Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

This program prepares advanced practice nurses to provide direct care to acute and chronically ill children, and participate in the support of systems, education, and consultation in a variety of settings including intensive care units, emergency departments, other inpatient units, as well as ambulatory, rehabilitative and specialty-based clinics. As a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist(PCNS), you will be prepared to collaborate  with members of the health care team to enhance patient care by developing, educating, and supporting nursing staff and providing clinical expertise to patients in the pediatric setting. You will be prepared as a clinician, educator, investigator, consultant, role model and leader. This program will prepare you to make clinical judgments based upon a synthesis of current research, concepts, principles, theories, and outcomes to solve complex problems. You will function as an integral part of a larger interdisciplinary team contributing to excellence in patient care, research, teaching, and in providing leadership to the nursing staff and to the organization.

PCNSs work in collaboration with health care teams in a variety of settings to facilitate quality care for children across the continuum of care settings. PCNSs function as clinical experts in the planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care standards. The curriculum combines both broad foundational knowledge essential for the care of children as a vulnerable population, as well as specialty knowledge in pediatrics. Attention is given to health promotion, prevention of disease and disability, disease process, treatment, clinical management, and family-centered care provided in a variety of acute and critical care settings including hospitals, intensive care units, emergency departments, and clinics.

BSN-DNP program-Requires students to complete 1200 hours of directly supervised clinical practice which includes a 375 hour residency.  The 71 hour doctoral program can be completed in 3 years of full-time study or may be pursued part-time.

Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist Program of Study
Pediatric 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 Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners seeking to obtain the highest level of nursing practice (DNP). Your advisor will work with you one on one to determine length of program.

Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist Program of Study
Pediatric 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. Please refer to the website below or contact Mrs. Erron Holland by email or phone for more detailed information regarding admission requirements.

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 Mrs. 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