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How to Become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
Discover the requirements to become a PNP, including potential degree pathways, licensure and certification requirements, and much more.
Steps to take to become a PNP
It’s a great time to take the first step towards becoming a nurse practitioner. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioner represents the fastest-growing job in the US, and U.S. News and World Report ranks it as the #1 best health care job in 2023.
Specialize in pediatrics as an NP and you can discover a rewarding career path making a huge impact throughout the lives of young patients. Take these 7 steps to become a pediatric nurse practitioner:
1. Understand the role of a PNP
A pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) is a specialized Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who cares for newborns, infants, toddlers, adolescents, and young adults. They can potentially work with doctors, pediatricians, pediatric Physician Assistants (PA), and other healthcare staff to help deliver care for the pediatric patient population.
PNPs in a primary care role provide comprehensive care and may serve as a primary source of care for an individual or family. A PNP job description can include duties such as:
- Prescribe medications, order and interpret diagnostic tests, or order immunizations
- Educate patients and families about specific conditions related to children’s development
- Evaluate developmental milestones and educate parents about normal growth and development
- Care for and provide treatment for acute and chronic illnesses and conditions
- Perform physical examinations, including well-child exams, school, and sports physicals
- Act as a liaison between patients, their families, and doctors
- Refer patients and their families to specialists, community resources and communicate follow-up steps
If you love working with children and seek to earn increased autonomy in practice as a nurse practitioner, becoming a PNP can be a great career choice.
2. Become a Registered Nurse
If you are already a practicing RN, you can skip to #3.
However, if you do not yet work in nursing—or currently work as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)—you’ll need to become an RN before progressing to a pediatric nurse practitioner master’s degree program.
The biggest step to become an RN is to enroll in an undergraduate nursing degree program. The Herzing University School of Nursing is built to help you start an exciting new career in nursing:
Discover our many potential BSN pathways, including bridge options for LPNs and other healthcare professionals, an accelerated BSN option for those who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, and an online BSN option available in select states.
You can potentially earn RN licensure faster in the ASN pathway, then enroll in an RN to MSN-PNP program in the future. We also offer bridge options for LPNs and other healthcare professionals—available at select campus locations as well as online in select states.
If your GPA isn’t high enough to qualify for nursing school, you may be eligible to enroll in our Associate of Science in General Studies – Pre-nursing program. You can potentially increase your GPA, take some nursing support courses, and apply to nursing school in the future.
3. Choose your specialty pathway
There are two main pediatric nurse practitioner certifications offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB): Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (CPNP-PC) and Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP-AC).1
The PNCB Pediatric Nursing Demographic Report, published in December 2022, states there were 20,254 certified CPNP-PC professionals and 4,419 certified CPNP-AC professionals. Most CPNP-PCs work in private practice, while most CPNP-ACs work in inpatient treatment at children’s hospitals.
Choose the primary care pathway if you’d prefer to build long-term relationships with pediatric patients as a long-term care provider. Choose the acute care pathway if you prefer to work in critical care and treat patients with acute, complex, and chronic illnesses.
If you’d like to learn more about the difference between primary care and acute care NPs, the PNCB recommends this statement from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. The statement applies generally to all acute and primary care NPs, including those specializing in pediatrics.
4. Enroll in a graduate-level program
Once you’ve earned an undergraduate degree and chosen your specialty, you are ready to apply for a PNP program.
We offer both MSN and DNP program options in the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner specialization. Both pathways feature 100% online didactic coursework and our pledge to secure your clinical placement.2
- Program length: 24 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Degree required: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Program length: 28 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Degree required: Associate of Science in Nursing
- Program length: 20 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Degree required: Master of Science in Nursing
- Program length: 32 months
- Classes: View the curriculum
- Degree required: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Waived Enrollment Fee
Discover the educational pathway designed to maximize your career potential. Reach for greater heights with Herzing University.
5. Earn certification as a CPNP-PC
We strongly recommend getting certified upon graduating with your master’s degree. This will put you in the best position to compete for the job you really want. Some states and organizations require certification to practice.
Graduate from a Herzing University PNP program and you will be qualified to sit for the Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (CPNP-PC) certification exam from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).
Recertification must be completed annually, but PNCB has additional requirements to fulfill every 7 years, including update modules and pharmacology requirements. You’ll need to promptly keep up with PNCB requirements to maintain certification throughout your career.
6. Obtain licensure in your state
Note the difference between being licensed and certified: becoming certified shows employers you are capable of patient care in a pediatric setting, while licensure determines if you are legally allowed to practice in your state of residence.
Each state has their own requirements for licensure as an advanced practice nurse. You will need to locate the requirements, which can be found on your state’s board of nursing website along with the current process for licensure.
Keep in mind employers may require board certification before hiring a PNP even if practicing without certification is legally permissible in your state.
7. Find a job and advance
Once you’ve graduated from a PNP program and earn certification and licensure, you’ll be ready to succeed in your first job as a PNP.
You may discover more advancement opportunities in the future. You could pursue additional specialties by enrolling in a post master’s certificate program—or reach for the heights of the nursing profession by working towards earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Our School of Nursing is designed to provide you with the degree pathways necessary to help you build a fulfilling, rewarding career in the field of nursing. We know you are possible.
Related reading
Learn more about our pediatric nurse practitioner program options
1. Herzing University does not currently offer an acute care PNP track.
2. We understand securing clinical placement is one of the biggest concerns MSN students face. As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.
Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement. (Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment agreement.)
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.