Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Program Description

The Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) Program is designed to prepare nurses who seek advanced knowledge and skill to practice as Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNP) in family-centered care of critically ill neonates. The core curriculum provide students with an in-depth understanding of science and technology of advanced nursing practice  and enables them to practice in the neonatal intensive care unit.  NNPs who are prepared at this master's degree level exercise sophisticated clinical judgment based on advanced theoretical and scientific knowledge, serve as models of collaborative practice with other health care professionals and lead in the advancement of contemporary professional nursing by contributing to practice, research and theory building. The content and clinical experiences focus on the establishment of a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to care for normal newborns upon which an advanced knowledge base and competencies are built. Components of the NNP Program are taught concurrently with the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program.

Graduates are eligible for certification as a Certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in New York State.  Graduates are also eligible to take the certifying examination offered by National Certification Corporation (NCC).

The Program Director for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty is Rita Marie John, DNP, EdD, CPNP.

Clinical Sites

Clinical sites are available in the tri-state area and beyond, and can be permanent or rotating. Clinical sites vary in setting and you can be assigned location at hospitals, out-patient clinics, home care, or schools to name a few.

Admission

Please contact the Office of Admissions for details regarding admission and financial aid packages. Faculty review applications on a rolling admission basis so that students may apply throughout the year.

Admission criteria include:

*RN's with an associate degree and a non-nursing baccalaureate degree are required to complete 5 credits in community health in addition to the course requirement listed

Curriculum

For Applicants Who Hold an Undergraduate Degree in Nursing
A sample program plan is provided below to make you aware of the academic requirements of the program. Please be advised that this program plan is a sample, and individual plans of study are reviewed and approved upon acceptance to the program. Progression in the program is contingent upon meeting academic policies. The School of Nursing reserves the right to change the course offering schedule as stated in the student bulletin.

Sample Program Plan

Course Number Course Name Credits Type
Summer I: 10 Credits
N6100 Advanced Physiology 3 Core
N6150 Maternal-Fetal-Newborn Physiology 2 Specialty
N6920 Health and Social Policy: The Context for Practice and Research 4 Core
N6930 Interpersonal Violence and Abuse: Prevention, Assessment and Intervention for Health Care Professionals 1 Core
Fall I: 13 Credits
N6140 Advanced Assessment of the Neonate 3 Specialty
N6141 Practicum: Advanced Assessment and Management of High Risk Neonates 3 Specialty
N6835 Assessing Clinical Evidence 4 Core
N8661 Advanced Pediatric and Neonatal Pharmacology 3 Core
Spring I: 10 Credits
N6646 Seminar in the Care of the High Risk Neonate I 1 Specialty
N6650 Advanced Assessment and Management of High Risk Neonates Clinical II 3 Specialty
N6660 Pathophysiology and Management of the High Risk Neonate I 2 Specialty
N6665 High Risk Antepartum/Intrapartum 2 Specialty
N8560 Family Theory in Context 2 Specialty
Summer II: 6 Credits
N6655 Advanced Assessment and Management of High Risk Neonates Clinical III 2 Specialty
N6940 Management and Advanced Practice Nursing 1 Core
N8290 Incorporating Genetics into Advanced Nursing Practice 3 Specialty
Fall II: 7 Credits
N6647 Seminar in the Care of the High Risk Neonate II 1 Specialty
N8663 Pathophysiology and Management of the High Risk Neonate 3 Specialty
N8667 Practicum: Case Management of the High Risk Neonate 3 Specialty
Total Credits 46  

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing has paved the way for professional nursing since 1892 and continues to lead the field as the foremost institution for advanced practice nursing.

The School of Nursing is a designated World Health Organization Collaborating Center for International Nursing Development in Advanced Practice. With urban clinical sites, expert faculty practitioners, cutting edge research, and the strength of the Columbia name and reputation, the School of Nursing produces graduates who possess the skills necessary to bring advanced practice nursing into the new millennium. As medical advances offer a cascade of new and useful therapies, the need for more health care providers will increase exponentially. Our country will face many health care challenges in the next 20 years, and nurse practitioners are essential to providing access to quality primary care.

Founded in 1892 as Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, the School became part of Columbia University in 1937 and began offering the baccalaureate degree. It is one of the oldest schools of nursing in the US. In 1956, it became the first nursing program in the country to award a master’s degree in a clinical nursing specialty. In 1999, the School granted its first doctoral degree. More than 10,000 nurses have graduated since the School opened.

The School shares the Columbia University Health Sciences Campus with the Mailman School of Public Health, the School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Each of these schools adds to the richness and diversity of the educational experience of students and faculty.

School of Nursing faculty have substantial experience in curriculum, instructional design, and research. They maintain expertise in their areas of teaching responsibility through participation at local, regional, and national conferences, involvement in scholarly presentations and publications, and faculty practice.

Columbia University School of Nursing is distinguished by the clinical excellence of its programs and graduates. Columbia nurses are making crucial contributions and improving the health of individuals wherever they practice.

This page was last updated on 07/30/2009 and is subject to change at any time.