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Whether  taking care of infants or treating adolescents, all pediatric nurses are champions for children. Nurses who choose pediatric practice do so with complete understanding that their careers will be as challenging as they are rewarding, and with the hopes that their talents will be deployed in a setting where patients and their families are at the center of care.  That is exactly what they find at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in South Florida.

As South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has earned its position as Florida’s pediatric leader. The 309-bed facility offers innovative services to children throughout the state, and its over 4,200 employees are integral to the care that it provides. In 2022 the hospital recorded 16,220 inpatient admissions; 15,235 surgeries; over 97,000 emergency department visits; and more than half-a-million outpatient visits.

The hospital is the largest provider of pediatric medical education in the southeastern United States, offers dental services to underserved children and adolescents, provides primary care services for children at 74 public school campuses, and each  year offers more than a thousand health and safety classes, support groups, and community events for the benefit of Florida’s children and families.  All this and it’s a noted research organization too.

The hospital, which is consistently ranked among the top pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report has received numerous awards for excellence, including being designated an Association of American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility. Nicklaus was the fifth pediatric hospital in the nation to achieve this recognition, and has also received the organization’s Magnet Prize for its Humpty Dumpty Falls Prevention Program, which is being applied at hospitals worldwide.

For pediatric nurses, the opportunity to work for a world class children’s hospital is a dream come true, especially when the organization is as dedicated to nursing excellence as Nicklaus is. Beyond its four-time Magnet designation, the hospital recognizes and values its nurses for their ability to interpret and act upon the needs of its young patients and to support their families through their healthcare journeys. The hospital works to foster nurse leadership and research, inviting and encouraging staff involvement and innovation to inspire teamwork and excellence in care.  

Nurses who have extended their specialty practice beyond pediatrics will find themselves in an environment where their knowledge and experience are prized and put to good use. The hospital has three specialized intensive care units, including its Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and its Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The hospital has further distinguished itself by being one of only two freestanding pediatric hospitals in the country to have been awarded a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for all three units.

Additionally, pediatric nurses will find opportunities in a wide range of medical service areas and locations, including the hospital’s Brain Institute,; Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute; Heart Institute; Orthopedics, Sports Medicine & Spine Institute; Sports Health center; and several urgent care centers, outpatient centers, and pediatric care centers. Nurses provide hands-on treatment as well as being able to reach children through virtual technology.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is also a source of high-quality continuing nursing education and has been recognized by the ANCC as an Accredited Provider. This means that experienced Nicklaus nurses have access to some of the best interprofessional continuing education programming available, while new nurses will benefit from the hospital’s Horizon Nurse Residency Program, whose Practice Transition Accreditation Program facilitates nurses’ transition to proficiency. 

Nurses interested in adding to their professional expertise and leadership have the opportunity to participate in the hospital’s nursing research program as well as in its unique Shared Leadership nursing council/committee structure. Both provide pediatric nurses with unmatched options for career advancement and leadership.

Pediatric nurses considering a career at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital will enjoy the many benefits that come with working for a South Florida “Employer of Choice,” including low vacancy and turnover rates. In addition to an environment that is centered on extraordinary care, the hospital offers attractive, generous benefits that include flexible scheduling, tuition reimbursement, and rewards/incentive programs.  Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Total Rewards Package includes financial benefits, training, education, and tuition as well as health and wellness, but also prioritizes a healthy work-life balance for its employees. 

Perks include extensive paid time off (with a twice-per-year cash out program); schedule flexibility; a leave sharing plan; retirement with matching contributions; Florida’s prepaid college program; adoption assistance; onsite dry cleaning, car wash, credit union, and mailroom; a pharmacy and gift shop; a weekly farmers’ market; an onsite gym, nutritionist and care clinic, and a discounted transit program. 

These benefits barely scratch the surface of the many ways that Nicklaus Children’s Hospital works to recognize and reward its nursing staff. Incentive programs and referral programs, employee events held throughout the year, an annual service awards program are all enhancements to the professional rewards that come with working for this leader in pediatric care.

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. 

Nurses who choose a pediatric focus are dedicated to children’s wellbeing, and those who work in pediatric hospitals are particularly committed to the mission. These facilities offer cutting edge care that makes a world of difference and offer great hope … but they’re also the place where the sickest children are treated, and the greatest compassion, empathy, and emotional strength are needed. Working at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago puts nurses at the center of the highest quality medical care, collaborating with some of the world’s top pediatric professionals.

Lurie Children’s Hospital has received a long list of awards and accolades. The 140-year-old facility was named one of the country’s 20 most innovative children’s hospitals in the country by Parents Magazine and was ranked the top children’s hospital in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report. It was also named one of America’s Best Midsize Employers by Forbes. Of special interest to nurses, not only was Lurie the very first free-standing pediatric hospital in the nation and first hospital in Illinois to receive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center; it is also one of the few hospitals in the country to have achieved Magnet recognition five times. 

Lurie prides itself on providing the best possible care for patients and their families, as well as on advancing knowledge on how best to treat children of all ages. They see more than 239,000 infants, children and teens every year, and as the largest pediatric provider in the region employ more than 1,800 physicians and allied health professionals in 70 pediatric specialties. Their facilities include a level I pediatric surgery center and one of the only freestanding pediatric research centers in the country, the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute. 

The hospital’s promotion of children and adolescents’ health and wellbeing does not stop within its own walls. Lurie is actively involved in community initiatives that help children thrive where they live, learn, and play. The hospital is focused on addressing the root causes of health disparities, implementing child and adolescent health programs throughout the region. Beyond local interest, the hospital has assumed an active role in public policy, establishing its Public Policy Committee of the Board to recommend institutional positions on legislation and regulations.

Lurie Children’s Hospital’s mission is to serve every child and promise them a healthier future while providing the highest standard of care. They provide a welcoming and safe environment that makes it a respite for children and their families and an organization that pediatric nurses are proud to work for. Pediatric nurses at Lurie are empowered to find meaning and purpose in their work and their accomplishments.  

The hospital employs more than 1,800 nurses, including 300 Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. The nursing staff can serve in a wide range of pediatric specialty areas, including:

• Inpatient Neurology/Endocrine/Neurosurgery/Orthopedic Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery/Transplant Unit
• General Medical, Infectious Disease, Pulmonary, Allergy & Medical Observation Unit
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
• Cancer and Blood Disorders
• Cardiac Care Unit
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Transport Team
• Emergency Department
• Resource Team
• Operating Room
• Pre- and Post-Procedural Services
• Post-Anesthesia Care
• Sedation Team
• Child Psychiatry
• Vascular Access Team
• Outpatient Department
• Center for Advanced Practice

Nurses at Lurie Childrens Hospital enjoy the benefits that come from working for an employer that recognizes and values their skills, knowledge, and contributions. The facility offers a variety of professional development and scholarship opportunities to help them move forward in their career, as well as the opportunity for deploying their talents within the wider community. Nurses can participate in professional governance councils and committees at either the unit or hospital-wide level to promote collaboration with colleagues and improve patient outcomes. There are also programs designed specifically to reflect Magnet designation standards of excellence, educational support, college tuition and certification assistance and scholarships, and more.

Newly graduated and aspiring nurses can take advantage of a robust student nurse and internship program, while tenured nurses on staff enjoy being recognized through the unique Nurse Exemplar program. Nurses interested in pediatric nursing research are encouraged to take advantage of the many grant programs that provide funding of nurse-initiated research, or to be recognized for primary research as Carroll Scholars.

Pediatric nurses at Lurie Children’s will find the work rewarding and the benefits and compensation generous. In addition, the hospital offers resources to help staff manage their professional and personal priorities including back-up family care (in-home or childcare centers in network, nannies, sitters, and virtual care, educators for learning pods, eldercare, pet care, housekeeping, and more); a retirement savings plan eligible for matching contributions up to 5% of pay; and wellness incentives for employees and their spouses.

Finally, while every healthcare setting is predictably unpredictable, nurses working with a pediatric population face special challenges and emotions. In recognition of the toll that this environment can take, Lurie Children’s provides a special team dedicated to providing traumatic service-related counseling and peer support. Nurses are also offered workshops in building resiliency to support them through compassion fatigue and burnout and to encourage and teach preventive self-care. 

Lurie Children’s Hospital works hard to ensure that the pediatric nurses who care for their patients can realize their full potential and feel supported in their work and wellbeing.

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.