and the pursuit of quality care.

 If you look at prominent nurses throughout history, each

of them was truly dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in
the field.
12. SELF-AWARENESS
 To create a great career in nursing that works for you, it is
important to really know yourself.

 Not every work environment will be the best fit for you.
Some nurses thrive on the excitement of a busy emergency
ward. Others prefer the more quiet, longer term, one-on-
one attention they can give patients in the home care
setting.
 Nursing jobs vary greatly in terms of how emotionally and
physically demanding they can be, and in different ways. 

 A good nurse will enjoy a long and fulfilling career by being

self-aware and gravitating to the kinds of work that best suit
their own personality, priorities, interests, and physical
stamina.
13. DESIRE TO KEEP LEARNING
 Medical knowledge and technology are advancing very rapidly,
and a great nurse must have a genuine sense of curiosity to
keep working on their professional development, improving
their skills, and learning new things.

 “Health care is constantly changing, “and a great nurse changes

with it and stays knowledgeable of all things small or big.”
Thank you...