What is a paediatric nurse and what do they do?

A paediatric nurse, or children’s nurse, works with babies, children, and young adults under the age of 18. Paediatric nurses have a crucial role working in hospitals and in other settings. Typically, they work in multidisciplinary teams alongside doctors (paediatricians), play staff, healthcare assistants, psychologists and social workers. 

Interested in becoming a paediatric nurse? In this blog, we outline the roles and responsibilities of a paediatric nurse, as well as the ideal skills and qualities to possess, pay rates, and required qualifications. We’ll also outline what it’s like to work as a paediatric nurse with Thornbury Nursing and how you can register to join us.  

Paediatric nurse roles and responsibilities

The typical roles and responsibilities of a paediatric nurse include: 

• Assessing care needs 
• Carrying out physical examinations
• Assisting with diagnosis 
• Developing treatment plans 
• Checking on your patients and recording key data 
• Understanding and responding appropriately to a child’s behaviour and reactions 
• Administering medication  
• Performing a range of clinical procedures 
• Supporting parents and carers 
• Advising on care plans after discharge 

If you are an agency nurse or are looking into this type of role, you will typically carry out the same responsibilities as paediatric nurses in permanent roles. However, you will take on these duties within one facility on a temporary basis, before moving to another setting where your skills and experience are needed.  

What skills and qualities are needed to be a paediatric nurse?

Here are just some of the skills and qualities you’ll need in your career as a specialist children’s nurse:

• Being caring, warm and compassionate. Having empathy with patients and their families is vital, along with the ability to maintain a degree of separation for your own mental wellbeing.  
• The ability to communicate with both young patients and their families/carers. Not everyone can do this well – it’s quite a skill. 
• Staying calm when working under intense pressure (including in an emergency). 
• Working under pressure calls for endurance and stamina. Working as a nurse, particularly as a children’s nurse, is not like running a sprint – it’s more like fast-paced middle-distance hurdling with many challenges to overcome. 

For paediatric nurses who choose to work with a nursing agency, it’s also important to be flexible and adaptable. As an agency nurse, you’ll often be working in new environments, with new teams and to new schedules, so it’s important to be able to embrace the variety that this type of role offers. 

What is an average paediatric nurse salary?

In the NHS, a paediatric nurse’s salary is determined by a banded pay scale called Agenda for Change. The Agenda for Change pay rates for 2023/24 are: 

Agency pay rates for paediatric nurses tend to be significantly higher. For example, paediatric nurses can earn up to £54.50/hour with Thornbury Nursing (plus more on Bank Holidays). This is in recognition of the high level of skill, experience, commitment and flexibility it takes to be an agency nurse.  

If you would like to work as a registered pediatric nurse with Thornbury and take advantage of our industry-leading pay rates and benefits package, please register here. 

What qualifications are needed to be a paediatric nurse?

The main pathway is to have a university degree (via full or part-time study). Courses combine academic study with practical experience across different settings. 

There are four different nurse specialisms to choose from – adult nursing, children’s (paediatric) nursing, learning disability nursing, and mental health nursing. If you’ve already decided to become a children’s nurse, you can opt for the paediatric specialist route. Some courses also offer students the opportunity to study two different specialisms in parallel. 

Entry requirements for an undergraduate degree are typically a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, possibly including English language or literature and a science subject. You’ll also need two A levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Some universities ask for three A levels or equivalent.  

If you already have a degree, you may be able to get into nursing via a postgraduate qualification.  

Learn while you earn

You can also choose to do a nursing degree apprenticeship (NDAs) – an alternative, more flexible, route into nursing. NDAs combine part-time study at an approved education provider with a permanent job in healthcare. At the end, you’ll have a degree and full registered nurse status. At work, you can expect to be paid at least the minimum apprenticeship wage and your tuition fees will be covered by your employer. One day a week you’ll be free to get on with your studies. 

Although the apprenticeship programme typically takes four years to complete, the system known as the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) means you could be fully qualified in just three years. 

Once you’ve completed the course, either via university or apprenticeship, you apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). 

Nursing associate apprenticeships are also available. This is another entry point; qualifying as a nursing associate can lead to a nursing degree or nurse degree apprenticeship and full nurse registration.  

Roles with Thornbury Nursing Services

We’re always looking for qualified paediatric nurses to join our team to work in temporary, last-minute placements in NHS and private hospitals. We also have lots of work available supporting children who live at home with complex health needs. You’ll need to work to our high standards, and in return, you’ll receive full professional support from us. 

Check out the requirements to work with the Thornbury Nursing team

Register your interest in joining Thornbury Nursing today  

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