Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: The 2014 Practice Analysis

IntroductionPractice research serves as the certification framework for validating advanced practice roles and updating national qualifying examinations. This national study describes the current practice of the acute care pediatric nurse practitioner (AC PNP) to inform an update of the Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Acute Care (CPNP-AC) examination content outline.MethodA descriptive analysis was performed of the responses of 319 pediatric nurse practitioners, practicing in an acute care role, who completed a practice survey in 2014.ResultsRespondents were primarily White women with a mean age of 40 years; 75% had been formally educated as AC PNPs, compared with 48% in 2009. Regional practice was most heavily concentrated in the Southeast (28%) and Midwest (27%). Most respondents (81%) practiced in urban areas. Respondents reported spending 75% of practice time in inpatient settings. The most frequently cited areas of practice were critical care (36%), followed by emergency department (9%) and subspecialty practices.DiscussionThis third analysis of AC PNP practice 10 years after initiation of the CPNP-AC certification examination demonstrates changes in clinical practice and educational preparation.