Pediatric nurse careers center on providing specialized medical and emotional care to infants, children, and adolescents, and for many nurses, like those inspired by early patient experiences, this path becomes a deeply meaningful way to make a lasting impact on young lives.
Seven weeks spent in a hospital bed as a teen at Boston Children’s Hospital could have been a painful memory for Kim Kostas, RN, BSN, CPN, but instead it became a turning point. Kostas remembers being surrounded by laughter, distraction, and care that went beyond medicine, as nurses and child life specialists filled her days with small moments of joy.
“They kept me busy, made me laugh, and turned a terrible experience into a better one,” she said.
By the time she was discharged, Kostas wasn’t just healed, she was inspired. What began as a difficult chapter grew into a clear path forward, pushing her to explore a pediatric nurse career.
What a pediatric nurse does and why they are essential
Pediatric nurses play a vital role in caring for infants, children, and teens, combining clinical expertise with a strong focus on providing emotional support and education to both young patients and their families. As demand for specialized pediatric care continues to grow, driven by workforce shortages and increasing chronic conditions in children, pediatric nurses are needed across hospitals, clinics, schools, and community settings. Jobs for pediatric nurses are expected to grow 6% to 9% over the next decade.
Kostas has spent 17 years in pediatric nursing, building a career rooted in the same compassionate care that she once received as a patient. She began in long-term pediatric care and expanded into clinics, home care, and schools, gaining a broad perspective on how specialized support can transform outcomes for children and their families.
Like many pediatric nurses, Kostas pursued certification to deepen her expertise. The Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) credential, offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), validates specialized pediatric knowledge. Eligibility requires an active RN license and at least 1,800 hours of pediatric experience in the last two years, or over 3,000 hours in the last five years. The certification exam covers topics like health promotion, assessment, and management.
Supporting children with complex medical needs
In 2020, as the pandemic reshaped daily life, Kostas used her vast experience to launch her own company, PediNurse, a healthcare consultancy in Plymouth, Massachusetts, focused on helping childcare centers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to better support children with complex medical needs.
“I help childcare centers develop policies and understand the individual healthcare needs of children in their care,” she said.
Those needs can vary widely, from children with feeding tubes to those managing diabetes and seizure disorders. Kostas works closely with staff to create individualized healthcare plans, ensuring each child receives safe, informed, and consistent care.
Advancements in medicine and healthcare have significantly increased the life expectancy of children with chronic illnesses. Conditions once considered fatal, such as cystic fibrosis, cancer, and heart defects, are now often manageable, resulting in more children living with chronic illnesses into adulthood.
A need for more pediatric nurse practitioners
With over three decades of experience on the front lines of pediatric care, Sandra Staveski, PhD, RN, CPNP-AC, an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing, has navigated the full spectrum of clinical challenges.
From the high-stakes environment of multidisciplinary pediatric care to the fast-paced world of critical care transport, her career has been defined by a passion for helping young patients and their families. Today, as an associate professor at the UCSF School of Nursing, she translates that expertise into the classroom, training the next generation of nurse leaders in one of the nation’s top-ranked programs.
As a professor and researcher, Staveski helps graduate students master the complexities of pediatric care, turning the latest science into hands-on clinical skills. UCSF is one of approximately 500 academic institutions in the U.S. that offer accredited nurse practitioner programs. These schools offer a mix of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.
With the demand for pediatric nurse practitioners projected to surge by up to 38% through the 2030s, Staveski points to a growing need for these providers, especially in primary care and underserved communities. At the same time, there is a projected shortage of nearly 86,000 physicians by 2036 in the U.S., further increasing reliance on nurse practitioners to help fill gaps in care delivery.
To meet this need, programs like the UCSF PNP program provide nurses with training in both Acute Care (PNP-AC) and Primary Care (PNP-PC). At UCSF, nurses with a bachelor’s degree can enter the BSN Entry to DNP pathway, an 11-quarter hybrid program that combines in-person and online coursework with hands-on training at clinical sites through the San Francisco Bay Area. Students can also pursue multiple specialty areas including primary care, gerontology, and mental health.
Skills every pediatric nurse needs
Beyond advanced education, Staveski emphasized that pediatric nurses should be genuinely curious about seeing the world from a child's perspective and recognize that their care extends not only to the child but to the entire family as well.
Kostas added that while pediatric nursing can be a rewarding career, offering lots of flexibility, it can also bring significant challenges.
“You’re caring for children and their families at some of the most difficult moments in their lives,” she explained. “Parents may be overwhelmed with emotion, and sick children can become irritable, so patience and strong de-escalation skills are essential.”
Staveski said that pediatric nurses must sometimes face the devastating loss of a child in their care and be prepared for the emotional impact that follows. Organizations like The Loss Foundation emphasize that active listening and compassionate communication are among the most important ways nurses can support grieving families. They also provide guidance to help nurses process their own grief.
Recognized for her work in improving outcomes for critically ill children, particularly those with heart conditions, Staveski has contributed to research and clinical practice in symptom management, patient safety, and family-centered care in pediatric settings.
“When I began my career, the priority was reducing mortality and helping children survive,” she said. “We've made meaningful progress, especially in areas like heart disease. Today, the focus has expanded to reducing the long-term effects of illness, both during hospitalization and after discharge.”
That shift reflects a broader evolution in pediatric care, where improving quality of life and long-term outcomes has become just as essential as saving lives.
