Different Types of Nurses for Teens

There is a slight overlapping with the types of nursing for teens. Some nursing areas cover children, teenagers as well as adults. An example would be in the emergency room, post surgery, or in family practice at a doctor's office. Other areas are more specific and deal predominantly, if not completely, with teens.

Requirements

• All student nurses begin with the basic studies. After completing these, they may specialize in a variety of areas, including those that deal with teens. They will need an associate degree from a two-year college or junior college, including special nursing classes and a clinical course.

  A Bachelor of Science degree is more desirable and is offered by universities. In addition to the required liberal-arts courses, they need a nursing major and to complete a supervised clinical course to practice nursing skills. (Reference 2) As they receive additional training, they become

  a registered nurse (RN), and those who have training beyond the RN become a nurse practitioner. (Reference 1) At this point, they receive on-the-job training working with teens or take additional relevant courses for this specialty.

Pediatric Nurse

• A nurse practitioner can specialize in pediatrics and deal primarily with teens. This generally requires a Master of Arts in nursing with courses in caring for teens. As of late 1996, there were 71,000 nurse practitioners in the U.S., many specializing in pediatrics. This type of nurse can give physical exams to teenagers, perform some tests, answer questions and discuss teenage health problems with the adolescent as well as his/her parents. (Reference 1)

School Nurse

• Nurse practitioners frequently work in junior high or high schools. They are required to take courses in adolescent psychology. Sometimes they work for one school or visit several schools each week. They assist in school physicals and treat accident cases or minor injuries. They also check vision or hearing, screen students for postural problems and run a health education program that covers disease prevention and safety. They are trained for crisis intervention. (Reference 1)

Camp Nurse

• A camp nurse is usually an RN or an advanced nurse. Sometimes a nursing student may work as an assistant. Generally, the nurses work with a team of several other nurses. They can dispense medication and give first-aid to the teenagers. They also follow through with teens who have allergies, diabetes or are on special diets. They work with the doctor and the local hospital. (Reference 3)

College Campus Nurse

• The college campus nurse deals with sexual issues and teenage emotional problems. Birth control, bladder problems, sexually transmitted diseases, smoking and overdosing on medication are areas of concern. The campus nurse is also equipped to handle most health problems that teenagers encounter while at college, including injuries or illnesses.