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The United States faces a critical shortage of聽Pediatric Nurse Practitioners聽(PNP) in the coming years, a shortage that could especially hurt the less-populated areas of the country.聽The projected demand for nurse practitioners shows how important finding qualified nurses has become. Nationwide, the number of nurse practitioners is聽聽by 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In Texas, that number is expected to reach聽.聽Those who enter a聽Master of Science in Nursing 鈥� Pediatric Nurse Practitioner聽degree program are preparing themselves to take on important roles in this in-demand profession.

What A PNP Does

A PNP can聽work in primary care or acute care. Those who work in primary care develop the extensive knowledge needed to treat patients below the age of 21. This includes well-care, preventive medicine and management of acute and chronic conditions.聽A聽PNP聽learns holistic care that seeks to attain optimal health outcomes not only for individual patients but also for families and communities.

Quality Master of Science in Nursing programs prepare pediatric nursing practitioners with the latest healthcare strategies, including the use of technology, to handle the complex situations that frequently arise in pediatric healthcare.聽A聽PNP聽may work in a hospital, doctor鈥檚 clinic, school, community center, and telehealth center. The top practice setting for聽PNPs is hospital outpatient clinics.

The Shortage of PNP Nurses

Right now, there are about 270,000 nurse practitioners in the United States. About 5% of those work in pediatrics,聽聽the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Other facts about nurse practitioners from the AANP include:

• The mean, full-time base salary in 2018 for nurse practitioners was $105,903
• Most聽nurse practitioners see three patients per hour
• The average age of nurse practitioners is 49
• Malpractice issues are extremely low, with less than 1% of nurse practitioners being named the primary defendant in a malpractice case

An effort is needed to recruit more聽PNP聽nurses, according to a聽 from researchers at a variety of universities, including University of Pittsburgh, Northeastern University, University of Iowa and Texas A&M University.聽The paper reports 鈥渁 forecasted critical shortage of聽PNPs over the next decade. Even with significant interventions to enhance the supply pipeline, shortage predictions remain.鈥�

In commenting on the white paper, the National Association of聽Pediatric Nurse Practitioners聽聽鈥渕any U.S. counties continue to have a critical provider shortage. Underserved and rural areas are most detrimentally affected, with current provider shortages leaving millions of children without access to a pediatric primary care provider.鈥�

How to Become a PNP

For those who hold their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and have obtained their Texas Board of Nursing license, 鈥痶he next step to earning a聽PNP聽is to earn a master鈥檚 degree in nursing with a specialty in聽pediatric nurse practitioner.聽Finishing such a program prepares nurses to sit for the聽Pediatric Nurse Practitioner聽in Primary Care certification examination. The exam is administered by either the Pediatric Nurse Certification Board or the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

The graduate program focuses on giving nurses the skills and knowledge they need to provide care for patients between birth and the age of 21. Hybrid online programs, such as the one offered through 91影视 Christian University, allow nurses flexibility in how they earn their degree.聽The shortage of PNP nurses has led to a wealth of opportunity for those willing to make the commitment to earning their master鈥檚 degree. With the emergence of online learning, doing so have never been more convenient.