The Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) is prepared to manage the health care of high-risk infants within families and children up to 2 years of age. This expanded clinician role is performed in collaboration with neonatologists and other pediatric clinicians. Graduates assume leadership roles in a variety of clinical settings including intensive care nurseries of various levels, newborn nurseries and high-risk follow-up clinics. Course work and clinical experiences focus on the care and management of critically ill and convalescent premature and full-term infants. Graduates select and perform diagnostic and therapeutic invasive procedures on newborns in the intensive care setting and are prepared to participate in research.

The NNP area of concentration offers post BSN to DNP. Students may study full-time or part-time. The BSN to DNP curricula are offered only on–site on the main campus in Pittsburgh. Selected core courses may be transmitted to students who live a distance from campus (additional fees may apply). Those courses are designated by a “D” in the sample program plan below. Graduates are eligible for national certification offered by the National Certification Corporation and for legal certification as a CRNP and prescriptive authority through the State Board of Nursing of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and other states.

*Courses with a "D" can be delivered synchronously via distance technology. Such courses are open only to qualified on-site students as per Policy 438.

A sample program plan for full time study is provided below.   

Fall Term (Year 1)

• NUR 2044 Nursing Graduate Orientation Module 0 cr.
• NUR 2011/2011D* Applied Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice 3 cr.
• NUR 2004/2004D* Pathophysiology Across the Life Span 4 cr.
• NUR 2010/2010D* Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Culturally Diverse Populations 3 cr.
• NURNP 2026/2026D* Role Seminar 1 1 cr.
• NUR 3099/3099D* The Science of Health Care Delivery 2 cr.

Spring Term (Year 1)

• NUR 2000/2000D* Research for Evidence Based-Practice 1 2 cr.
• NUR 2034/2034D* Advanced  Pharmacology Across the Lifespan 3 cr.
• NURNP 2570 Comprehensive Neonatal Assessment Theory 2 cr.
• NURNP 2540/2540D* Pediatric Well Child Care Theory 3 cr.

Summer Term (Year 1)

• NUR 3031/3031D* Methodologies for DNP Projects 2 cr. 
• NUR 2031 The Diagnostic Physical Exam Across the Life Span 3 cr.
• NURSP 2092/2092D* Leadership Development 3 cr.

Fall Term (Year 2)

• NUR 2033/2033D* Differential Diagnosis Theory Across the Life Span 2 cr.
• NUR 2032/2032D* Differential Diagnosis Clinical 2 cr.
• NURNP 2571 General Management of the Sick Neonate-Theory 4 cr.
• NURSP 2388/2388D  Database Management 2 cr. 

Spring Term (Year 2)

• NUR 2680/2680D* Introduction to Genetics and Molecular Therapeutics 3 cr.
• NUR 3032/3032D* Data Analysis for DNP Projects 2 cr. 
• NURNP 2573 Neonatal Disease Process 1 Theory 4 cr.
• NURNP 2518/2518D* Family Theory for Nurse Practitioner: Principles, Implications, and Applications Across the Life Span 3 cr.

Summer Term (Year 2)

• NURNP 3025/3025D*  Diagnosis and Management of Psychiatric Conditions in Primary Care 4 cr. 
• NUR 3050/3050D* Grant Writing 1 cr
• NURNP 2574 Neonatal Disease Process 2 Theory 4 cr.

Fall Term (Year 3)

• NURSP 2061/2061D* Organizational and Management Theory 3 cr.
• NURSP 2075/2075D* Introduction to Health Informatics 3 cr.
• NUR 3012/3012D* Public Policy in Health Care 2 cr.
• NUR 3013/3013D*  Ethics in Healthcare 1 cr.
• NURNP 2572 General Assessment And Management Of The Sick Neonate - Clinical 5 cr.

Spring Term (Year 3)

• NURNP 3038 DNP NP Role Practicum 6 cr.
• NURSP 2091/2091D* Finance and Economics for Health Care Leaders 3 cr.
• NUR 3052/3052D* Manuscript Development 1 cr.

Summer Term (Year 3)

• NURNP 2029/2029D* Role Seminar 2 2 cr.
• NURNP 3038 DNP NP Role Practicum 4 cr.
• NUR 2078/2078D* Clinical Diagnostics Theory 3 cr. 
• NUR 3037 DNP Project Clinical 1 cr. 

Comprehensive Exam (DNP and Clinical Specialty Comprehensive Exams are required)

Total Didactic Hours: 1170  (78 credits)
Total Clinical Hours: 1080 (18 credits including 10 credits of NURNP 3038)
Total Credits: 96
**NUR 3037 DNP Project Clinical (must take at least 1 credit)

View Program Brochure

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner BSN to DNP Curriculum for 2018-2019