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NAPNAP Position Statements
NAPNAP Position Statement on Child Maltreatment
A goal of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) is to enhance the quality of health care for infants, children, and adolescents. To achieve this purpose, NAPNAP promotes the provision of a safe, caring, and healthy environment that contributes to optimal growth and development of children from infancy to adulthood.Position Statement on Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive Privileges
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) advocates that all nurse practitioners (NPs) have full prescriptive authority and dispensing privileges based on their education, training, licensure, and certification. Pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) have completed a formal educational program in pediatric health care and have met their state board's regulations that govern advanced practice nursing (American Nurses Association, NAPNAP, & Society of Pediatric Nurses, 2015).Position Statement on Reimbursement for Nurse Practitioner Services
Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide comprehensive, cost-effective, high-quality health care services in diverse settings across the care and age continuum (Institute of Medicine, 2010; Newhouse et al., 2011). The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) believes that NPs must receive equitable reimbursement from all payers in order to provide the communities they serve with the full scope of health care services. NAPNAP understands the unique contribution that NPs make to the U.S.Position Statement on Pediatric Health Care/Medical Home: Key Issues on Care Coordination, Transitions, and Leadership
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) affirms that the delivery of children's health care should be family-centered, accessible, comprehensive, coordinated, culturally appropriate, compassionate, and focused on the overall well-being of children and families. All qualified pediatric health care providers should collaborate in providing health care services for children in pediatric health care/medical homes. Interventions must address the concepts of family-centered partnerships, community-based systems, and transitional care from pediatric to adult services.Position Statement on Credentialing and Privileging for Nurse Practitioners
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) recommends that all nurse practitioners (NPs) be credentialed and privileged to perform services that allow them to practice to the full extent of their education, certification, and licensure. This recommendation is supported by the Institute of Medicine in the report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Through the process of credentialing∗ and privileging,† individual NPs demonstrate competence for the skills required of their role and responsibility.Position Statement on the Prevention and Identification of Overweight and Obesity in the Pediatric Population
Childhood overweight and obesity affect one in three children in the United States, resulting in physical and psychological comorbidities that often persist into adulthood (Barton, 2012; Berenson & Bogalusa Heart Study, 2012; Kelly et al., 2013; Mangner et al., 2014; Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014; Pulgaron, 2013). In response to unprecedented levels of overweight and obesity in the pediatric population (Ogden et al., 2014), the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) encourages pediatric health care providers to prioritize (a) the early identification of infants and children at risk for overweight; (b) the provision of age-specific anticipatory guidance on healthy eating and physical activity for parents, families, and caregivers; and (c) continuity of care for children and adolescents identified as overweight or obese.Position Statement on Malpractice Insurance for Nurse Practitioners
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) recognizes that nurse practitioners (NPs) need access to affordable and adequate malpractice insurance, also called medical professional liability insurance, to protect themselves and their patients.NAPNAP Position Statement on Immunizations
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) fully supports timely and complete immunization of all infants, children, adolescents, and adults to maximize the health and well-being of all people. Routine childhood immunizations prevent approximately 2.5 million deaths every year (World Health Organization, 2012). Maintaining the highest immunization rates possible is essential to prevent outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases across the nation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013).NAPNAP Position Statement on Protection of Children Involved in Research Studies
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) recognizes the critical importance of evidence-based practice that is founded upon sound and rigorous research, including research involving children. Practice improvements and changes stem from research findings that are applied to clinical assessments, decisions, and care. Pediatric research includes infants, children, adolescents, and often family members. Yet children are defined to be a vulnerable population of research participants by virtue of the fact that they are not able to provide fully informed consent regarding their own participation in research (Office for Human Research Protections, U.S.NAPNAP Position Statement on Age Parameters for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Practice
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) broadly defines the pediatric population cared for by pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) as all children from birth through 21 years of age and, in specific situations based on patient needs, individuals older than 21 years until care can be successfully transitioned to adult health care providers (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], American Academy of Family Physicians, and American College of Physicians, Transitions Clinical Report Authoring Group, 2011).NAPNAP Position Statement on Developing the Nursing Workforce
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) advocates a strategy to ensure the development of professionally educated nurses, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nursing faculty who can be utilized to their fullest capacity to meet the growing health care needs of our nation's children and families.NAPNAP Position Statement on the Integration of Mental Health Care in Pediatric Primary Care Settings
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) acknowledges the importance of providing children and adolescents with comprehensive mental health services including anticipatory guidance, prevention strategies, standardized screening, early and evidence-based intervention, and timely follow-up. One out of every four to five children has a mental/behavioral health disorder that constitutes a major public health concern (Merikangas et al., 2010). The incidence of mental/behavioral health disorders is thought to be grossly underestimated because of a lack of appropriate screening, identification, and referral by primary care providers (PCPs).NAPNAP Position Statement on the Role of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in Quality Improvement
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) supports and encourages all pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) to engage in quality improvement (QI) efforts at the local and national levels. QI initiatives are essential to promote optimal health for children and access to evidence-based, safe, quality care. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Quality improvement is a collection of techniques that systematically and scientifically identifies need for change and outlines action plans to make improvements in health care and health services which will then increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes” (AAP, 2012).NAPNAP Position Statement on School-Based Health Care
School-based health centers (SBHCs), which are located on or near school campuses, provide comprehensive primary care to infants, children, and adolescents living or attending school in the local area. SBHCs are a safe and convenient source of health care for children who may not otherwise have access to care. The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) supports the use of primary care pediatric nurse practitioners in SBHCs to maximize access to health care for children by providing comprehensive primary care, managing acute and chronic illnesses, and linking these services with other community resources.NAPNAP Position Statement on Breastfeeding
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) recognizes that optimal nutrition for newborns and infants consists of exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, the addition of appropriate solid foods at 6 months, and continued breastfeeding until 12 months of age or more (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2012; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2007; American Dietetic Association, 2009; Fiocchi, Assa'ad, & Bahna, 2006; United States Breastfeeding Committee [USBC], 2010; United States Department of Health & Human Services [USDHHS], 2009; USDHHS, 2011; World Health Organization [WHO], 2003).NAPNAP Position Statement on the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) endorses the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) as the appropriate credential and level of education for advanced practice nursing. NAPNAP has consistently led the way in advancing the role of the pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) by advocating quality education. Master’s-prepared PNPs have made significant contributions to improving the health and welfare of children throughout the U.S. and will continue to play a significant role.
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