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School of Nursing
The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at the Loma Linda University School of Nursing prepares health care providers to work in the community and ambulatory setting. It is designed to prepare the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) to exercise independent judgment in assessment, supervision, and management of the primary health care needs of pediatric patients in consultation and collaboration with primary-care physicians and other allied health professionals.
The PNP track prepare nurses for advanced training in quality nursing care for newborns through adolescents, with the focus on improving health care outcomes through leadership in the nursing field. The program emphasizes preventative care in addition to ongoing healthcare maintenance of acute and chronic diseases in the pediatric population. Upon completion of the PNP program, graduates will be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to act as a primary care provider for patients 0-21 years of age. Skills that PNP graduates will acquire through the program includes writing prescriptions, performing various outpatient procedures, as well as ordering and interpreting specific labs and diagnostic tests, such as x-rays, blood tests, etc. This program will also prepare the graduate to function as a leader through healthcare policy and advocacy, application of evidence-based practice, quality improvement and to build organizational leadership qualities.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioners get great satisfaction knowing that they make a difference, by identifying and managing their patient problems in addition to counseling and educating the whole family during stressful and difficult situations. PNPs are trained to use data received from diagnostic tests, clinical exams, verbal communication, medical records and other sources to make decisions that are evidence based. PNP graduates will be prepared to manage various acute and chronic health problems in the primary health care setting, and be the coordinator of care for their pediatric patients.
The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner BS to DNP program is 3 years and 9 months full-time. Part-time option is also available.
The program is divided into 4 parts:
1- Core Courses- Most of the DNP Program Core courses and the prerequisite clinical courses require that students participate on-campus for 4 to 8 hours during Seminar Week in the middle of each quarter. Students are also required to be on campus to take all course exams including the midterm and final exams.
2- Concentration Courses: Pharmacology I & II, and Advanced Pathophysiology meet up to four times a quarter.
3- Clinical Experience: The clinical experience is a combination of clinician hours and DNP Project hours to total at least 1000 hours. Students in the CNS and NP clinical courses will be assigned clinical rotations in the Inland Empire (IE) region of Southern California (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties). The CNS and NP Program faculty members arrange all clinical rotations for students as required by the California Board of Registered Nursing Regulations (Sections 1484, h (11) of Division 14 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations). The CNS and NP clinical courses meet at least four (4) times per quarter face-to-face on campus and all exams are administered on campus. The NP Program skills courses meet weekly during the quarter that the skills course is scheduled. Attendance at each of the assigned labs is mandatory for students enrolled in the skills course.
4- DNP Project: The DNP Project can be done in the workplace allowing students to collect evidence-based research data.
Quarter | Application Open | Priority Deadline | Final Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Winter of 2025 | Apr 29, 2024 | — | Jun 19, 2024 |
*California RN license required before start of classes
The following estimated cost of attendance is based on full-time attendance for the number of months enrolled per academic year. Estimated amounts may vary based on a number of factors. Students may use these estimates when applying for financial aid.
Non-required costs that can be funded with scholarships/loans.
With your help, we can advance education and improve student success in our community.