4 Best Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Programs in Ohio (Online & Campus) – 2024
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
Are you an RN in the Buckeye State who’s interested in a career working with newborns? As a graduate of one of the neonatal nurse practitioner programs in Ohio, you’ll supervise the care given to premature infants and other critically ill neonates, working closely with their families so that these families can care for their babies once the babies are well enough for discharge. Most NNPs are employed by neonatal nurseries but a few work in delivery rooms and clinics. NNPs earn $126,350 annually, and over the next decade, jobs for NNPs are expected to increase by nearly 49 percent. Learn more by reviewing this list of the 4 best neonatal nurse practitioner programs in Ohio for 2024.
FOLLOWING ARE THE 4 BEST NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS IN OHIO (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2024
(Based on our Ranking Methodology, we have ranked the 4 best campus-based and online Neonatal Nurse Practitioner programs in Ohio.)
1. The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH
About the School: Do you adore babies? Are you inclined toward a career in neonatal care? If so, Ohio State University can be a great place to begin your journey in the care of neonates. Ranked among the best neonatal nurse practitioner programs in Ohio, its online graduate nursing program makes it to the #2 spot on the U.S. News & World Report’s national list. Here, its distinguished faculty come with years of expertise in the field of neonatal care. Also, the focus on evidence-based practice prepares graduates to offer care in diverse healthcare settings. Besides, global engagement in terms of experiential opportunities further enhances learning and gets you ready to promote health for neonates across the globe.
To take your nursing career to the next level, the college offers an MSN, BSN-DNP, post-master’s certificate, and a graduate entry MSN.
MSN Program Details: This MSN neonatal nurse practitioner program in Ohio is available with part-time and full-time schedule options. To be eligible for this program, you must have a BSN and an active RN license, in addition to completing at least two years of nursing experience in a NICU. While most of the courses are offered online, the program requires you to visit the campus three times for simulation experiences and other career-oriented activities. To graduate, you must complete 43 credits in courses, including developmental physiology & pathophysiology of the high-risk neonate, quality improvement & informatics, health promotion & disease prevention, and advanced health assessment of the neonate.
Upon completion of the coursework, you will be prepared to offer evidence-based care to high-risk infants and their families.
BSN-to-DNP Program Details: This BSN-to-DNP program is designed for registered nurses holding a BSN. Also, to be eligible for application, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and have completed the pre-requisite courses with a minimum grade of B. The coursework builds on your nursing education and requires you to complete 78 credits.
Available in the online format, you can complete this BSN to DNP program within three years of full-time study or four years of part-time study. The curriculum comprises five major components of the DNP core, NNP-specific courses, electives, immersion experiences, and the final scholarly project. To fulfill the graduation requirements, you must complete at least 1000 clinical hours. During the clinical courses, you will complete 16 to 20 hours of clinical training per week at various clinical sites for which preceptors are provided by the college.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: If you thought of expanding your advanced practice nursing knowledge in neonatal care but couldn’t do it due to lack of time, then maybe this post-master’s certificate could prove to be a lifesaver. Offered entirely online, you can easily fit this program into your busy life schedule. To be considered for this program, you must be a registered nurse, prepared at the master’s level. Upon being accepted, the program director will decide the exact credit requirements after reviewing your previous transcripts.
Graduate Entry MSN Program Details: For someone who is looking at switching careers to become a neonatal nurse practitioner, this graduate entry MSN program can be a great option. Open to candidates with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, through this program, you will gain the eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN exam as well as the NNP certification exam.
Among the sought-after neonatal nurse practitioner programs in Ohio, especially for non-nurses, the coursework is systematically structured to enable you to earn the RN status at the mid-point after which you can work as a nurse while continuing to complete the remaining courses. To put it simply, the curriculum consists of four main components, including the pre-licensure coursework, followed by the MSN core, specialty-specific courses, and the clinical practicum. While the pre-licensure courses are offered on campus, the courses thereafter can be taken completely online and clinical practicum can be completed within your community. The program is offered only on a full-time basis and takes three years to complete.
2. Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland, OH
About the School: Do you know that neonatal care is a highly in-demand advanced practice nursing field? If you are keen on launching your NNP career in the ‘Buckeye State’ then graduating from one of the best neonatal nurse practitioner programs in Ohio should be your most prudent next step.
Case Western Reserve University’s NNP programs can be one such option you may want to consider as not only does this college report an excellent pass rate on the NNP certification exam, but here you can complete your training through a flexible online format. Besides, this NNP school has earned acclaim for providing an innovative learning environment and preparing competent and dynamic neonatal NPs who use critical thinking to improve care for neonates. To complete your training in the care of newborns and infants, the college offers two pathways, an MSN and a Post-Master’s Certificate.
MSN Program Details: Ranked among the U.S. News & World Report’s best MSN programs, this NNP program in Ohio is a 40-hour coursework that begins in the fall. While the full-time coursework takes two years to complete, on a part-time basis you can complete it within three years. The program comprises MSN core and NNP- specific courses. Before beginning the NNP courses, you must have worked as a NICU nurse for at least one year. Some of the NNP-related courses you take include foundational concepts for the NNP, health assessment of the neonate, management of complex health problems in neonates, and health care delivery & finance in advanced practice nursing.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: This post-master’s certificate can fast-track your career in neonatal care by leveraging your graduate nursing education. Customized based on the courses you have completed in your MSN, you require completing a few credits to gain eligibility to take the NNP certification exam.
3. University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH
About the School: With over 130 years of preparing compassionate and culturally-sensitive nurses, the University of Cincinnati certainly has a rich history to testify to the high-quality nursing education it offers. If you are keen on joining the advanced practice nursing workforce as a neonatal nurse practitioner, then University of Cincinnati’s NNP programs can be a befitting choice. With interprofessional collaboration, innovative teaching, and experiential learning, these neonatal nurse practitioner programs in Ohio equip you with job-ready skills and knowledge to offer neonatal care in diverse types of healthcare settings.
Here, you have two options, to enroll either in the MSN or the post-master’s certificate program, depending on your educational background.
MSN Program Details: To be considered for this NNP program in Ohio, you must have a BSN and an active RN license, along with two years of work experience in an acute care setting. The coursework prepares you to provide care to neonates in both, high-risk as well as low-risk health conditions.
The coursework requires completing 48 to 53 credits and spans two years. The program starts with concepts in the developmental physiology of the fetus and newborn, the basis for clinical reasoning, research, evidence-based practice, advanced physiology, pathophysiology, and health assessment of the newborns and infants. In addition to didactic courses, the program also includes three clinical courses.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program Details: If you have a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing with full-time experience in acute care, then this post-master’s certificate program is for you. As such the program comprises 22 credits, however, the exact graduation requirements are tailored based on a gap analysis. Clinical experiences form an integral part of your training, requiring you to complete 100 hours in well-baby care, 350 hours in a level III NICU, and another 150 clinical hours in a level IV NICU. Clinical sites are located across Cincinnati, with the college providing preceptors to guide you through your practicum. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to take the NNP certification exam.
4. Wright State University - Dayton, OH
About the School: Wright State University’s graduate nursing programs rank among the nation’s top online graduate programs as per the U.S. News & World Report. The recognition means the NNP education that you receive at this school is of high quality and in tune with the demands of the healthcare industry. Further, this neonatal nurse practitioner program in Ohio boasts excellent pass rates on the certification exam and enjoys partnerships with prominent healthcare facilities in the area. So, you may either choose to complete the clinical experiences within your geographical location, or go on to complete them at partner sites, some of which include the Dayton Children’s Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital, and the Kettering Hospital.
MSN Program Details: This NNP program in Ohio is offered thrice a year in spring, summer, and fall. The coursework comprises 55 credits and 728 clinical hours. The core courses strengthen concepts in role development & leadership, health policy, politics & issues, and nursing research and evidence-based practice. The NNP-specific courses are mainly focused on training you in advanced neonatal pharmacology, neonatal assessment, primary care o newborns and infants, and the management of neonatal NP practice. The program is offered in a hybrid format, with the option of completing the core courses on campus.
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