Become a PNP

Explore Pediatric Nurse Practitioner roles

Choose PNP for your future!

Thinking about graduate school for advanced practice nursing? Want to provide specialized care for children and teens? Become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)!

PNP education and clinical experience reflect the unique health needs of children. If providing care for children is your calling, put a “P” in front of the NP. Be the expert you really want to be. One letter makes a huge difference. PNPs provide care to youth through age 21--and beyond in special circumstances.

  • Primary Care PNP Resources

    You'll find primary care PNPs in private practices, schools, specialty clinics, and other settings. These PNPs have the knowledge and skills to diagnose, order tests, treat and manage care, prescribe, plus make referrals when needed.

    See what to look for in a PNP program, then dive deeper with the links below.

  • Acute Care PNP Resources

    Acute care PNPs work in hospitals, intensive care units, subspecialty clinics, emergency departments, and other settings. They provide care to children with life-threatening illnesses and organ dysfunction or failure, and can perform specialized procedures.

    See what to look for in a PNP program, then learn more with the links below.

Why Choose PNP?

Before you invest time, effort, and money in a graduate nursing program, ask yourself...

 

Can I set aside my passion for pediatrics?

The population you choose for your NP program will set the course for your career.

  • What would you like to do most of the day and most of your week? 
  • Do you truly want to work with adult patients, or is your preference really pediatrics?
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Which program will make me the expert I want to be?

The first NP program was pediatrics. This created a legacy of strong, innovative faculty who continue to shape curricula. Pediatric nurse practitioners differentiate themselves from other NPs by gaining knowledge and skills that explore the depth of pediatric health, growth, and development.

Compare program curricula.

  • Which type of NP program gets you excited?
  • Which type of program enables you to provide high quality, comprehensive care for children and families?
  • Are you okay with generalized content, or do you want focused content?
  • Do you want robust, immersive pediatric clinical experiences?

 

Will I stand out in the job market?

Get to know the market in your area. Don’t compromise your clinical interests simply to get a job.

  • What specialty preparation do NPs in your preferred clinical setting have? 
  • If you were hiring for a pediatric position, which type of NP would you rather hire?

 

Where do I want to focus my lifelong learning?

  • Are you committed to staying up to date on medications and treatments across the entire lifespan? 
  • Or do you want to focus solely on keeping current for the pediatric age range?
  • Will a PNP program better enable you to identify a mentor before and after you graduate?

 

Am I ready to make the future better?

PNPs are uniquely qualified to advocate for children and offer families support and education to promote optimal child health. Want to contribute to future generations? Be that PNP who makes a difference in the lives of children today.

 

Ready to learn more?

See respected resources from the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Career Resource Guide.