Pediatric Hospitalist

Children require special care, especially when they’re sick. Pediatricians specialize in medical care for kids. But a Pediatric Hospitalist takes that care a step further by working in the hospital setting. That means Pediatric Hospitalists are available night and day for kids who are hospitalized due to surgery or illness.

As a Pediatric Hospitalist, your presence offers consistent reassurance to patients who normally would only receive a brief daily visit from their primary Doctor when he or she squeezes in hospital rounds. You also provide better overall care because you are knowledgeable about the patients and their current care. You might work in a children’s hospital or on a specific floor of a general hospital, such as a pediatric ward. You might also specialize on patients with a specific ailment (such as cancer), or treat pediatric patients in one specific area of the hospital (emergency room or intensive care unit).

Wherever you do your work though, your job is to provide care for the youngest patients. You evaluate their condition by doing physical exams, asking questions, and reviewing charts. Once your evaluation is complete, you create a treatment plan for the child. This includes ordering tests, monitoring medications, and observing any changes in the patient’s condition.

This highly rewarding position requires a caring demeanor, a patient and nurturing manner, strong communication skills, and the ability to make quick decisions. If this sounds like you, then take those first steps towards becoming a Pediatric Hospitalist.