Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care
If you are an experienced pediatric registered nurse and want to provide care to growing numbers of pediatric patients with chronic, acute or critical illness, the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care specialty is for you. You will provide family-centered, culturally competent care for patients up to age 21 and their families. You will handle complex monitoring and ongoing management of intensive therapies.
Our Strengths
We are next door to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, consistently ranked among the Best Children’s Hospitals. But most importantly, we are committed to the success of our students. We offer a rigorous curriculum taught by doctorally prepared faculty using traditional classroom settings, high fidelity simulation and clinical experiences. Our students benefit from low faculty-to-student ratios and personalized attention. You will also benefit from your classmates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences that will enrich your learning experience.
Our Curriculum
Vanderbilt was one of the first nursing schools in the country to establish a Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty for registered nurses. Through a comprehensive curriculum that uses traditional classroom settings, simulation, and precepted clinical experiences you will develop in-depth knowledge and clinical reasoning skills. You will benefit from low faculty-to-students ratios and personalized attention. You will take core courses to examine the scientific underpinnings of advanced nursing practice and learn to conceptualize and integrate current evidence. Additionally, you will take specific courses in advanced health assessment, pediatric behavior and development, advanced pharmacotherapeutics, and health promotion. Clinical rotations in acute pediatric health-care settings provide opportunities to apply new knowledge, develop procedural skills, and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and comprehensive patient care management.
Graduation from this MSN specialty prepares you to take the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care exam offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. Vanderbilt Acute Care students consistently score above national rates on these exams.
Educational Formats
All students accepted in this specialty must have an ASN, BSN or MSN plus two years of nursing experience in acute, inpatient pediatrics or one year in a pediatric critical care or emergency department setting. This specialty is offered in a modified distance learning format (or block), so that you can earn your degree without having to relocate or give up employment. More Info >
Career Opportunities
As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care, you can deliver care in a variety of settings, including:
- Community Agencies Caring for Technology-Dependent Children
- Pediatric Emergency Departments
- Pediatric Hospitalist Service
- Pediatric Sedation Services
- Pediatric Cardio-Vascular ICU
- Pediatric Intensive Care Units
- Inpatient management for various Sub-Specialty Clinics (i.e., Cardiology, Pulmonology, Nephrology, Hematology-Oncology and Trauma)
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