You may not think of yourself as a hero, but from the moment that you chose a career in pediatric nursing, you may as well have put on a cape and leaped over a tall building – at least in the eyes of your patients, the family members, and your colleagues too! While all nurses are compassionate, empathetic, and dedicated to the well-being of their patients, nurses who opt for taking responsibility for children take on a very special role, no matter whether they’re working in a pediatrician’s office helping with vaccinations and well visits or in an acute care setting in a hospital helping children suffering devastating illnesses or injuries, and families facing critical medical decisions. Pediatric nurses working for world-renowned Children’s National in Washington, D.C. or within their affiliated HSC Health Care System experience all of those scenarios and more, and do so in a supportive, empowering environment.
For more than a century Children’s National has been committed to the health and well-being of the nation’s children, and that mission is reflected in its commitment to providing quality healthcare for the patients seeking care within their walls and to improving health outcomes for children regionally, nationally, and internationally. As a result of their efforts and innovations, the hospital’s staff has earned a reputation for being champions for children, and the hospital itself has earned numerous accolades and awards.
From Newsweek recognizing Children’s National as one of the world’s best specialty hospitals to U.S. News & World Report ranking it # 5 in the nation and #1 in newborn care, the facility sets the bar for excellence in pediatric care and in many other areas as well. Employees take pride in the hospital’s high marks from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for its leadership in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality and in its receipt of a sustainability award from the D.C. Department of Energy & Environment. Perhaps most meaningful of all for the hospital’s nurses is its designation as a Magnet hospital from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in recognition of maintaining the highest standards of nursing and patient care. The hospital has received this designation three times.
Children’s Nation was established more than 150 years ago by volunteers set on treating children who had been displaced after the Civil War. Since that time it has become a national leader in pediatric care and research as well as in community outreach and in setting local, regional, and national healthcare policy. Recognized for superlative care in all of its specialty areas, the hospital has most recently begun work on the nation’s first campus dedicated exclusively to pediatric research while at the same time delivering care through a community-based primary care network and specialty outpatient centers throughout the region. The innovations that this academic health system delivers has resulted in it being the nation’s seventh-highest NIH-funded children’s hospital.
Children’s National is one of the main sources of pediatric care for residents of Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The hospital sees approximately 250,000 patients each year, including patients seeking care from 35 countries through its Global Services program. Integral to the care provided are the 1,602 nurses that work at Children’s National and more than fifty additional primary and specialty care locations within the HSC Health Care System.
Children’s National values its nurses’ roles in excellent patient outcomes, and works hard to ensure that these professionals feel rewarded and supported and are provided with opportunities for development. That has resulted in their nursing staff consistently ranking above the national average in job satisfaction surveys, particularly in the areas of overall job enjoyment. In its efforts to be a place for nurses to grow and thrive, the organization has prioritized four separate areas within its staff culture:
- Partnering in patient care and decision-making with the entire healthcare team, as well as with patients, families, and the community.
- Fostering a culture of collaboration and respect while delivering evidence-based nursing to improve patient outcomes.
- Leadership councils that facilitate shared nursing leadership where nurses both create and administer solutions within their unit, department, and across the entire health system.
- Working to support nurses’ professional growth and promote professional standards and the profession itself.
Children’s National supports nursing students and recent graduates through structured clinical programs, and does the same for their staff nurses by hosting continuing education events that enhance leadership, clinical, research, and administrative skills. The facility has also created its own Simulation Learning Center where clinical skills and care procedures can be practiced and improved upon.
Talent development is an essential aspect of Children’s National’s culture. The organization’s coaching and mentorship program was recently recognized by Helios HR with its Apollo Award, and nurses are provided with autonomy and resources that encourage the initiation of research, collaboration, professional growth, education, and shaping the delivery of care within the health system.
Pediatric nurses who are interested in joining the Children’s National Team will find that it is a remarkable place to advance their career aspirations while delivering the high-quality patient outcomes that first inspired them to join the profession. Nurses working over 20 hours per week are compensated with an excellent benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, vision insurance, retirement plans, educational assistance, and employee reward and recognition programs, as well as life and disability insurance, employee assistance programs, leave, flexible spending accounts, parking, and more. Add all this to the exciting and rewarding work environment at one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals and you understand why pediatric nurses at Children’s National report such high levels of job satisfaction.
Pediatric nurses interested in advancing in their careers can begin their search on Incredible Health’s career page. In just minutes you can set up a profile and begin hearing from high-quality employers whose opportunities match your preferences.
