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The pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) role provides family-centered and culturally respectful care for pediatric patients birth to 21 years of age. Advanced practice nurses (APRNs) provide high-quality health care services in a wide-range of problems from acute, chronic, complex and wellness care to health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling. The core courses provide a solid foundation in the use of evidence-based practice guidelines and theory as a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of illness and the promotion of wellness. Clinical experiences are conducted with preceptors in community, inpatient, and outpatient settings.
The main emphasis of the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner (NP) is comprehensive, chronic, continuous care characterized by a long term relationship between the patient and primary care NP, in an outpatient primary care clinic. The primary care NP provides care for most pediatric health needs and coordinates additional health care services that may be needed.
Top-ranked programs in two categories
UMKC’s online master’s in nursing programs ranked among the nation’s finest in two U.S. News & World Report 2023 rankings:
Quick facts
Official name
Master of science in nursing with an emphasis in pediatric nurse practitionerCampus
Program type
Master's degreeAcademic home
School of Nursing and Health StudiesDelivery mode
Blended, some campus visits requiredAccreditation
Higher Learning Commission, Commission on Collegiate Nursing EducationCredit hours
46Estimated cost
$41,325.60*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Career prospects
Graduates take the national certification exam for their specialty and practice as a nurse practitioner in any area of the United States.
Program structure
Delivery of this program is blended: You will complete most course work online, but on-campus visits are required. Courses are semester-based. Full-time students may take three courses per semester and finish in two years. Part-time students may take one or two courses per semester and finish in three years.
Course work includes
- Advanced physiology across the lifespan
- Ethics in practice and research
- Health care policy and advocacy
- Cultural diversity and values
- Health promotion, across the lifespan
Delivery
Blended, some campus visits requiredCalendar system
SemesterTypical program length
2-3 yearsTypical course load
1-2 courses per semesterAccreditation
The University of Missouri-Kansas City is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.
The MS at the School of Nursing and Health Studies is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Faculty spotlight
Nancy Willis-Smith has worked with UMKC since 2003. She started in Joplin, MO with the distance program, became the Joplin Site Coordinator in 2010 and became the family nurse practitioner track coordinator in 2016. She is double certified as a family nurse practitioner and a women's health nurse practitioner and received her doctor of nursing practice in 2011. She was awarded the "Award of Excellence" for the state of Missouri by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006. Willis-Smith practices 2 days a week for Ozark's Community Hospital clinics in Webb City and Carthage, MO.
Dr. Cheri Barber teaches in both the Graduate and DNP programs while serving as the Coordinator for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs at UMKC. Dr. Barber has served on many national boards as the prior President for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and for the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (AFPNP). Dr. Barber's areas of interest are in adolescent behavior and eating disorders. She continues to practice part-time in a pediatric primary care clinic.