Pediatric Acute Care
The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program prepares nurses to manage infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with complex acute, critical and life-threatening illnesses across a continuum of health care settings.
Please note: Because of individual state nursing board regulations, this program is limited to residents of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. This program may have occasional campus visits, but these may be made available in a virtual format. Students will be notified well in advance of these events.
Certification & Career
Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the Pediatric Nurse Certification Board (PNCB) Acute Care certification exam. Graduates have opportunities to practice in a variety of acute care settings, including emergency departments, sub-specialty clinics, hospitals and intensive care units.
Required Experience
A minimum of one year of pediatric RN work experience is required before applying. A basic working knowledge of pediatric growth and development, family dynamics and pediatric assessment are cornerstones for moving toward the role of the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
Clinical Hours
Clinical hours are completed in several Greater Cincinnati and regional pediatric acute care centers. Experienced pediatric preceptors work one-on-one with students and, along with pediatric specialty faculty, guide students through clinical experiences.
Curriculum
The plan of study for the program is determined upon a student's acceptance and matriculation into the program and is based upon the student's previous master's coursework.
For an idea of the courses that could be required, review the schema for the doctor of nursing practice program.
Additional Resources
Additional information on the role of the pediatric acute care nurse practitioner is available through national organizations such as:
Questions
If you have specific questions about the program, contact the Office of Student Recruitment at 513-558-8400 or nursingbearcats@uc.edu.
Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid). To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage.