The Master of Science in Nursing specialty track for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) prepares students to provide population-focused healthcare to preterm and term neonates, infants and children up to 2 years of age. NNPs care for these infants in a variety of settings including the delivery room, Neonatal Intensive Care Units and specialty clinics in Children’s Hospitals. Graduates of the specialty are eligible for certification through the National Certification Corporation (NCC).
Students are required to have 2 years of full-time staff nurse experience in the NICU prior to beginning the clinical series of courses starting with 7308.01. While every effort will be made to place you in clinical agencies close to your city of residence, you may have to be placed in a clinical agency outside of your city of residence depending upon availability of preceptors.
Core courses
- Nursing 7403: Innovation Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice (3)
- Nursing 7483: Quality Improvement and Informatics (3)
- Nursing 7491: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention across the Life Span (3)
- Nursing 7500: Health Policy and Advocacy (2)
- Nursing 7780: Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship (3)
Other required courses
- Nursing 7300: Developmental Physiology and Pathophysiology of the High-Risk Neonate I (5)
- Nursing 7301: Developmental Physiology and Pathophysiology of the High-Risk
- Neonate II (3)
- Nursing 7302: Advanced Health Assessment of the Neonate (3)
- Nursing 7303: Advanced Newborn/Infant Pharmacology (4)
- Nursing 7304: Developmental Care of the High-Risk Neonate and Family (2)
- Nursing 7308.01: Advanced Practice Nursing: Care of the High-Risk Neonate I (7 credit hours; 2 credits didactic, 5 credits clinical which equals 187.5* precepted clinical hours)
- Nursing 7308.02: Advanced Practice Nursing: Care of the High-Risk Neonate II (9 credit hours; 2 credits didactic, 7 credits clinical which equals 262.5* precepted clinical hours)
- Nursing 7308.03: Advanced Practice Nursing: Care of the High-Risk Neonate III (9 credit hours; 2 credits didactic, 7 credits clinical which equals 262.5* precepted clinical hours)
* These are the minimum hours required
Self-audit checklist
Use the hyperlinked list to ensure you have taken all of the courses required for your specialty. Your advisor will conduct a final review when you apply to graduate. Students must have completed these courses or have a Nursing Graduate Studies Committee-approved Course Waiver petition on file.
Neonatal NP Self Audit Checklist
Standard curriculum plans
Standard curriculum plans for students starting clinical in 2020 or later
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner for 2020 and later