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Master of Science, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care Concentration
On this page:
- Why Choose the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care Concentration?
- Academics and Curriculum
- Admission
- Program Outcomes
- Contact Information
Why Choose the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care Concentration?
The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) concentration is designed to prepare advanced practice nurses to provide care for children from birth to 21 years of age. Since 1965, PNPs have worked with pediatricians and other health care providers to provide comprehensive care to children and families by focusing on health maintenance and education, illness prevention and minor and chronic illness management.
This concentration provides a broad theoretical and research foundation in advanced concepts of parent, child and adolescent nursing. Clinical experiences occur across a variety of acute care settings and focus on providing care to children. PNPs are qualified to perform complete physical exams, take health histories, diagnose and treat common acute minor illnesses or injuries, order and interpret lab results and x-rays, manage stable chronic illness, counsel clients and provide health education. Many may prescribe medications according to state law.
Coursework aligned with clinical experiences specific to specialization focus provides the knowledge, skills, and values inherent in the development of clinical excellence as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Students have course assignments and clinical experiences specific to the acute care area. PNP students are precepted by pediatricians or PNPs with clinical experiences in a variety of acute care settings. The concentration consists of advanced clinical practice and nursing science, built on a core of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and family-centered care. The total concentration is 54 semester hours.
Acute care PNPs offer a variety of services including:
- Provide care to children who are acutely, chronically, and critically ill
- Perform in-depth physical assessments
- Interpret results of laboratory and diagnostic tests
- Order medications and perform therapeutic treatments in a variety of settings
- Acute care PNPs may practice in a variety of pediatric specialty areas, such as cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, and many others.
Visit the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners website for more information.
Upon successful completion of the concentration, graduates will be eligible to sit for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care Certification examination offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB). National certification is necessary to obtain advanced practice licensure in most states. The master's degree program in nursing at Wright State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education http://www.ccneaccreditation.org.
Post-Master’s Training
We’re pleased to offer educational opportunities to post-master’s applicants. To determine the number of clinical hours and didactic courses, a gap analysis will be conducted. Depending upon this analysis, students can complete the program in one to two years.
Academics and Curriculum
View the Master of Science program information and degree requirements in the Academic Catalog.
Individualized plans, including part-time, will be developed on admission. Please see list of required courses (DOCX).
Admission
Due Dates/Program Start
- December 1 for Spring Semester start
- April 1 for Summer Semester start
- July 31 for Fall Semester start
Application to Wright State University’s School of Nursing is a two-step process.
1
Apply to Wright State Graduate School
Required Documents
The documents listed below should be uploaded directly to your School of Graduate Studies online application. Please do not send these materials to the School of Nursing.
- Graduate School application (online)
- Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae
- Meaningful Clinical Experience Essay (2 pages maximum)
- Statement of Professional Goals (250 words maximum)
- Provide name and email address of two references for letters of recommendation
- Current or most recent supervisor
- Faculty member from your nursing program, or previous employer
When the Graduate School application is complete, notification will automatically be sent to the School of Nursing, and we will communicate our application requirements.
2
Apply to the School of Nursing
Required Documents
The school will provide instructions on how to complete the above steps once we receive notification of the completed Graduate School application. All School of Nursing-required documents should be sent directly to the School of Nursing.
Admission Requirements
- Be a bachelor’s prepared nurse, having earned a BSN in nursing from an accredited institution.
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale from your baccalaureate degree and any subsequent graduate work.
- Hold an unencumbered nursing license.
- Have a minimum of two years of full-time nursing experience in pediatrics, critical care (OR PRIMARY) preferred.
- Provide evidence of no criminal record on file through a clear BCI/FBI background screen.
- International students
- Must provide proof of English proficiency by achieving at least the minimum score in one of the following:
- TOEFL IBT: 79
- IELTS: 6.0
- Pearson PTE: 57
- Students who show proof of successful completion of an Intensive English Program from an accredited Institution or program accepted by international admissions are exempt from the requirement to take an approved English Proficiency exam.
- Degree: Earned in the USA
- Must have unencumbered United States nursing license.
Program Outcomes
The M.S. graduate will:
- Examine scientific findings from nursing, biopsychosocial fields, genetics, public health, quality improvement, and organizational sciences for the continual improvement of nursing care across diverse settings
- Demonstrate leadership skills necessary for ethical and critical decision making, effective working relationships, and a systems-perspective to promote high quality and safe patient care
- Apply quality principles within an organization and articulate the methods, tools, performance measures, and standards related to quality
- Apply evidence-based outcomes within the practice setting, resolving practice problems, working as a change agent, and disseminating results
- Use communication strategies and patient-care technologies to integrate, coordinate, deliver, and enhance care
- Examine the policy development process and advocacy strategies necessary to intervene at the system level to influence health and health care
- Use communication strategies necessary for interprofessional collaboration and consultation to manage and coordinate care
- Integrate broad, organizational, client-centered, and culturally appropriate concepts in the planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical prevention and population care and services to individuals, families, and aggregates/identified populations
- Demonstrate advanced level of understanding of nursing and relevant sciences as well as the ability to integrate this knowledge into practice including both direct and indirect care components that influence health care outcomes for individuals, populations, or systems
Contact Information
Concentration Contact
Tonya Schmitt, DNP, CPNP-PC, APRN
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Director of Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program
Director of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Program
Phone: 937-775-3851 or 734-368-1727
Fax: 937-775-4571
General Contact Information
School of Nursing
Location: 225 Millett Hall
Phone: 937-775-3132
Fax: 937-775-4571
Email: nursing@wright.edu
Questions about the graduate school application? Contact:
The College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies
Location: 160 University Hall
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone: 937-775-2976
Fax: 937-775-2453
Email: wsugrad@wright.edu
