A small child is cared for by a nurse.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care (PNP-AC)

Post-master's certificate

  • Graduates are eligible for the PNP-AC certification exam administered by PNCB
  • Guaranteed admission for UVA School of Nursing alumni
  • Application deadline: January 5

PNP-ACs—on the cutting edge of advanced practice—provide care to the most vulnerable pediatric populations across a multitude of inpatient and outpatient settings.

The UVA School of Nursing is dedicated to providing exceptional, affordable education in accordance with AACN, NONPF, and PNCB standards in the preparation of pediatric nurses as leaders, scholars, and expert licensed independent practitioners in the care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with acute, complex, critical, and chronic illness.

The PNP-AC role

Interested in learning more about the differences in training and job expectations between acute care and primary care PNPs?

Apply

Admission Requirements

To be considered for the certificate, applicants must:

  • Submit a completed application
  • Possess an active state license and certification to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse at program start
  • Have a master's degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school (CCNE or ACEN)
  • Have completed three separate comprehensive graduate-level courses in: advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology
  • Hold an unencumbered RN license in the US at the time of application.  All matriculating students who are not active-duty military nurses must have a Virginia RN license before the first day of classes.
  • Have at least 1 year of full-time RN practice
  • Submit three satisfactory recommendations (academic, professional, and clinical), one of which should be from an APRN
  • Submit a resume or CV
  • Be available for an interview, if requested
  • International applicants have additional admissions requirements

GRE: we no longer require GRE scores as a component of the application.

Financial Aid

Click here for tuition information.

Students in the certificate programs at UVA are ineligible for scholarship assistance or student loans. University aid is restricted to those who are enrolled in degree programs (MSN, DNP, PhD, etc).

Classes

Required classes:

  • GNUR 6730 Genetics, Embryology & Developmental Physiology (2 credits)
  • GNUR 6620 Pediatric Health & Wellness (2 credits) - may be waived for practicing primary care PNPs
  • GNUR 6632 PNP-AC Seminar II (3 credits)
  • GNUR 6633 PNP-AC Seminar III (3 credits)
  • GNUR 6634 PNP-AC Practicum I (1 credit) - may be waived for practicing primary care PNPs
  • GNUR 6635 PNP-AC Practicum II (5 credits)
  • GNUR 6636 PNP-AC Practicum III (5 credits)

Clinicals

Students complete 600 clinical hours in the PNP-AC track, most in two semester-long preceptorships in the final two semesters of enrollment. Clinical placement sites are established with collaboration between the student and faculty and are assigned based upon optimal learning experiences, students' requests, and availability.

All clinical/practicum activities are generally conducted within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Clinical/practice activities may be conducted outside Virginia if the University is authorized to place students in that state and pending faculty approval.

Plans of Study

Technology Requirements

All graduate nursing students are required to have a laptop; information about these requirements will be sent to enrolling students before classes begin. Please see the School of Nursing Computing Policies for more guidance on laptop ownership requirements.

State Authorization and Professional Licensure Disclosures

As a member of the State Authorizations Reciprocity Agreement, the University of Virginia (UVA) is authorized to provide curriculum in a distance learning environment to students located in all states in the United States except for California. (34 CFR 668.43(a)(6)& 34 CFR 668.72(n)).  

Upon completion of this certificate, graduates may be eligible for initial professional licensure in another U.S. state by applying to the licensing board or agency in that state.

Please visit the University’s state authorization web pages to make an informed decision regarding which states’ educational requirements for initial licensure are met by this program. (668.43(a)(5) (v)(A) - (C))

Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a state other than Virginia should update this information immediately in the Student Information System as it may impact their ability to complete internship, practicum, or clinical hours, use Title IV funds, or meet licensure or certification requirements in the new state. (34 CFR 668.402).

Spring 2024 classes will be held on: January 23, February 20, March 12, April 9, and April 30

Summer 2024 classes will be held on: May 28, June 11, June 25, July 9, and July 30

The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record is the official repository for academic program requirements.