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Pediatric nursing education has transformed over the past five decades. This evolution encompasses changes in education, health care, and societal viewpoint regarding the care of children. The positive occurrences are changes in nursing curricula to include expanding technology and using simulations in teaching, as well as the integration of evidence-based practice, to stay up to date on the latest and best pediatric care. There has been a greater emphasis on interprofessional collaboration, recognizing the importance of interprofessional teams in providing comprehensive care to pediatric patients (Bally et al., 2022). These changes have resulted in improved outcomes for children and families, and have elevated the role of pediatric nurses as advocates for pediatric health and wellness.
The 1970s era was a significant time for nursing education. Nursing programs began to recognize the importance of addressing the unique needs of children. During this time period, there was a shift from thinking of children as "small adults." Nursing programs began to implement coursework that focused specifically on pediatrics. Pediatric nursing expanded to include an emphasis on advocacy and support of families. The groundwork developed in the 1970s was a pivotal catalyst to the evolution of pediatric nursing as we know it today.
Children have distinct psychological, developmental, and physiological characteristics. Course topics began to include a focus on development, common childhood illnesses, pediatric pharmacology, and family-centered care. The basic nursing curriculum provided a general, broad foundation of nursing. The overall goal for including the pediatric content was to provide a comprehensive overview of how to provide care to children from infancy through adolescence.
Federal Aid and Medicine Supports Pediatric Nursing
In 1971, The Nursing Training Act extended federal funding to...