Pediatric nursing provides resources for infants, toddlers, children, and their families to promote health throughout development and growth. Due to the amount a patient changes during his or her childhood, specialized care targeted to specific development points is often necessary to meet the patient's specific needs.

Pediatric care begins at birth with newborn examination and immunizations, and continues until after adolescence when patients move from a pediatrician to a general physician. Pediatric nursing covers routine immunizations and "well child" check-up appointments, as well as any illnesses or minor injuries that occur. Pediatric care also screens for common childhood illnesses or rarer genetic illnesses, diseases, and disorders, if needed.

Pediatric nurses work in pediatrician's clinics as well as hospitals and specialized facilities focusing on the care of infants and children. In addition to being able to have the medical knowledge and skills necessary for the job, pediatric nurses must be adept at working with children, as well as their parents and families.

Neonatal nursing falls under the umbrella of pediatric nursing, but also comes with its own set of skills and knowledge that lead it to be a separate specialty.

Pediatric Nursing Theories and Models

• Mercer's Maternal Role Attainment Theory
• Roy's Adaptation Model of Nursing
• Casey's Model of Nursing
• Neuman's Systems Model
• Kolcaba's Theory of Comfort
• Rogers' Theory of Unitary Human Beings
• Erickson's Modeling and Role Modeling Theory
• Orlando's Nursing Process Discipline Theory
• Parse's Human Becoming Theory
• Nightingale's Environment Theory
• Watson's Philosophy and Science of Caring