This advanced course of study is designed to prepare nurses who have earned
a master's degree in nursing for careers in For additional information
visit
PNPlace. advanced practice roles as Pediatric
Nurse Practitioners (PNP). Pediatric Nurse Practitioners provide comprehensive
health promotion services to ambulatory pediatric clients, including infants,
children, and adolescents. Pediatric Nurse Practitioners evaluate problems during
the child's and family's initial contact with the primary care system, and also
provide continuing care to children with acute illness and stable chronic illness.
Students who satisfactorily complete the PNP program are eligible for approval by the Joint Committee of the North Carolina Board of Nursing and North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners to practice as a nurse practitioner in North Carolina. Students are also eligible to sit for the certification examination of the National Pediatric Certification Board to become certified as a PNP in primary care.
Individuals who have earned a master's degree in nursing from accredited programs, are currently licensed as RNs, and have at least one year's clinical experience, preferably working with children, are eligible to apply.
NOTE: Potential applicants who have an MPH in public health nursing accredited by NLNAC must contact the certification organization in their selected specialty area to determine their eligibility and/or need to petition the certification organization for permission to sit for the examination upon completion of a postmaster's program.
Potential applicants who currently hold national certification as a nurse practitioner and an earned master's degree in a related field will need to contact the certification organization in their newly selected specialty area to determine their eligibility or ability to petition the Certification program for permission to sit for the examination upon completion of a postmaster's program.
In addition, all applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Board of Nursing in the state in which they intend to practice, to determine the procedure (if any) to receive approval to practice as a nurse practitioner with an MPH or a master's in another related field. This procedure varies widely by state.
You will be asked to submit the following documents with your application:
Applicants must complete a Health Assessment course, approved by the School of Nursing, within the past two years prior to enrollment in the clinical courses (unless the applicant is currently practicing as a nurse practitioner). Please refer to the Post-Master's application instructions (Health Assessment Skills Evaluation Form) for detailed information on this requirement.
Students in this program take approximately 18-26 graduate credits depending on prior coursework. Postmaster's students meet with the advanced practice coordinator in their specialty area to review all coursework taken during their master's program. Additional or alternative coursework may be recommended based on this evaluation, specifically in the areas of health promotion, health care policy and the advanced practice role. Courses are taken with graduate students in the Master of Science in Nursing program. Students are expected to complete the program as planned. Students who drop out are generally not eligible to return in the following year and must reapply.
Prospective students should request an unofficial evaluation of prior MSN coursework for NP areas. The unofficial evaluation for prior MSN coursework form should be attached to copies of your Master’s transcript and sent to the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing address on the form.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner faculty members are sensitive to students' learning needs by employing a variety of instructional modalities including seminar or classroom settings, on-line and/or Web-enhanced instruction. As a result, the courses may be offered in traditional classroom settings and/or via distance technologies.
The Post-Master's PNP Program can be completed in two academic years plus an intervening summer practicum.
As a non-degree program, the Post-Master’s Certificate Program is “housed” within the Department of Part-Time Classroom Studies, part of the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education at UNC-Chapel Hill. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be sent registration instructions for the first semester. Tuition must be submitted at the time of registration. Tuition is subject to annual increases by the University’s Board of Governors. The Post-MSN Program is a part-time program; however, a matriculated student may enroll full-time for one semester over the course of the program.
You may consult the University Cashier’s Office costs of attendance for specific information about tuition for the Post-Master’s Program (Refer to the figures for Part-Time Classroom Studies-Graduate). Additionally, all clinical courses are subject to a $150 practicum fee (a listing of these courses can be found on last page of the cost of attendance document).
Note: Students are fully responsible for all expenses for clinical-related travel.
The deadline for applying for fall admission is March 31 st. Those applicants whose course plan includes non-clinical courses may apply for spring admission by submitting the application no later than October 1 st.
Students who satisfactorily complete the PNP program are eligible for approval by the Joint Committee of the North Carolina Board of Nursing and North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners to practice as a nurse practitioner in North Carolina. Students are also eligible to sit for the certification examination of the National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners/Nurses to become certified as PNPs.
Post-Master's students meet with the PNP Coordinator to review all coursework taken during their previous program. Additional coursework or alternative coursework to the above plan may be recommended based on this evaluation.
In the first fall, students take N710 and N725; in the spring, students take N720 and N840. N849, a clinical practicum, may be taken during the spring and summer or only in the summer depending on the student and the availability of clinical sites. In the second fall, students take N642 and N841; in the spring, students take N647 and N842.
Courses involve both classroom theory and clinical practicums. Clinical practicums with courses involve 4 to 8 hours per week during regular working hours. There is also work involved in preparation for class, clinical and for class assignments.
N849 is an intensive practicum that involves additional hours of clinical; this is usually taken in the summer and may involve up to 40 hours per week, depending on the clinical setting and the student's goals for completion time. There may also be clinical conferences associated with the practicum.
Clinical placements are selected to give students a broad exposure to health care of infants, children, and teens. These include group and private pediatric practices, health maintenance organizations, community health departments, home health agencies, and rural clinics that care for children.
Jennifer Piersma D'Auria, PhD, RN, CPNP
Maureen Kelly, MS, RN, CPNP
Suzanne Thoyre, PhD, RN
Marcia Van Riper, PhD, RN
Julee Waldrop, MS, RN, FNP, PNP
School of Nursing
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Carrington Hall, CB #7460
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460
For general information on the School of Nursing and application materials, contact:
Office of Admissions and Student Services
(919) 966-4260
nursing@unc.edu
