Emory's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing will begin the only Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) program in the State of Georgia beginning Fall 2014 semester. The new specialty master's program will educate experienced neonatal nurses as primary, acute, and critical care advanced neonatal practice nurses. Students will receive extensive clinical preparation to competently perform comprehensive physical assessments, diagnostic evaluations, and symptom and disease management for the neonatal population.

The program is designed to be completed in four consecutive semesters of full-time study. Students will be prepared for independent NNP practice with over 600 clinical training hours at all Emory-affiliated neonatal intensive care units and outpatient clinics.

The NNP curriculum will also provide education across the life span on several topics of health care promotion, healthcare quality and safety, and health assessment. All MSN students will participate in leadership development seminars, professional growth courses and research/evidence-based projects. Clinical experiences are tailored to meet individual student's needs in an effort to cultivate independence in the Neonatal Advanced practice role.

"The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing has a longstanding, rich history of educating nursing professionals to be innovative and trailblazing leaders in healthcare," says Linda McCauley, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAAOHN, dean of Emory's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing,  "Programs such as this serve as a model for future programs that are essential in improving the health outcomes of our tiniest patients."

Priority application deadline is April 1, 2014. For more information, visit http://nursing.emory.edu/admission/programs/msn/neonatal-np.html.