The influence of funding on the future of pediatric nurse practitioner programs

Current funding sources threaten the future position of PNPs as providers of primary care. Most nurse practitioner programs of all disciplines including pediatrics rely for funds on the Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Manpower, Department of Health, Education and Welfare. These funds are sufficient only for about half of currently operational programs and other sources of financing are not adequate to support the remainder. Another factor affecting the future of such programs is the trend to modify the preparation of the nurse practitioner from the clinically centered continuing education format to that based in schools of nursing and directed toward the MS degree. This is against the fundamental philosophy of the training of the PNP and will lead to diminishing participation of pediatricians in training programs. Unless there is evidence to show that the shift to graduate type education is fundamental to the competence of the nurse practitioner, the enthusiastic nurse who chooses to extend her professional skills should be allowed to do so without limiting this activity only to those who seek advanced academic degrees.