Children’s nursing: why do it?

Hey! My name is Demi and I am a registered children’s nurse. I studied BSc (Hons) Nursing (Children’s) at the University of Bradford from 2019-2022.

When my little girl was born prematurely in 2015, I was instantly inspired by the nurses and midwives who cared for us and a passion for nursing was born!

Getting my degree 

A nursing degree is made up of 50% placement time and 50% theory. The placements allow you to work within the nursing environment and learn from others. Being hands on allows you to practice nursing skills in a supervised setting. This prepares you to fly solo in the future.

I enjoyed placements the most as I got to meet lots of patients and their families. I nursed a baby girl in the neonatal unit then nursed her again 10 months later in the children’s ward. Her mum had a picture of me holding her as a baby on her phone! Those moments were my favourite because the mum remembered the impact I had made on her. And that is why I do my job. 

A typical day in children’s nursing 

No two days are the same! I currently work on a paediatric high dependency unit as a sister and care for children who can be very poorly. I look after children from 0-18 who need to be monitored closely and treated quickly to ensure we can make them better.

Children can deteriorate very quickly but also bounce back to their normal selves very quickly too. One minute I might be helping to provide lifesaving treatment. The next I may be bandaging a teddy bear’s arm to match its owner’s! 

Why children’s nursing? 

As a mum to two children myself, I know that when children are in hospital, it can have a devastating impact on the family. I build relationships with people in a short amount of time. I spend 12 hours a day ensuring I do everything I can to advocate for children and their families, and provide care, comfort and compassion to them. 

I do not think I could do any other job than being a children’s nurse.  

What next? 

Since qualifying I have attended many extra courses and have recently completed a continuing professional development postgraduate course at the university to further enhance my nursing skills. My role as a HDU sister is expanding and many exciting opportunities are arising to continue to develop my skills and knowledge. 

I enjoy working with my team at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and work with lots of different healthcare professionals who inspire me every day. I also get to work with some amazing health care assistants, nurses and student nurses. 

I am a student nurse assessor and take pride in inspiring and developing them. 

Check out BSc (Hons) Nursing (Children’s) to find out where it could take you.