Capacity of, and Demand for, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Educational Programs: A Missing Piece of the Workforce Puzzle

Gary L Freed; Lauren M Moran; Kelly M Dunham; Leanne Nantais-Smith; Kristy K Martyn; Research Advisory Committee of the American Board of Pediatrics

doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.01.001

Capacity of, and Demand for, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Educational Programs: A Missing Piece of the Workforce Puzzle

J Prof Nurs. 2015 Jul-Aug;31(4):318-22. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.01.001. Epub 2015 Jan 9.

Authors

Gary L Freed¹, Lauren M Moran², Kelly M Dunham³, Leanne Nantais-Smith⁴, Kristy K Martyn⁵; Research Advisory Committee of the American Board of Pediatrics

Affiliations

¹ The Percy and Mary Murphy Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health Delivery, Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Unit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Research Area Specialist, CHEAR Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
³ Senior Research Associate, CHEAR Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
⁴ Assistant Clinical Professor, Director MSN and Graduate Certificate Programs, College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
⁵ Professor & Assistant Dean for Clinical Advancement, Director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, Independence Chair for Nursing, Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Atlanta, GA.

PMID: 26194963
DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.01.001

Abstract

Background: Studies have demonstrated a dramatic increase in the number of new nurse practitioners (NPs) overall completing NP education each year. However, NPs who provide specialized care to children have not experienced increases in their pipeline at all. This has resulted in shortages of neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of the NNP pipeline and potential for increasing the number of new NNPs graduating each year.

Methods: Telephone survey of all NNP educational programs.

Discussion: Approximately one fourth of all NNP education programs had closed over the past several years. This is despite a strong job market, planned increases in hiring NNPs, and a seemingly growing shortage of NNPs.

Conclusion: Problems with the NNP pipeline are not due to a lack of capacity of existing programs, but rather to difficulties in increasing the enrollment demand.

Keywords: Education; Neonatal nurse practitioners; Program capacity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Education, Nursing*
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Neonatal Nursing*
Nurse Practitioners*