INTRODUCTION:

Childhood period is vital because of socialization process by the transmission of attitude, customs and behavior through the influence of the family and community. Children are vulnerable to disease, death and disability owing to their age, sex, place of living, socio - economic status and host of other variables. Disease patterns and management of childhood illness are different than that of adult.

AIMS:

1. The basic aim of pediatrics is to ensure that every child is assisted to achieve his /her optimal genetic potential for physical growth and mental development.

2. To reduce severity of illness, death and disability.

3. To ensure that every child is assisted to become a strong ,healthy and productive adult.

4. To ensure that every child is receiving adequate services to children both before and after birth and through the period of growth.

GOALS:

1. To provide skillful, intelligent need based comprehensive care to the children in health and sickness.

2. To interpret the basic needs of the children to their parents and family members and to guide them in child care.

3. To foster the growth and development of the children and promote a optimum state of health physically, mentally and socially, so that they may function at the peak of their capacity (most of the responses of children are influenced by the phase of growth and development).

GOALS OF PAEDIATRIC NURSE IN HEALTH PROMOTION:

They are to help the families and their children strive for a higher level of wellness and to prevent illness. The nurse can fulfill these goal through individual or group education of parents, children, school teacher and other groups.

· Health maintenance.

· Health restoration.

· Support or counseling (involving a mutual exchange of ideas and options).

· Collaboration

· Research

So pediatric nurse practice is concerned with

· Wellbeing 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 child health into nursing practice.

· Delivering care to the family and child unit.

· Focusing on the ethical ,moral and legal problems regarding child care.(The role of pediatric nurse has been influenced by knowledge ,skills ,practice and research).

SCOPE IN PAEDIATRIC NURSING:

· Nearly all pediatric diseases are now identified assessed and recognized. (Antenatal- congenital malformation e.g.: Antenatal hydronephrosis if antro posterior diameter of renal pelvis is >10mm can identify with the help of USG.)

· All areas of nursing practice have been influenced by recent advances in pediatric knowledge and technology through expanded and extended roles.

· Pediatric nurses now provide education guidance to the parents and child for creating awareness about risk for developing disease and benefits manage disease risk based information and make changes toward better health, care practices (through extensive theory knowledge, rich clinical experience and application of research in pediatric settings) .

· The recent development changes in scientific technology and health care system in pediatrics clinical set up has had a great impact on nursing role in the identification and management of children at risk for developing many diseases(later life).

· Evidenced based nursing care through various nursing research activities in all areas.

Received on 20.06.2014 Modified on 02.08.2014

Int. J. Adv. Nur. Management 2(4): Oct. - Dec., 2014; Page 289-290