Building the Future Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Workforce: Reviewing Barriers and Strategies to Enrollment

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Advanced Practice Nursing
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Enrollment in neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) programs is declining.
• This decline poses a risk to the sustainability of the specialized neonatal nursing workforce.
• Existing literature has gaps regarding diversity, marketing, and undergraduate exposure in NNP programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore barriers to NNP program enrollment.
• To identify gaps in the current NNP workforce literature.
• To propose evidence-based strategies for improving NNP recruitment and retention.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to identify enrollment barriers and workforce gaps.
• Analysis of existing research on NNP programs and workforce trends.
• Synthesis of evidence-based strategies for recruitment and retention.

Main Results:

• Key barriers include lack of diversity, ineffective marketing, and insufficient undergraduate exposure.
• Identified gaps in literature concerning workforce diversity and outreach strategies.
• Effective strategies include mentorship, academic-practice partnerships, and wellness initiatives.

Conclusions:

• Investment in NNP education and policy support is essential.
• Collaboration between academia, practice, and organizations is vital for workforce sustainability.
• Addressing identified gaps and implementing strategies can secure the future of neonatal advanced practice nursing and improve neonatal outcomes.