Capacity of, and Demand for, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Educational Programs: A Missing Piece of the Workforce Puzzle.

Background: Studies have demonstrated a dramatic increase in the number of new nurse practitioners (NPs) overall completing NP education each year. However, NPs who provide specialized care to children have not experienced increases in their pipeline at all. This has resulted in shortages of neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of the NNP pipeline and potential for increasing the number of new NNPs graduating each year.

Methods: Telephone survey of all NNP educational programs.

Discussion: Approximately one fourth of all NNP education programs had closed over the past several years. This is despite a strong job market, planned increases in hiring NNPs, and a seemingly growing shortage of NNPs.

Conclusion: Problems with the NNP pipeline are not due to a lack of capacity of existing programs, but rather to difficulties in increasing the enrollment demand.