HU AWARDED $1.25 MILLION FOR PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Hampton, VA - The Hampton University School of Nursing was awarded $1,251,005 from the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Profession, Division of Nursing. The purpose of the grant is to fund the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Distance Education Program. The HU School of Nursing will significantly expand its existing pediatric nurse practitioner specialty program by creating and implementing an internet-based distance education program that will be available nationwide.

The major goal of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Distance Education Program is the education of nurses with advanced knowledge and clinical skills in child health care, who will be able to provide a broad range of comprehensive pediatric primary health care services to children from infancy through adolescence.

"Pediatric nurse practitioners have unique opportunities to meet the standards and guidelines for child health care and to be involved with families to be successful in their childrearing efforts," said Dr. E. Jane Servonsky, director of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program. "With this grant, it is proposed that an increased number of registered nurses from rural and other medically underserved areas will enroll in the program and stay in their own communities to provide quality, culturally-component health care."

Pediatric nurse practitioners practice as interdependent members of the healthcare team, collaborating with other health care professionals to provide care. The focus of the care is on health promotion, disease and disability prevention, and the restoration of health as necessary. Graduates of the pediatric nurse practitioner program have advanced practice education to complete a health assessment and history, a physical examination, a developmental and behavioral appraisal, as well as laboratory and other diagnostic studies. They provide well-child health care for health promotion and maintenance as well as diagnose and manage common acute health problems, illnesses, minor traumas, and stable chronic conditions of infants, children, and adolescents.

The HU Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program has successfully completed the National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses (NCBPNP/N) program review process. This voluntary review process assures that the pediatric nurse practitioner curriculum at Hampton University has met the highest standards for pediatric nurse practitioner education.