Careers in Pediatrics: Prepping for PNCB Nursing Certification

October 29, 2021

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A nurse checks in with a girl lying in a hospital bed.

Nearly 10% of nurse practitioners (NPs) in the U.S. have a focus in pediatric care. This is the third highest focus area after family and adult care, according to data from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. This group of NPs, known as pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs), deliver medical services to children and their families and use evidence-based clinical practices to manage their patients’ health needs. Their services include managing disease prevention, ordering diagnostic tests and interpreting results, prescribing medicines and therapies, teaching patients and parents about healthy growth and development, and providing physical examinations.

According to research from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), there is a growing shortage of primary and specialty care physicians, which creates demand for NPs and PNPs to help fill the gaps. PNPs who are seeking to take advantage of these career opportunities and advance in their professions can further distinguish themselves by earning advanced nursing credentials offered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB).

Nurses seeking PNCB nursing certification should note that they need to meet certain criteria to sit for PNCB nursing certification examinations. Minimum requirements include holding current and valid licenses and demonstrating years of experience. Level of education may also play a key role in determining eligibility, depending on which certification nurses pursue. While not all PNCB nursing certifications require advanced degrees, completing programs such as an online Master of Science in Nursing or online post-master’s certificates can help applicants prepare and qualify for PNCB nursing exams.

Prepare for PNCB Certification

The PNCB offers several certifications, including Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care (CPNP-PC), Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Acute Care (CPNP-AC), and Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS). Eligibility requirements and other information for each exam are presented below.

Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)

CPN certification enables hospital registered nurses (RNs) to demonstrate their commitment to care, align their skills with a respected industry standard, boost personal satisfaction and confidence, and pursue professional growth. Only RNs who hold a current, valid, unrestricted, and unencumbered license are eligible to take the exam, according to the PNCB.

Experience is another prerequisite for exam eligibility, consisting of at least 1,800 hours of pediatric clinical experience in the last two years at the time of application. RNs who do not meet this requirement can still qualify provided they demonstrate five years of pediatric nursing experience and 3,000 hours in pediatric nursing (1,000 of these hours must have been achieved in the past two years).

Through certification, nurses demonstrate their expertise, build their confidence, and position themselves for advancement opportunities. Certification provides patients and their families with peace of mind, too. According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 73% of Americans are likely to choose hospitals that employ certified nurses.

Topics in the exam include physical and psychosocial assessment, management of acute and chronic illness, advocacy, and law and ethics.

Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Primary Care (CPNP-PC)

Whether working in private practices or health care settings such as hospitals, clinics, and schools, nurses with CPNP-PC credentials support families and communities by providing primary care for children. This includes helping to prevent and manage the acute illnesses and chronic conditions of their patients from birth to adulthood.

CPNP-PC candidates are licensed RNs who are graduates of either approved graduate-level, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner programs or post-master’s pediatric primary care nursing certificate programs. Transcripts from accredited schools must be provided prior to the certification examination.

Certification goes beyond RN licensure and can be a direct factor in improving the chances of getting hired: the PNCB reports that “90% of nurse managers prefer hiring certified nurses over non-certified nurses if all other factors are equal.” Obtaining certification can also increase professional confidence and personal satisfaction.

The exam covers a wide range of topics, from clinical conditions and procedures to diagnostic testing and screening.

Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner–Acute Care (CPNP-AC)

Nurses with CPNP-AC credentials typically work with families and patients to manage complex, critical, and chronic conditions in a wide range of health care settings.

Like CPNP-PC applicants, nurses seeking their CPNP-AC credential hold RN licenses. They are also graduates of an approved graduate-level program or a post-master’s program from an accredited university with a focus on pediatric acute care.

With knowledge of medicine that goes beyond RN licensure, board-certified CPNP-PCs are specialists in meeting both the physiologic and psychological needs of pediatric patients. As such, they can take on increased responsibility, which may translate into higher salaries. Their knowledge and skills provide them the flexibility to work in a wide range of health care settings — from hospitals to specialized clinics or patient’s homes.

The certification exam tests a candidate’s ability to apply their knowledge and critical thinking skills in wide-ranging topic areas, including health risk evaluation in relation to patients and families, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies, providing diagnosis-based patient data evaluations, care coordination, patient education, and legal implications of care.

Pediatric Primary Care Mental Health Specialist (PMHS)

Nurses who have PMHS credentials specialize in treating mental and behavioral health concerns of children and adolescents. They have the knowledge, training, and experience to identify mental and behavioral health issues and intervene and collaborate to deliver care.

Candidates for this credential hold an APRN license and are certified in any of the following roles:

Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Child/Adolescent Psychiatric & Mental Health CNS (PMHCNS-BC)
Psychiatric-Mental Health NP

Another requirement for certification includes completion of 2,000 practice hours in the areas of pediatric developmental, behavioral, and mental health (DBMH) clinical practice within the past five years. Additionally, candidates must be able to demonstrate either 30 hours of DBMH continuing education or the completion of graduate-level, two-credit DBMH coursework, according to the PNCB.

Benefits of this certification are wide-ranging for nurses, children, and parents. Nurses with PMHS certification are prepared to help children with autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other disorders. Parents are given peace of mind knowing they can access safe and cost-effective mental health care services for their children. In terms of career advantages, PNHS certification may lead to higher salaries and opportunities to start a private practice.

PNCB nursing exam topics are categorized under developmental, behavioral, and mental health promotion; evaluation; diagnostic decision-making; pharmacological and non-pharmacological management; and screening and assessment tools, among other areas.

Explore Online Programs at Regis College

There is increasing opportunity for nurse practitioners to advance in the health care field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects jobs for nurses to grow 31% from 2016 to 2026. This exceeds the average growth for all other occupations.

Regis College offers two programs that can help students take on higher-level roles and prepare for PNCB nursing certification. The online Master of Science in Nursing is designed for bachelor’s-qualified nurses, while online post-master’s certificates are for nurses with qualified master’s degrees in nursing who wish to expand or change their practice scope.

The coursework in these programs varies. Course exams are set up similarly to the PNCB multiple-choice exams, including the types of questions that are asked and length of time to answer. The following courses from the PNP concentration offered by both programs are structured to help students prepare for the PNCB nursing exam:

Primary Care of the Child I and II: These courses use content from other classes in the program, such as topics in pharmacology and pathophysiology, to focus on developing student’s decision-making and clinical management skills. Students engage with the challenges associated with developing system-wide policies for, and ensuring access to care for, pediatric patients. Each course provides students with the opportunity to acquire 300 hours of supervised, real-world clinical experience.
Theory and Practice of Contemporary Psychotherapies: This is an elective course that emphasizes evidence-based practice and enables students to explore theories and methods in advanced practice psychiatric mental health.

These courses are also designed to meet the standards of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) for entry-level roles as a primary care PNP. The NONPF promotes nurse practitioner education at the highest levels.

Take the Next Step

Nursing courses at Regis College are grounded in the medical practices that nurse practitioners face in an evolving health care environment. The online Master of Science in Nursing program and online post-master’s certificates empower students to develop the critical thinking and practical skills that are central to helping improve patient outcomes and deliver quality care.

Discover how these programs can help prepare you to take on advanced practice pediatric nursing roles and make an impact in the lives of children and families.