Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program

Caring for the future

Our Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) Program prepares students to provide advanced nursing care to critically ill and recovering neonates and their families. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for national certification offered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC). Our graduates have maintained over a 90% pass rate on the exam.

Licensure Requirements

Required: An active, valid & unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state(s) which the student participates in clinical learning experiences.

Degree Requirements

Required: a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited college or university.

GPA Requirements

Required: a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 & a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all upper division courses.

Required Application Documents

Required: a resume, all official transcripts, a personal statement (see personal statement guidelines) & three (3) references including one (1) professional, one (1) academic, and one (1) from your current clinical manager or other authority speaking on your commitment to discovery of new knowledge, your current knowledge in a clinical area, and your dedication to the profession.

Work Experience Requirements

Required: A minimum of two (2) year of recent experience as a registered nurse (RN) in a Level III nursery.

7

Semesters

12

Courses


  • 1

     Semester

    2 Courses (6 Hours)

    See Breakdown
  • 2

     Semester

    2 Courses (6 Hours)

    See Breakdown
  • 3

     Semester

    2 Courses (6 Hours)

    See Breakdown
  • 4

     Semester

    1 Course (3 Hours)

    See Breakdown
  • 5

     Semester

    1 Course (6 Hours)

    See Breakdown
  • 6

     Semester

    2 Courses (9 Hours)

    See Breakdown
  • 7

     Semester

    2 Courses (10 Hours)

    See Breakdown

    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program Curriculum

    • Semester 1
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5373 Foundations of Research/Theory 3
      GNRS 53371 Public Health Principles in Advanced Practice Nursing 3
      Semester 2
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5346 Public Policy 3
      GNRS 5355 Pathophysiology 3
      Semester 3
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5301 Pharmacological Principles and Clinical Therapeutics 3
      GNRS 5349 Informatics and Quality Improvement 3
      Semester 4
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5303 Advanced Neonatal Health Assessment 3
      Semester 5
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5631 NNP Concepts and Practicum I 6
      Semester 6
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5632 Neonatal Nurse Practitioner II 6
      GNRS 5350 Nurse Practitioner: Professional Role and Business Principles 3
      Semester 7
      Course Number Course Name Hours
      GNRS 5633 NNP Concepts and Practicum III 6
      GNRS 5434 NNP Concepts & Practicum 4

    NNP Program Highlights

    Simulation Laboratories

    UTMB offers state-of-the-art simulation laboratories to provide useful & realistic scenarios to help students understand neonatal care in a realistic environment.

    Real World Applications

    Students increase skills in cost-effective problem solving, process improvement, risk assessment & the reduction of health care cost.

    Faculty Expertise

    Our caring, experienced and innovative faculty are known for their commitment to student success.

    Online Flexibility

    Students come to campus for orientation and each semester for 2-3 days. We have our own technical team to assist students with online learning.

    Classroom Feel

    A highly interactive peer group adds depth to your learning experience through sharing ideas and collaboration.

    Clinical Practicum

    The clinical experiences utilize the student's acquired skills to improve the quality of health care in their geographic location.

     Frequent Questions

        • What does early notification review mean?

          Our application dates are September 15th - March 15th for early notification review. Early notification review means if the applicant applies within the September 15th - March 15th timeframe, they are guaranteed a review and decision by April 15th. After the early notification review deadline date, applications will continue to be reviewed on a space available basis. Please call our office if you have questions!


        • What information will the School of Nursing consider when reviewing files for admission?

          The school takes a holistic view in reviewing applications. Areas reviewed include life experiences, individual interests, any leadership, GPA/grade trends, health care experience, personal statement, and community service. The personal statements are extremely important and are carefully reviewed by the admissions committee. Pay close attention to spelling and grammar as this will be taken into consideration during the application review and should include your nursing and health related experience, as well as, explaining any interruptions in your work history. Focus on how your work experience prepares you for the MSN program for which you are applying and what prompted you to apply for this MSN program and how do you plan on utilizing your specific MSN degree post­ graduation.


        • Do former UTMB students have to submit transcripts to NursingCAS?

          No. If you are an alumni of UTMB you do not have to submit our transcripts. You will still have to log into NursingCAS, submit all other required documents, and after you submit your application, email Burgandy Deleon at bndeleon@utmb.edu and let her know that you have submitted your application and you are an alumni. We will attach your transcripts to your application for you. If you have attended another university after you attended UTMB, then you will have to follow the previous instructions and submit only the transcript of the school attended after UTMB.


        • How do I request credit for nursing courses taken at another school?

          Graduate students may transfer up to twelve (12) credit hours. After you are admitted to the UTMB School of Nursing, you may submit a petition to the Graduate Program Director for a transfer of credits. Email Burgandy DeLeon at bndeleon@utmb.edu and inform her that you have courses that you would like to receive credit for and she will email you the necessary form with instructions on how to submit your petition for credit. After your petition is reviewed, you will be notified which courses are approved or denied for transfer credit.


        • If I already have an MSN degree, must I retake all classes for a second MSN, or may I only take the classes missing and clinicals?

          Students who already have an MSN degree may transfer up to twelve (12) credit hours into the program that they are admitted into at UTMB School of Nursing. All remaining courses (not transferred) must be taken, even if you have completed the course/sin your prior MSN degree. UTMB School of Nursing offers Post-MSN Certificate in Nursing Education. After you are admitted to the UTMB School of Nursing, you may submit a petition to the Graduate Program Director for a transfer of credits. If the course is not pre-approved, you are required to provide the course syllabus for each course being considered. After your petition is reviewed, you will be notified which courses are approved or denied for transfer.


        • I live outside of Texas. May I attend UTMB for the MSN or DNP program?

          State Boards of Nursing set standards for licensure. Some State Boards also require approval of programs leading to an advanced practice certification. It is highly recommended that out of state applicants who seek admission to the nurse practitioner tracks at UTMB contact their home state's Board of Nursing to verify that UTMB's program and graduates will meet that state's eligibility criteria for approval for those credentials. Applicants may need to complete clinical rotations in Texas so you may need a Texas license or be part of a compact state. Please refer to "Program lnformation" section in FAQ for additional information regarding how clinicals are scheduled for students. More information can also be found on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website.

          Please note that students are required to come to campus 3-4 days each semester for some of the tracks. Please see the required campus visits per program table for an estimate of campus visits per semester. Required campus visits are subject to change if deemed necessary by UTMB School of Nursing faculty and track administrators.


        • I live outside of the United States of America. May I attend UTMB for the MSN or DNP program?

          Since the MSN and DNP programs are online, these programs do not meet the requirements for students who have VISAs for educational purposes and are required to enroll in courses offered on campus.


        • Can I transfer to the UTMB Health School of Nursing if I have a degree from another country?

          Applicants with international credits must submit an official course-by-course credentialing report to NursingCAS using one UTMB's required Credentialing Services. Please click here to see the Credentialing services approved by UTMB.


      Contact Us

      Burgandy DeLeon | SON Student Affairs & Admissions Office

      Burgandy DeLeon

      Lauren Homan | SON Student Affairs & Admissions Office

      Lauren Homan