What is the role of the nursery nurse?

What is the job of a nursery nurse?

The nursery nurses are first and foremost driven by a passion for their profession. They have previously followed the training of midwives or nurses, the only ones to give them access to the specialization year of nursery nurse. In both cases, nursery nurses have always wanted to work with children and have embarked on their profession by vocation.

From motherhood, your baby finds himself in the arms of a nursery nurse. You go home, another nursery nurse (from maternal and child protection) can visit you. Baby falls ill: it is often a “puer” who will take care of him in the hospital or clinic.

And, when you return to work, it is still often to a nursery nurse that you entrust, in ink, the responsibility of looking after Baby. But its task does not end there! It is the childcare assistant who gives Baby his meal, also able to establish a balanced menu with portions and foods adapted to the children’s ages.

She is also the one who offers different activities depending on the age and early learning skills of the children, supervises naps… All in a fun way! Nursing staff specializing in child development (from 0 to 15 years old), the 11 nurses or childcare midwives in France work, in particular, in the majority of early childhood structures.

They are trained not only to take care of toddlers who are well or ill, flourishing or experiencing psychological or social difficulties, but also to become the privileged interlocutor of parents in all sectors where they work.

Did you know?

The profession is also open to men. They are then called “childcare workers“. Still a very small minority, there are currently only about a hundred in office.

Where she works: in a crèche, the nursery nurse is a real manager!

 

The nursery nurse is a director or deputy director. To qualify for this role, this professional must justify d” at least 5 years of experience with children. She is responsible for the safety and comfort of the premises. She also takes care of the health of toddlers, and participates in the development of menus. The nursery nurse is responsible for the educational project developed with the team. In the event of concerns regarding the relationship with the nursery staff or the child himself, the director of the nursery is the parents’ privileged interlocutor.

In the hospital and in the maternity ward: the nursery nurse is a caring nurse

The nursery nurse fully plays her role of specialist nurse for the child. She provides Baby with medical care, in the maternity ward, as well as in the neonatal departments (for infants 0 to 28 days old, often for premature babies) and pediatrics. The nursery nurse answers parents’ questions, whether they relate to the newborn’s toilet and meal, or to certain treatments that are sometimes more complicated. She helps parents assume their role, even in extreme situations, such as the loss of their child.

Childcare worker at the hospital, a particularly difficult job

Confronted with illness and even death, as well as the psychological and social problems of children and their families, they must maintain a strong morale. Many nursery nurses also suffer from a certain lack of recognition both in terms of salary and skills. The current staff shortages, especially in hospitals, do not help …

PMI’s nursery nurse

Maternal and Child Protection is a center bringing together all medical services for mothers and children, from conception to six years old, with free access.

It includes a doctor as well as one or more midwives and nurses. There is at least one PMI center per department.

The PMI nursery nurse performs various tasks intended to promote the health and good development of children from 0 to 6 years old, and which may vary according to the sector: coordination of the different types of childcare, accreditation, then monitoring of childminders (they check the capacity of the candidates to perform their task), consultations (with doctors) at the PMI center, home visits after childbirth, and then if necessary, health check-up at 3 years (screening for visual and hearing disorders only) and 4 years (complete health check-up) in kindergartens, care for abused children support for parents of disabled children if they accept it, development of early learning activities projects … Namely : care provided in PMI is free.

The nursery nurse does not replace the parents!

Often a mother herself, she does not cultivate such emotional bonds with other people’s children. Nursery nurses are the first to say that there is no such thing as a perfect way to educate. They only explain a few basic rules. It’s up to you to know how to show a little common sense and, above all, to remain spontaneous!

How to become a childcare worker? What training and what diplomas?

If you want to become a childcare worker, you will have to do several years of study! As seen above, you must first obtain a nursing diploma. then, you must join a childcare school to obtain the State Childcare Diploma (DEP).

The nursery nurse is different from …

  • The nurse : the nurse focuses exclusively on technical medical care, for the child but also for the adult.
  • The midwife: her primary function is to monitor the progress of pregnancy and childbirth, even if she often advises mothers on infant care.
  •  The childcare assistant: it devotes itself exclusively to the non-medical care of the child (food, toilet, etc.).
  •  Social worker : specialist in administrative machinery and social assistance systems, she does not have the in-depth medical training of the nursery nurse.

Do you want to talk about it between parents? To give your opinion, to bring your testimony? We meet on https://forum.parents.fr.

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