Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP Specialty Track), BSN to DNP Degree
The Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty track is a 75-credit hour graduate nursing curriculum designed to prepare experienced registered nurses for advanced practice in neonatal nursing. The curriculum emphasizes advanced nursing care of newborns and infants from birth through the first two years of life. The spectrum of health from promotion of wellness to management of acute and chronic illness in a variety of settings is incorporated into the program. This online program with 2 required virtual or on-campus immersions, offers a variety of clinical experiences designed to provide students with hands-on, real-life experience as an Advanced Practice Neonatal Nurse with options for an international DNP project and mission opportunities.
The program of study conforms to educational guidelines from the Texas Board of Nursing, the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006), the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN), and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and Criteria for the Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs (NTF, 2016). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for national Neonatal Nurse Practitioner certification examination offered by the National Certification Corporation for the Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties (NCC).
APRN DNP/Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Required Specialty Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NUR 5163 | Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant Practicum | 1 |
| NUR 5262 | Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant | 2 |
| NUR 5266 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum I | 2 |
| NUR 5360 | Embryology and Developmental Physiology | 3 |
| NUR 5361 | Advanced Newborn/Infant Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NUR 5363 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum II | 3 |
| NUR 5365 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Management I: High-Risk & Critically Ill Newborns/Infants | 3 |
| NUR 5367 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Management II: Acute & Chronic Problems of Newborns/Infants | 3 |
| NUR 5369 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum III Residency | 3 |
| NUR 6202 | The NICU Graduate | 2 |
| NUR 6369 | Clinical Genetics in Practice | 3 |
Sample Curriculum Plan for APRN DNP/Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Specialty Track - Fall
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Trimester | Hours | |
| NUR 5209 | Theoretical Concepts for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse | 2 |
| NUR 5201 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 2 |
| NUR 5211 | Servant Leadership and Advanced Practice Nursing | 2 |
| NUR 5361 | Advanced Newborn/Infant Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring Trimester | ||
| NUR 5349 | Global Healthcare and Missions | 3 |
| NUR 6316 | Transforming Health Care Organizations and Changing Outcomes | 3 |
| NUR 5312 | The Roles and Business of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Summer Trimester | ||
| NUR 5332 | Advanced Human Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR 5314 | Scientific Inquiry | 3 |
| NUR 6272 | Applied Ethics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 2 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Trimester | ||
| NUR 5360 | Embryology and Developmental Physiology | 3 |
| NUR 6202 | The NICU Graduate | 2 |
| NUR 6377 | Policy and Implications for Health | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Spring Trimester | ||
| NUR 6373 | Clinical Epidemiology | 3 |
| NUR 5163 | Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant Practicum | 1 |
| NUR 5262 | Advanced Assessment and Diagnostics of the Newborn/Infant | 2 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Trimester | ||
| NUR 5266 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum I | 2 |
| NUR 5365 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Management I: High-Risk & Critically Ill Newborns/Infants | 3 |
| NUR 6375 | Translational Science | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall Trimester | ||
| NUR 5363 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum II | 3 |
| NUR 5367 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Management II: Acute & Chronic Problems of Newborns/Infants | 3 |
| NUR 6110 | Data Management for the Advanced Practice Nurse | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring Trimester | ||
| NUR 5369 | Advanced Neonatal Nursing Practicum III Residency | 3 |
| NUR 63C1 | DNP Project I | 3 |
| NUR 6369 | Clinical Genetics in Practice | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Summer Trimester | ||
| NUR 6V76 | Advanced Practice Nursing Residency | 4 |
| NUR 5280 | Health Informatics and Innovations in Technology | 2 |
| NUR 61C2 | DNP Project II | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall Trimester | ||
| NUR 62C3 | DNP Project III | 2 |
| NUR 6V76 | Advanced Practice Nursing Residency | 3 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 76 | |