Evaluating the Practice of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: Is It Time for Dual Primary and Acute Care Preparation?

Shawna S Mudd; Margaret Quinn; Deborah Busch; Stephanie M Key; Kristen Brown; Gregory E Gilbert; Elizabeth Hawkins-Walsh

doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.08.005

Evaluating the Practice of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: Is It Time for Dual Primary and Acute Care Preparation?

J Pediatr Health Care. 2023 Jan-Feb;37(1):74-84. doi: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.08.005. Epub 2022 Sep 16.

Authors

Shawna S Mudd¹, Margaret Quinn², Deborah Busch³, Stephanie M Key⁴, Kristen Brown⁵, Gregory E Gilbert⁶, Elizabeth Hawkins-Walsh⁷

Affiliations

¹ Shawna S. Mudd, Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD. Electronic address: smudd1@jhu.edu.
² Margaret Quinn, Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers University, School of Nursing, Newark, NJ.
³ Deborah Busch, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
⁴ Stephanie Key, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, Austin, TX.
⁵ Kristen Brown, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
⁶ Gregory Gilbert, Owner and Principal Biostatistician, Sigma Stats, and Senior Statistical Analyst, ICON, Charleston, SC.
⁷ Elizabeth Hawkins-Walsh, Ordinary Professor of Practice, Conway School of Nursing, the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

PMID: 36117073
DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.08.005

Abstract

This survey aimed to evaluate contemporary pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) practice as it relates to the competencies of both the primary and acute care population focus and settings of practice to guide curriculum revisions. The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey of PNPs certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. There were 2,265 surveys completed. Regardless of the certification type, PNPs report providing care across settings and integrating the competencies of both the primary and acute care PNP into practice. This warrants further consideration by programs to prepare future PNPs for dual primary and acute care certification.

Keywords: Pediatric nurse practitioner; certification; curriculum development; nurse practitioner education; scope of practice.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Certification
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Nurse Practitioners* / education
Pediatric Nurse Practitioners*
Pediatric Nursing / education