There are a variety of books written specifically for registered nurses and nursing students who are interested in working with children. These pediatric nursing study tools range from detailed volumes to smaller simple study guides. Some books cover topics such as anatomy and physiology, child development/psychology, pharmacology, and other healthcare basics. Additionally, these textbook-style study tools may contain critical thinking exercises that ask for the student nurse to consider the possibilities of real life situations. Additionally, student pediatric nurses may be interested in books used to study for standardized exams such as the NCLEX-RN or the Certified Pediatric Nurse Exam. Books in this genre typically include practice exam questions along with explanations and/or answers.
The web provides a wealth of free pediatric nursing study tools for students and established RN's. Some websites, such as Flashcard Exchange and Study Stack have online card sets in pediatric nursing topics. Other online study resources may be in article form or have more detailed information about pediatric topics such as healthcare assessment, prevention, or treatment of disease. For example, the Pediatric Nursing journal online has free, accessible articles that enriches the study of any student or practicing nurse. Other free online study options include websites that post case histories for educational purposes. The PediatricNursing website has numerous pediatric case studies to help nurses learn more about this speciality.
National nursing associations and boards are a terrific resource for individuals interested in pediatric nursing. Study tools may include general information, test taking guides and practice exams. For example, the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board has an entire Exam Prep section on their website. This section has links to web-based study guides (for a fee) that include preparing for an exam, test taking tips and strategies. Additionally, this association provides practice test tools and study guides for speciality pediatric practitioners such as acute care nurses. Another national resource is the Society of Pediatric Nurses. The Society's website has links to online classes (for a fee) on focused pediatric topics. These tools and guides help the student to learn about pediatric nursing and increase knowledge of the profession.