High school classes for a Pediatric Nurse

[CassieLynn<3]

Hi :) i am in 8th grade and i will be going into high school next year! Anyways i got my high school classes and i have to pick then for my freshman year. What classes should i take that will help me for collage for my career of being a pediatric nurse. Also i want to be a pediatric nurse because i love kids and i think it will be a good job for me. Thanks for your help:)

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Focus on your math and science courses. You probably have options to take an advanced math like calculus in high school, but honestly, that isn't needed for nursing. Nursing math is like basic math along with some very basic algebra. Most nursing schools require chemistry and biology or microbiology as prerequisites so take those classes. I remember my high school offered an AP anatomy & physiology course, so if your school does the same I would highly suggest taking that. Psychology, especially growth & development (because pediatrics is big on that!) is also another great option.

Good luck on your future endeavors and welcome to AN! :)

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

If you are aiming for a career in health care, you will need to take a lot of science classes in college as well as the 'generic' pre-requisites that are required for all bachelor degrees like English, History, etc. In college, these classes will cost a lot of money! You will be able to save a lot of money & time if you can take AP classes while you are in High School. Then you can take CLEP tests for these courses which will grant you those college credits. Talk to your counselor for information on how to do this.

In the US, all pre-licensure nursing programs are designed to produce 'generalist' nurses. The curriculum includes training in all types of nursing specialties. After you get your degree & pass NCLEX, you could begin your career in any entry-level nursing job. Hopefully, you will be able to find one in pediatrics, if that is what you want.

Good luck & keep us posted on your progress.