Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist

Creighton’s CNS program will prepare you as an expert in the theory and practice of neonatal nursing. Throughout this program you will be prepared to become a resource for neonatal nurses, NNPs, and other care providers. We will prepare you to establish and evaluate standards of patient care within a unit; to assess and identify educational needs of the family, nursery, and community; to design and implement appropriate educational programs on the basis of identified needs; to provide consultation to others in the nursery, hospital, or community; and to initiate research projects, by participating in data collection, and implementing changes on the basis of research findings. In this program you will develop outcomes projects that monitor and evaluate the efficacy of treatments, and initiate quality improvement activities in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Our curriculum combines both broad foundational knowledge essential for the care of neonates as a vulnerable population, as well as specialty knowledge in high-risk neonatal care. The curriculum focuses on the management of acute and chronic diseases, including health promotion for pregnancy, follow-up care of newborns, and the concepts of family-centered and developmental care.   

BSN-DNP program-Requires students to complete 1200 hours of directly supervised clinical practice which includes a 375 hour residency.  The 66-67 hour doctoral program can be completed in 3 years of full-time study or may be pursued part-time.

Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist Program of Study
Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist Student Plan of Study

MS-DNP program- Options are available for nurses seeking to pursue additional certifications, as well as those already certified as Neonatal Nurse Practitioners seeking to obtain the highest level of nursing practice (DNP) with a minimum of 375 clinical hours. Your advisor will work with you to determine length of program, but most programs can be completed in one calendar year of full-time study or 2 years of part-time study.

Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist Program of Study
Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist Student Plan of Study

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. As soon as an application is complete, it will be forwarded on to members of the Graduate Admissions and Progressions Committee and will reviewed at the next scheduled committee meeting.  An admission decision will be made and applicants will be notified promptly.

Applicants must have a Bachelor of  Science degree with a major in nursing (or Masters’ degree if post-Masters) from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. New graduates are eligible to apply with no prior work experience. However, before enrolling in courses, all applicants must submit copy of their current, unencumbered RN License. Students must meet all admissions requirements, including a course in statistics and Physical Assessment.

Visit our web-site http://nursing.creighton.edu, click on Graduate Programs.  Under Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, there is a link to the DNP Student Application and DNP Student Evaluation/Recommendation. To request a printed copy please contact Ms. Erron Holland by e-mail erronholland@creighton.edu, toll-free (800)544-5071, or direct (402)280-2067. All application materials should be sent to:

School of Nursing-DNP Admissions
Office of Student Affairs
Creighton University
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178