The Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who provides family-focused care for patients ranging from infants to young adults. PPCNPs holds an advanced nursing degree (master’s or doctoral), enabling them to practice in many of the same ways as a Pediatrician.
The PPCNP emphasizes health care management, disease prevention, and health promotion by:
- Conducting health examinations,
- Ordering laboratory and screening tests,
- Diagnosing and treating common childhood illnesses and conditions,
- Diagnosing and treating minor injuries,
- Managing Common Acute and Chronic Illnesses,
- Routine development evaluations,
- Childhood immunizations,
- Prescribing medication and therapies, and
- Providing patient and family education.
The PPCNP attends to the long-term health needs of their patients. In contrast, the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PACNP) focuses on the patient’s immediate acute or traumatic healthcare needs.
Visit the Nurse Practitioner (NP) job description overview for more information about NP practice.
Practice Specialties
The Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner may practice in an area of specialization where they have already developed strong nursing skills as a Registered Nurse (RN). Elective study during PPCNP education or post-graduate certification provides the additional knowledge and experience required to practice as a PPCNP in these areas of specialization.
Instruction in areas of specialization varies by school and can include one or more of the following:
- Cardiology,
- Dermatology,
- Gastroenterology,
- Infectious Disease,
- Neurology, or
- Orthopedics.
Certification offered by nursing Professional Associations and Certification Boards provides additional education in these and other areas of specialization.
Practice Settings
The Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner practices in a wide range of primary care settings, including:
- Hospitals and Medical Centers,
- Outpatient Pediatric Clinics,
- Private Pediatric Practices,
- Health Departments,
- Home Health,
- Acute and Long-Term Care Facilities,
- Preschools and Elementary Schools, and
- Community Agencies.
Scope of Practice
Scope of Practice refers to the degree to which a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner may practice independently of physician supervision. The degree of PPCNP practice independence varies by state and includes:
- Practice Autonomy – the degree to which a PPCNP may practice without physician supervision or oversight,
- Prescriptive Authority – the ability to issue prescriptions or order treatments, and
- Primary Care Provider Recognition – ability to examine people who have common medical problems.
Scope of Practice varies by state, depending on state legislative and regulatory rules. Visit the Color Coded Map and Sortable List to view how PPCNP Scope of Practice varies by state. For more detailed information, visit the Board of Nursing for the state of interest. Individual employers may impose Scope of Practice rules more restrictive than the state permits.
Education
The ability to practice as a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner requires a graduate-level nursing education. There are several degrees or certificate options:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Science, Nursing Major (MS-NM), or Master of Nursing (MN) – The master’s degree has been the most common education option and is the minimum degree required for Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner education. These degree programs are offered widely by public and private schools. The master’s degree in nursing focuses on advanced nursing theory and care practice. Read more...
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – In addition to studying advanced nursing theory and care practice, the DNP emphasizes using research results to improve the NP‘s nursing practice. DNP programs also emphasize the application of Evidence-Based Practice to improve the quality of patient care. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties is committed to transitioning all entry-level NP programs to the DNP by 2025. Read more...
- Post-Master's or Post-Doctorate Certificates – Eligibility is limited to individuals with a graduate-level or doctoral-level nursing degree. For example, someone holding an MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) would be eligible to enroll in a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner certificate program. Read more...
Prospective students should verify that the Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program they are considering is accredited. Proper accreditation ensures that graduates are eligible to sit for the certification exams required to become licensed to practice.
Use the Nurse Practitioner Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner programs typically cover the following topics:
- Health Maintenance,
- Disease Prevention,
- Common Acute and Chronic Pediatric Illness Management,
- Behavioral Issues,
- Patient and Family Education, and
- Family-Centered Culturally Sensitive Care.
Accelerated Degree Programs
Accelerated Degree Programs generally cost less and can be completed more quickly than enrolling in consecutive BSN–MSN or BSN-doctoral programs. Use the Accelerated Degree Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Certificate Programs
Many schools that offer a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner master’s or doctoral degree also offer a PPCNP post-master’s or post-doctoral Certificate Program. These programs are open to individuals with a master’s or doctoral degree in another nursing specialty who wish to practice as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. These Certificate Programs should not be confused with certification offered by Certification Boards and professional associations.
Dual Programs
Some schools offer Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner study in Dual Degree and Dual Practice Programs. These programs save the student time and expense by eliminating duplicate coursework.
Dual Degree Programs
Dual Degree Programs award two degrees in separate but related areas of study. Students enrich their nursing education with study in another academic department. These programs award a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner degree with an additional non-nursing degree, such as:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – PPCNP, may be paired with a:
- Master of Arts in Bioethics (MAB).
Graduates from these Dual Degree Programs are eligible to sit for the appropriate national certification exams and become licensed as required.
Use this Dual Degree Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Dual Practice Programs
Some schools offer Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner study in a Dual Practice Program. These programs award a single degree that combines the PPCNP with an additional clinical practice role. Education in Dual Practice roles enables graduates to work in an expanded range of practice settings and patient populations. This versatility provides the graduate with more career flexibility and growth opportunities.
PPCNP Dual Practice Programs may offer these additional practice roles:
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM),
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP),
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (PACNP), or
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).
Graduates of these programs may apply for national certification exams and become licensed in both practice areas.
Use this Dual Practice Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Tandem Degree Programs
Tandem Degree Programs award two degrees in the course of Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner study. These programs save the student time and expense by eliminating duplicate coursework. Some schools offer PPCNP Tandem Degree combinations, such as:
- Bachelor of Science, Nursing Major (BS-N), followed by a:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), followed by a:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), followed by a:
Graduates of these programs may apply for national certification exams and become licensed as required.
Use this Tandem Degree Program Search Tool to identify Tandem Degree Programs from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Top 10 Degree and Certificate Offerings
This table displays the Top 10 Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner degrees and certificates offered by more than 710 graduate nursing programs. This count includes degrees awarded singly, as the higher of two degrees in a Tandem Degree Program, or as part of Dual Practice and Dual Degree Program offerings.
Certification
Graduates from a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner degree or post-graduate certificate program are eligible to sit for either of two national certification exams:
- Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care (CPNP-PC) – from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), or
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (PPCNP-BC) – from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) .
One of the two certifications, CPNP-PC or PPCNP-BC, is a prerequisite for a state license to practice as a PPCNP. These exams differ in several factors: the number of credentials issued, exam pass rates, costs, and third-party professional organization support. Contact the issuing organizations directly for more information.
Additional certifications are available for Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioners who wish to focus on an area of specialized practice. This site includes an extensive survey of more than 300 nursing and related healthcare certifications.
License to Practice
The Board of Nursing for each state issues licenses to practice as a PPCNP within their state. The PPCNP scope of practice, including Practice Autonomy and Prescriptive Authority, varies by state.
States participating in the APRN Compact and Nurse Licensure Compact have multistate APRN and RN license agreements. These Compacts ease the transfer of PPCNP licenses and the ability to practice among participating states. Participation in these Compacts varies by state. Check with your state’s Board of Nursing for more detailed information.
Professional Associations
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NANNAP) is the primary professional association for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in Acute and Primary care. An additional association, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) provides representation and resources for all Nurse Practitioners.
PPCNPs often belong to other associations that provide resources and representation in specific areas of practice specialization. Other associations of interest at the state and local levels enable members to organize with their neighboring peers to address more localized issues. These associations may be chapters of national or international associations or organized independently.
This site includes a survey of more than 1,800 international, national, regional, state, or local nursing and related healthcare professional associations. These associations provide professional development resources and representation in numerous nursing and affiliated healthcare specialties.