Paediatric Nursing Course

Lesson 1 • Family-Centred Care Principles

Teaches partnership with families as co-caregivers in paediatric settings. Establishes communication and collaboration skills applied in every subsequent clinical chapter.

Lesson 2 • Paediatric Health Promotion and Prevention

Introduces immunisation schedules, nutrition guidance, and injury prevention across childhood. Preventive frameworks underpin health maintenance content in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Scope and Role of Paediatric Nurses

Defines the paediatric nurse's professional responsibilities across care settings. Anchors role clarity as the basis for all clinical decision-making in this course.

Lesson 1 • Paediatric History Taking

Develops age-appropriate history-gathering techniques from caregivers and children. A thorough history contextualises physical findings and guides diagnostic reasoning.

Lesson 2 • Systematic Head-to-Toe Assessment

Teaches a structured physical examination sequence adapted for paediatric cooperation and anatomy. Systematic technique ensures no system is overlooked during clinical encounters.

Lesson 3 • Growth Monitoring and Anthropometrics

Covers accurate measurement of weight, height, head circumference, and BMI with growth chart plotting. Growth data identifies nutritional and developmental concerns early.

Lesson 4 • Pain Assessment in Paediatric Patients

Introduces validated paediatric pain scales matched to developmental stage and verbal ability. Pain assessment accuracy directly informs pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.

Lesson 1 • Medication Error Prevention and Reporting

Establishes error-reporting culture, near-miss analysis, and double-check protocols specific to paediatric units. Systematic reporting drives continuous safety improvement.

Lesson 2 • Safe Medication Administration Techniques

Covers the rights of medication administration, age-appropriate routes, and restraint-free techniques. Safe administration practices reduce adverse events and improve child cooperation.

Lesson 3 • High-Alert Medications in Paediatrics

Identifies medications with narrow therapeutic indices and high error potential in children. Focused vigilance on high-alert drugs reduces serious adverse outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Pharmacokinetics in Paediatric Patients

Explains how absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion differ across paediatric age groups. These differences justify individualised dosing strategies covered throughout this chapter.

Lesson 1 • Electrolyte Imbalances and Correction

Identifies clinical signs of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium imbalances and their correction protocols. Electrolyte management prevents life-threatening cardiac and neurological events.

Lesson 2 • Paediatric Fluid Physiology

Explains body water distribution, insensible losses, and fluid compartment differences by age. Physiological context is essential for accurate fluid replacement decisions.

Lesson 3 • Maintenance Fluid Calculation

Applies the Holliday-Segar method and weight-based formulas to calculate daily fluid requirements. Accurate calculation prevents both dehydration and fluid overload.

Lesson 1 • Care of the Preterm Infant

Addresses respiratory distress syndrome, thermoregulation, feeding challenges, and developmental care in preterm neonates. Preterm infants require specialised interventions across all body systems.

Lesson 2 • Family Support in the NICU

Teaches kangaroo care, family communication, grief support, and discharge preparation for NICU families. Family integration improves neonatal outcomes and parental confidence at discharge.

Lesson 3 • Common Neonatal Conditions

Covers hyperbilirubinaemia, hypoglycaemia, neonatal sepsis, and congenital anomalies with nursing management. Early recognition of neonatal conditions prevents long-term complications.

Lesson 4 • Neonatal Resuscitation Principles

Applies the neonatal resuscitation algorithm including positive pressure ventilation, chest compressions, and epinephrine use. Resuscitation competency is critical for delivery room and NICU nurses.

Lesson 1 • Dermatological Conditions in Children

Identifies eczema, impetigo, rashes, and allergic reactions with appropriate nursing interventions. Skin assessment integrates with systemic illness recognition covered in prior sections.

Lesson 2 • Respiratory Illnesses in Children

Addresses asthma, bronchiolitis, croup, and pneumonia with assessment findings and nursing interventions. Respiratory conditions are the leading cause of paediatric hospitalisation.

Lesson 3 • Gastrointestinal Conditions

Covers gastroenteritis, dehydration, constipation, and appendicitis with nursing assessment and intervention. GI conditions frequently require rapid fluid and pain management decisions.

Lesson 4 • Infectious and Communicable Diseases

Reviews common childhood infections, transmission routes, isolation precautions, and treatment priorities. Infection control knowledge protects patients, families, and healthcare workers.

Lesson 1 • Paediatric Assessment Triangle

Applies the Paediatric Assessment Triangle to rapidly classify illness severity within seconds of patient contact. This framework drives all subsequent emergency prioritisation decisions.

Lesson 2 • Respiratory Failure and Airway Management

Teaches recognition of respiratory failure, bag-mask ventilation, and positioning for airway patency. Airway management is the highest-priority skill in paediatric emergencies.

Lesson 3 • Shock Recognition and Initial Management

Identifies compensated and decompensated shock types and initiates fluid resuscitation and monitoring. Early shock recognition prevents progression to cardiac arrest.

Lesson 4 • Paediatric Basic Life Support

Covers infant and child CPR ratios, compression technique, and AED use per current resuscitation guidelines. BLS competency is a prerequisite for advanced emergency care skills.

Lesson 1 • Congenital Heart Disease Nursing Care

Identifies acyanotic and cyanotic defects, post-surgical monitoring needs, and signs of heart failure in children. Cardiac conditions require vigilant haemodynamic monitoring and family support.

Lesson 2 • Paediatric Diabetes Management

Covers type 1 and type 2 diabetes pathophysiology, insulin regimens, glucose monitoring, and hypoglycaemia management. Diabetes is amongst the most common chronic conditions requiring daily nursing support.

Lesson 3 • Paediatric Oncology Nursing

Covers chemotherapy side effects, neutropenic precautions, pain management, and psychosocial support for children with cancer. Oncology nursing integrates physical and emotional care across treatment phases.

Lesson 4 • Neurological and Developmental Disorders

Addresses cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD with nursing care strategies. Individualised care plans accommodate diverse functional abilities and behavioural needs.