Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Career
What You Do in This Career?
Pediatric nursing is a medical practice specialty that encompasses the care of children and adolescents. Pediatric nurse practitioners usually focus on preventative medicine including checkups, exams, and immunizations, but they are also the first people parents go to when their children have ear infections, tonsillitis, chicken-pox, and other common childhood ailments.
Pediatric nurses must be knowledgeable about the factors of child development and growth in order to provide comprehensive care. Programs prepare students to become nurse practitioners while specializing in the care and treatment of the pediatric and adolescent population.
Salary and Career Path
- Salary: Averages range between $57,767 and $95,334 per year for PNPs.
- Pediatric Nurse Requirements: To practice as a PCP you must be a licensed RN, complete a master’s or doctorate degree with a specialization in acute care, and pass the National Board certification.
- Work Environment: PCPs can work in doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals, surgical centers, and other health care settings.
What Kind of Degree or Coursework You Need?
Curricula for pediatric nurse practitioner programs can include both classroom and clinical experiences, and will cover health assessment, physiology, pathophysiology, family and child development theory, and nutrition. Coursework also focuses on illnesses common in underserved populations.
Some programs offer a specialty in acute care pediatrics, in which students are trained to manage critically ill infants, children and adolescents. Advancement in the career comes from work experience and specialization in specific areas of children’s medicine which may require more formal education.
Earn an Online Nurse Practitioner Degree
Online nurse practitioner programs have grown in popularity in recent years as more accredited schools have begun offering online alternatives to these degrees. Combining flexibility with the lack of campus visitation required these programs are ideal for working professionals. By clicking on links below, you can request information from each school about its tuition, classes, and programs.
 |
Georgetown University — Stationed out of Washington DC, Georgetown University is a cultural and social hub and is one of the oldest schools in the nation. The school has two online nursing programs available, an MSN in Family Nursing and an MSN in Midwifery and Women's Health. Georgetown is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. |
 |
Kaplan University — Kaplan University's online presence is almost unmatched, offering over 170 online degrees and programs, including MSN in Nurse Administration, MSN in Nurse Education, and MSN in Nurse Informatics. However, there are also 70 campuses across the country for those interested in a more traditional education. Kaplan is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
 |
University of Phoenix — While it may not be surprising that the University of Phoenix is based in Phoenix, AZ, the school does have over 200 additional locations around the country. Phoenix has more than 200 online programs available, with nursing degrees in Health Education, Health Informatics, and a general track. Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. |
 |
American Sentinel University — American Sentinel University is an online college focused on technology, business, and healthcare. The school offers several nursing programs like the RN to MSN bridge programs or the MSN in Nursing Informatics. All of these programs require no campus visitation and can be completed online entirely. ASU has an accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council. |
 |
Capella University — Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella University is an online school with over 37000 current students across the nation. Its online programs like MSN in Nurse Educator (Bridge option also available) have one-to-one tutoring, accelerated study, and low student to teacher ratios. Capella holds several accreditations, including The Higher Learning Commission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. |
| Click here to see more nurse practitioner degrees... | |
Looking for a nurse practitioner degree?
Use the degree finder below, and we'll help you find a nursing practitioner program.
