Learn more about Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
A pediatric nurse practitioner (NP) is a healthcare provider who specializes in the health needs of infants, children and adolescents. Pediatric NPs practice a mix of nursing and medicine, often in collaboration with a doctor, to provide children with a wide scope of care. This includes comprehensive well-child care, as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions.
Pediatric NPs practice in different ways depending on the specific state, setting and specialty. You can find a pediatric NP in any setting where children receive healthcare, including doctors’ offices, schools, clinics, hospitals, and community health settings. Some pediatric NPs have private practices, while others work as part of a group practice or a hospital or clinic healthcare team. Like all healthcare providers, pediatric NPs work collaboratively with doctors and other providers as needed or required by their state.
In general, a pediatric NP:
- Evaluates a child’s medical history
- Educates the child and parents or guardians about childhood wellness and disease prevention
- Provides routine childhood and adolescent healthcare services including immunizations and sports and school physicals
- Orders and interprets laboratory and imaging tests and prescribes medications
- Diagnoses and treats acute diseases and conditions including infections and injuries
- Screens, treats and monitors a range of chronic childhood health conditions, such as diabetes and asthma
- Performs minor procedures including removing foreign objects (such as splinters) and stitching lacerations
- Works closely with the doctors and other healthcare providers to ensure children receive optimal healthcare
Pediatric NPs may also be known by the following names: PNP, pediatric nurse practitioner – board certified (PNP-BC), certified pediatric nurse practitioner – primary care (CPNP-PC), primary care nurse practitioner, child nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse, and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).
There are 900 specialists practicing Pediatric Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) in Ohio with an overall average rating of 4.2 stars. There are 13 hospitals in Ohio with affiliated Pediatric Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) specialists, including Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center - Burnet Campus, Mercy Health - Anderson Hospital and Adena Regional Medical Center.