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Objective: To assess the current pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) workforce and to investigate the impact of potential policy changes to address forecasted shortages., Methods: We modeled the admission of students into nursing bachelor's programs and followed them through advanced clinical programs. Prediction models were combined with optimal decision-making to determine best-case scenario admission levels. We computed 2 measures: (1) the absolute shortage and (2) the expected number of years until the PNP workforce will be able to fully satisfy PNP demand (ie, self-sufficiency)., Results: There is a forecasted shortage of PNPs in the workforce over the next 13 years. Under the best-case scenario, it would take at least 13 years for the workforce to fully satisfy demand. Our analysis of potential policy changes revealed that increasing the specialization rate for PNPs by 4% would decrease the number of years required until there are enough PNPs from 13 years to 5 years. Increasing the certification examination passing rate to 96% from the current average of 86.9% would lead to self-sufficiency in 11 years. In addition, increasing the annual growth rate of master's programs to 36% from the current maximum of 10.7% would result in self-sufficiency in 5 years., Conclusions: Current forecasts of demand for PNPs indicate that the current workforce will be incapable of satisfying the growing demand. Policy changes can result in a reduction in the expected shortage and potentially improve access to care for pediatric patients., (Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: There are ∼ 13,000 pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) in the United States. PNPs have been suggested as professionals who could provide care to the growing cadre of children with chronic illnesses and expand the pool of subspecialty care providers. Little is known about current roles of PNPs in primary or subspecialty care., Objective: To gain a better understanding of the roles, focus of practice, professional setting, and professional responsibilities of PNPs., Methods: We conducted a mail survey of a random national sample of 1200 PNPs stratified according to states that license NPs to practice independently. χ(2) statistics were used to assess responses from PNPs in states that allow independent practice versus those that do not and on PNPs in primary versus specialty care., Results: The overall response rate was 82.4%. Ninety-six percent (n = 636) of the PNPs were female. More than half of all the respondents (59% [n = 391]) worked in primary care, and almost two-thirds (64% [n = 394]) did not provide care in inpatient settings. Only 11% of the PNPs in states that allow independent practice, practiced independently., Conclusions: The majority of PNPs currently work in primary care, and most do not have any inpatient roles. It does not seem that independent PNP practices are responsible for a significant portion of pediatric visits. For those who posit that PNPs will help alleviate the currently perceived shortage of pediatric subspecialists, our findings indicate that it likely will not occur without a significant change in the PNP workforce distribution.

Objective: To assess the current distribution and training patterns of pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs)., Study Design: Secondary data analysis from the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the 2008 US Census Bureau were used to estimate the distribution of PNPs per 100,000 children. Data on nurse practitioner (NP) graduation and specialty education programs were obtained from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing., Results: PNPs have the greatest concentration in the New England and mid-Atlantic regions and a narrow band of Midwestern states. States that allow PNPs to practice or prescribe independently do not consistently have a higher density of PNPs per child population. There has been a slight decrease in the proportion of programs that offer PNP training. In the last decade, the proportion of NP graduates pursuing family nurse practitioner education has increased, and the proportion pursuing PNP education has decreased., Conclusion: Workforce planning for the health care of children will require improved methods of assessment of the role of PNPs and the volume of care they provide. Increased use of PNPs in pediatrics will likely require greater effort at recruitment of NPs into the PNP specialty., (Copyright (c) 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)