According to Top-Nursing-Colleges.com, one of the most important qualities a pediatric nurse can have is patience. Child patients can be fearful, uncooperative and difficult; the nurse must work with the child to ensure that proper health care is delivered.
Sandra Mott, Ph.D., RNC, and President of the Society of Pediatric Nurses, explains that pediatric nurses must be intuitive regarding the patient's needs. She explains, "Often the child is too young to verbalize his/her needs and fears."
The patients in a pediatric unit are typically quite young; because of their young age, their bodies are much more delicate and fragile. A pediatric nurse must constantly monitor patients and must be able to provide immediate care the moment it is necessary.
In order to provide a safe and comforting environment for children, a pediatric nurse must be compassionate and trustworthy. However, the nurse must not become too close or too compassionate toward a child. The pediatric nurse should achieve a balance between compassion and firmness.
In addition to providing care for the patients, a pediatric nurse will often deal with the patient's parents as well. The pediatric nurse should be willing and able to meet the physical, emotional and cognitive needs of the patients and the parents.