Pediatric RN (typical day like) in a doctor's office

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2012

The answers that you will get to the question will vary considerably based on the location of the person answering. I'm assuming this is for a school assignment and thus you would benefit the most from interviewing someone who is local to you.

Are there pediatric clinics or doctor's offices in your area? (I'm positive that there are.) If you have friends with children, ask them where they bring their children for primary care. Then call or visit the office and ask them your questions. I'm sure you'll get much more detailed answers that are specific and relavent to your area.

ro2878, ADN, BSN · Mar 30, 2012

I worked as a ped med asst for my kids' pediatric office before becoming an RN. At that time, there were only 2 RNs and the rest of us were med assts. The RNs worked more as supervisors and had less patient contact than we did. Eventually, they were let go. In my state (AZ), most private practices are not hiring RNs because they do not want to pay their higher salaries.

What I did (all under the direction of a doctor):

well visits - heights/weights for older kiddos, length/head circumference/weight on infants, vitals, review vaccine histories & admin vaccines, vision and hearing tests, toe pokes to check iron levels on infants, heel sticks for PKU or bilirubin levels on newborns, set up sterile fields and assist on circumcisions.

sick visits - take histories, vitals, strep tests, urinalysis, pulse ox & admin breathing treatments, ear & eye lavages, irrigate/cleanse wounds, put splints on fingers, admin IM abx.

You also assist the Dr anytime they need help calming/holding a scared kiddo during suture removal or even just looking in the kiddo's ear! There are also clerical duties such as faxing lab or xray slips, calling parents with results, calling in RXs to pharms.

Overall, working in a private ped practice is great - lots of fun! However, as I stated earlier and at least in my state private practice is phasing out RNs. Best of luck to you if that is the direction you are headed!

danceluver · Apr 2, 2012

@ro2878: That's pretty much what I am looking for. But i'm sad to read that you mention a lot of practices are phasing out RN for MAs. But obviously i want to work at the level of an RN not an MA. I like the idea of being able to provide primary care to this population (or urgent care type setting) where you see relatively healthier children and keep them on the path of positive growth and development to be able to eventually thrive (rather than a hospital). Did you have any PNPs in your office?

ro2878, ADN, BSN · Apr 2, 2012

I am not sure what is happening in other states regarding MAs vs. RNs but in AZ that is the case. As I said when we did have the 2 RNs they acted much more as supervisors and had much less patient contact than we did.

Yes, we had PNPs - they were awesome and for sick visits I usually brought my own kids to see them since the NPs tended to spend more time with patients than the doctors did. I myself would love to be a PNP in private practice! Having recently graduated I am so sick of school that I am putting that dream on hold!