Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: A Vital Role in Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery

The changing health care environment and provider shortage have required acute care pediatric nurse practitioners (AC PNPs) to play a vital role in hospital-based, subspecialty surgical services. The AC PNP is part of a multidisciplinary team providing care for children with congenital heart disease after heart surgery. The AC PNP provides high-quality, cost-effective care to acute and critically ill children, optimizing hospital throughput while ensuring patient safety. This article focuses on the history and emerging role of the AC PNP in the context of the Magnet component of transformational leadership, the physician/nurse practitioner collaborative practice, and the development of the AC PNP role in cardiothoracic surgery at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.