COURSE CURRICULUM

The Child and Adolescent Health Nurse Practitioner – Primary Health Care track is designed to prepare nurses for advanced practice roles addressing the primary healthcare needs of children and adolescents. Admission requires completion of STAT 661, Statistics for Life Sciences, or an equivalent graduate-level statistics course, which does not count toward the degree. The nursing core consists of 14 credit hours, covering advanced nursing theory, evidence-based practice, information management, health policy, and pathophysiological concepts, all required of students, with a minimum grade of B- necessary to maintain good academic standing. Building on this foundation, the Primary Health Care track includes 28 credit hours specifically tailored to advanced pediatric and adolescent care and meets the certification requirements of the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB). Students engage in courses and practicum experiences designed to develop advanced assessment, diagnostic, and management skills across the spectrum of child and adolescent health needs. Core courses include Advanced Pediatric/Adolescent Assessment, Child and Adolescent Health Nursing I-III, Pharmacology for Child and Adolescent Health Nursing, and the corresponding clinical practicums, providing supervised hands-on experience in diverse healthcare settings. The track also includes a seminar in health professions to integrate theory with practice. Completion of the program equips graduates with the knowledge, clinical competence, and leadership skills necessary to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based primary healthcare to children and adolescents in a variety of clinical and community-based environments.