Nursing care of children aims at achieving the highest possible health in children and promoting their optimum growth and development. In rder to achieve this aim, the paediatric nurse should play multiple roles as depicted in the following.
Care Provider
As a care provider , the nurese is responsible to care for the sick children in meeting their physical and emotionl needs. The responsibility to administer the prescribed medicines and treatments also falls on her. She is held accountalbe for all her nursing actions. So she must carry out her responsibilites with knowledge and dedication.
To demonstrate her sense of accountablity,she should use nursing process in her care. The use of nursing process enables her:
- to assess each child's need through nistory taking and physical examination.
- to identify the health needs of the child
- to plan and implement nursing ations
- to evaluate the outcome of nursing actions
A child specially the young one, is totally dependent on his parents or care givers to fulfill his basic needs such as food, toileting and clothing. So the parents should be included in the care of their children as far as possible.This enhances their responsibility as parents and help to build their confidence in child care at home.
Health Educator
Health education is oneof the important roles of the nurse. health education of children aims at giving essentail health information to the parents and guardians for the promotion and maintenance of the health of children. health education arouses awareness of the parents regarding child care and influences their child care practive . Some of the important topics of health education are:
- child's nutrition
- immunisation
- prevention of accidents
- personal adn environmental hygiene
- oral rehydration therapy
- child spacing
