Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: The 2014 Practice Analysis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Advanced Practice Nursing
• Healthcare Workforce Research

Background:

• Practice research is crucial for validating advanced practice roles and updating national qualifying examinations.
• Understanding the current practice of acute care pediatric nurse practitioners (AC PNPs) is essential for examination development.
• This study provides an updated profile of AC PNP practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the current practice of AC PNPs.
• To inform the update of the Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care (CPNP-AC) examination content outline.
• To identify changes in educational preparation and clinical practice over time.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive analysis was conducted.
• Data were collected from a national survey of 319 practicing AC PNPs in 2014.
• The study analyzed responses regarding demographics, education, practice setting, and time allocation.

Main Results:

• Respondents were primarily White women, with a mean age of 40.
• 75% reported formal AC PNP education, an increase from 48% in 2009.
• Practice was concentrated in the Southeast (28%) and Midwest (27%), predominantly in urban inpatient settings (81%).
• Critical care (36%) was the most frequent practice area, followed by emergency departments (9%).

Conclusions:

• This analysis, 10 years after the CPNP-AC certification initiation, reveals significant shifts in AC PNP clinical practice and educational preparation.
• The findings highlight the dynamic nature of advanced practice nursing roles.
• The updated practice profile is vital for ensuring the relevance and accuracy of the CPNP-AC examination.