Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CAGS)

This specialization is designed to prepare nurses with the specialized skills needed to care for at-risk children living in urban settings, across the continuum of care. For nearly two decades, our pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) program has prepared primary care PNPs to provide community-based, culturally sensitive primary care. More recently, building on our foundation in evidence-based, interdisciplinary, urban healthcare, we expanded the PNP program into acute care. We are the only graduate nursing program in New England to prepare acute-care PNPs.

The School of Nursing offers two tracks for the pediatric nurse practitioner student. The primary care tract prepares students for the role of pediatric nurse practitioner focusing on well child care and prevention, and management of common acute and chronic illnesses. The dual track prepares students for the primary care role as well as the acute care role. Pediatric acute care nurse practitioners are prepared to care for patients with acute, complex, critical, and chronic illness in a variety of settings.

All master’s students are required to take the professional and research core, the clinical core and specialty clinical courses. The Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program requires 41 semester hours. Completion of this program allows students to sit for the Pediatric Primary Care certification exam. Students may choose to obtain dual specialization in both acute and primary care PNP. Students planning to sit for the Acute Care PNP certification exam are required to take an additional 11 semester hours. The program provides a broad background of advanced pathophysiology and advanced health assessment. Diagnostic reasoning skills are taught and developed as students learn the advanced nursing management and technology skills needed to care for children across the continuum of care.

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