Opportunities for improvement of neonatal nurse practitioner education: complex care and pediatric advanced life support

Abstract

Background

The scope of practice for the neonatal nurse practitioner is to provide care for patients from birth up to age two. Specific areas often not adequately addressed in the NNP curriculum include complex care of infants and toddlers up to age 2 and resuscitation outside the delivery room.

Purpose

This quality improvement project aimed to assess NNP interest and curriculum needs related to complex care of infants and toddlers up to two years, and the current state of NRP and PALS inclusion in NNP curriculum. The first survey was intended to assess the need for and interest in additional education on complex care of the infant and toddler up to two years of age. The second survey was intended to assess if NNP education addresses pediatric as well as neonatal resuscitation.

Results

Sixty-nine practicing NNPs responded to the first survey and 99 % identified a need for more education in the NNP programs on complex care. The second survey had 37 responses with 84 % requiring students to have neonatal resuscitation program provider status while 14 % require pediatric acute life support certification.

Conclusion

As the age for viability decreases with increased survival, the NNP will be responsible for caring for infants in the hospital for longer periods of time. Additionally, more infants will require post- discharge care for complex medical needs. Improving NNP education on age-appropriate resuscitation and complex care for neonatal patients as they age will improve patient and family outcomes and allow the NNP to practice to the full scope of their license.