Thomas Jefferson University Online Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) Program

What to Expect from the Thomas Jefferson University Online NNP Programs

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the TJU Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program must hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, plus an unencumbered RN license in their state of residence. In addition, applicants must be eligible to secure RN licensure in a nearby state to allow for clinical placements in two states if necessary.

Application materials include official transcripts, a 750-word personal statement, a professional resume, two letters of reference, proof of RN licensure, a certificate of acceptance for RN licensure in Nevada if applicable, one letter of reference, and a personal statement. Applicants must have at least one year of clinical work experience in a level three or four neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). No GRE is required.

International applicants or those with international education must submit transcript reviews. In addition, if English is not the primary language, applicants must show proof of English language proficiency.

Prerequisites include bachelor’s level elementary statistics, undergraduate physical assessment, and undergraduate nursing research. These must be completed with a grade of “B” or higher.

State Restrictions: Thomas Jefferson University accepts students from many states into the NNP program, however, some states are restricted, or in the process of approval. These include Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Each applicant should investigate eligibility to participate in the NNP program with their State Board of Nursing as well as the Jefferson College of Nursing. Some states listed here may have gained approval since the time of this writing.

Study Plan: NNP students may begin in the Fall, Spring, or Summer. All students complete an in-person orientation at the beginning of the program. The MSN program can be completed in two years taking two courses per semester. Students can also complete the program in three to four years on a more part-time basis in order to continue working full-time. Students will develop a plan at the initial orientation.

During practicums, students are required to complete 16 clinical hours per week for a total of 672 hours for the program. Courses include online coursework and six to 10 campus visits in Philadelphia, PA, plus locally approved clinical preceptorships. Students should expect to spend at least six to 10 hours per week on each course.

MSN – NNP Curriculum: The online NNP program comprises 36 credits plus 672 clinical hours. Core courses include Health Policy, Legal, and Ethical Dimensions of Practice; Research for Advanced Nursing Practice I-II; Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse; Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice; and Epidemiology for the Health Professions.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty courses include Pathophysiology of Human Disease; Diagnostic Reasoning and Clinical Decision-Making for Neonatal Nurse Practitioners I-III; Comprehensive Assessment for Clinical Decision-Making for the Mother and the Neonate; and Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

Online Experience: TJU utilizes Canvas as its online Learning Management System (LMS). Courses may be asynchronous with live lectures that are recorded for later viewing. Other courses or course elements may be asynchronous. Students should have a microphone and headset or earbuds instead of using computer speakers. Files must be saved in MS Office formats if students do not have the MS Office suite.

Faculty have weekly business hours to respond to email and voicemail messages, and students can request one-on-one appointments. Student services include technical support from the IT support desk, library services through the Scott Library, and support for the learning management system through EdTech support. As well, Students have access to academic support services, the Student Writing Center, disability accommodations, and career counseling.

On-Site Requirements: NNP students come to the Philadelphia, PA campus for six to 10 visits. These include an initial orientation, a neonatal skill lab, two visits for the Physical Assessment course, and one to two visits per semester during the three clinical courses. Since this could total less than ten visits we have decided to profile this program. All other coursework is online with clinicals completed local to the student in approved states of study.