Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
About the UofL Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program
Practice as a NNP requires specialized knowledge and skills if safe, high-quality care is to be delivered to patients. The University of Louisville Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) program will prepare you to provide primary, acute and critical care for neonates and infants through the age of two.
Completion of the specialty curriculum prepares you to take the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner certification exam offered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC). Since 2016, 100% of our Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) graduates have passed the National Certification Corporation (NCC) board on their first attempt.
- Do you have at least two years of current registered nursing experience in a Level III or IV NICU?
- Are you ready to take the next step to increase your knowledge and skill in the care of neonatal patients?
- Are you ready to become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner?!
UofL School of Nursing offers three pathways for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Post Graduate Certificate
The curriculum and residency for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program meet the Education and Curriculum Guidelines for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Programs (2017) as set by the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) and the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NANNP).
The NNP role includes the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic illness in neonates. As an NNP, you will:
- care for neonates of varying acuity, including assessment, diagnosis, and management
- attend high-risk deliveries
- resuscitate and stabilize sick and/or premature infants
- perform specialty procedures including, but not limited to:
- endotracheal intubation
- umbilical line placement
- lumbar puncture
- needle thoracentesis
- chest tube placement
- arterial and venous access
- infant male circumcision (optional)
Testimonials
At the University of Louisville, the neonatal nurse practitioner is an invaluable member of the care team, providing excellence in neonatal care in a collaborative model.
Scott D. Duncan, MD, MHA, FAAP
Professor of Pediatrics
Rounsavall Endowed Professorship
Chief, Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
University of Louisville School of Medicine
As a former University of Louisville NNP student (2007), and NNP Gratis instructor since 2007, I truly enjoy teaching, providing guidance, and precepting NNP students. As preceptors, we collaborate and coordinate with the Neonatologist and a multidisciplinary team to provide an evidence-based plan of care for the patients.
Francis J. Morabito, Jr. MSN, APRN, NNP-BC
Norton Children's Medical Group
Moving to Louisville to attend the DNP NNP program was an excellent decision; I received a thorough education in an increasingly important field, and now I have my dream job where I get to provide care to tiny miracles.
Blair Wagner, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC (2019)
Norton Children’s Medical Group
The NNPs are an integral and essential component of our interdisciplinary team in the NICU. Their expertise is invaluable in advancing the comprehensive clinical care to the most vulnerable patients. The NNPs complete our patient-centered-care.
Dan L. Stewart, MD, FAAP
Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville School of Nursing, NNP track has been a godsend to our University of Louisville Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I have consistently found the graduates of this program to have an excellent knowledge base, accomplished in common NICU procedures and work well as part of the healthcare team. Priceless!!
Tonya Robinson, MD, FAAP
Associate Professor, Division of Neonatal Medicine, University of Louisville
NICU Medical Director, University of Louisville Hospital
The UL of Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program has been an excellent program for us. We have been fortunate to have one of our strong nurses go through the program in the last several years; she completed her first year of clinical practice in Louisville and then joined our team in Paducah, KY. She has been an excellent addition, and this has been a direct result of her exposure to strong clinical teaching and experience in the UL program. We now have three more nurses who are looking take a similar path. We are very blessed to have such a program in our backyard.
Edward F. O'Neill, MD, FAAP
Associate Professor, Division of Neonatal Medicine, University of Louisville
NICU Medical Director, Baptist Health Paducah
A doctorally prepared nurse practitioner translates evidence-based knowledge into practice and in turn improves health care outcomes. A University of Louisville DNP will prepare students to be outstanding clinicians and will also prepare them to be leaders and change agents in the field of nursing.
Do you know of a process in your hospital that could be more efficient? Do you know of a practice that has been shown in the literature to have no improvement in outcomes but is still being done? Do you want to be the one to change it? Then the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is for you!
The University of Louisville DNP will prepare students to:
- Synthesize and apply knowledge to improve population outcomes
- Collaborate with other disciplines to improve the delivery of health care
- Assume clinical, leadership, executive, public policy and/or teaching roles
- Affect health policy through the application of knowledge
