In May, the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing’s first Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (NP) program graduates received their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.
The Pediatric NP program is divided into two three-year, 90-credit-hour concentrations.
The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care (PNP-AC) concentration is based on Population-Focused Nurse Practitioner Competencies for the acute care pediatric nurse practitioner (NONPF, 2013), the NP Core Competencies (NONPF, 2017) and the DNP Essentials (AACN, 2006).
The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care (PNP-PC) concentration is based on the Population-Focused Nurse Practitioner Competencies: Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Competencies (NONPF, 2013), the NP Core Competencies (NONPF, 2017) and the DNP Essentials (AACN, 2006). Both concentrations include a practicum experience designed to immerse students in clinical settings that develop their competencies relevant to the chosen concentration.
A Q&A With the 2022 Graduating Class
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care
Jaron Allen, DNP
What was your career path before entering the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program?
When I first graduated nursing school, I started work in an adult cardiac surgery unit and then transitioned to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU). Through the years, I have also spent a fair amount of time working in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and the newborn intensive care unit (NICU), but pediatric CICU is where my heart is.
What drew you to a career in pediatric nursing?
Nursing is a career that gives you the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life every time you go to work. Taking care of children comes with its own unique challenges. Working in pediatric critical care can be very rewarding, especially when you can see a child come in very sick and, against all odds, they make it home to their family and have a chance to grow up.
Why did you choose the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing’s Pediatric NP program, and how do you feel about being one of its first graduates?
LSU’s commitment to developing this program meant that I could go to a brick-and-mortar school and receive a quality education close to home.
What was the highlight of the program for you?
Dr. Finger [Laurie Finger, DNP, MSN, MN, CNS, NP, CCNS, CPNP-AC, Instructor of Clinical Nursing – Adjunct] and Dr. Nunn [Melissa Nunn, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC, Coordinator of the BSN-DNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care and Acute Care Concentrations] have been invaluable to me, and I am glad that I will continue to be able to benefit from their knowledge and friendship as colleagues.
Give one example that made you feel like you were making a difference for patients.
During my primary care rotation there was a patient who wasn’t being completely honest about their history, but I was able to read between the lines to make the appropriate diagnoses. It was the first time I felt the actual distinction between being the nurse and being the provider, and that I could make a difference for my patients.
Sara Lass, DNP, RN, CCRN
What was your career path before entering the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program?
I always knew I wanted a more comprehensive understanding of patient care and would work up to the provider level. It was just a matter of timing as to when I would go back to school for my NP degree.
What drew you to a career in pediatric nursing?
I’ve always been interested in medicine. Towards the end of nursing school, I realized that working with tiny humans was my calling. Now that I’ve been in the pediatric critical care setting for five years, I can’t imagine working anywhere else.
Why did you choose the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing’s Pediatric NP program, and how do you feel about being one of its first graduates?
I am extremely proud to be one of the first graduates of this program. It wasn’t easy, but I think that as students and faculty we’ve done a lot of good work toward making the program great for future students.
What was the highlight of the program for you?
My favorite part of the program was when we started working closely with the pediatric-specific instructors, Dr. Nunn and Dr. Finger. They’re so hardworking and inspiring.
Give one example that made you feel like you were making a difference for patients.
My DNP project was on providing kangaroo care (skin to skin between mommy and newborn) in the cardiac intensive care setting. It’s so rewarding to have initiated a practice change that facilitates bonding and improves patient outcomes.
Victoria Skinner, DNP, RN-BC
What was your career path before entering the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program?
I worked as a pediatric hematology/oncology nurse before and throughout this program.
What drew you to a career in pediatric nursing?
I became a nurse because I have always been interested in health care. Anytime someone in my family was sick or in the hospital, I would beg my mom to let me go visit so I could see what it was like. I have only ever wanted to work in pediatrics. My heart just breaks for children when they aren’t feeling well. I’ll do anything I can to make them feel better and give them some semblance of a normal childhood experience.
Why did you choose the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing’s Pediatric NP program and how do you feel about being one of its first graduates?
I chose this program because it’s local, comparatively inexpensive, and I liked that there was plenty of opportunity to be in-person as well as online. The fact that LSU works so hard to help us get preceptors is another plus. Watching students from other schools struggle to get preceptors made me so grateful that it wasn’t something I had to worry about. LSU has a great partnership with local health care facilities, so it was always easy to get my foot in the door.
What was the highlight of the program for you?
The clinical experiences were definitely my highlights. We had such a variety of opportunities. It was really cool being in clinicals as an experienced nurse because I felt more confident asking questions, working as part of an interdisciplinary team and interacting with patients.
Give one example that made you feel like you were making a difference for patients.
I got to spend a lot of time with a pediatric trauma/surgery team responsible for treating all of the burn patients. One weekend, we went to the zoo with a bunch of swag and taught kids and their parents about burn safety. It was great to go into the community and teach prevention tactics for some serious injuries I had seen in practice.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
Carlyn Franckiewicz, DNP, RN, CCRN
What was your career path before entering the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program?
I was a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans for two and a half years before entering this program, and I have continued to serve in that role.
What drew you to a career in pediatric nursing?
I appreciated how nursing was both an art and a science. Nurses care for all patient conditions but also care for the patient’s mental state in dealing with medical conditions. From the start of my pediatrics rotation in nursing school, I instantly knew it was where I belonged. The positivity and resilience of the pediatric patients were inspiring to me as a health care provider. Also, I personally believe that I am a little kid at heart!
Why did you choose the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing’s Pediatric NP program, and how do you feel about being one of its first graduates?
This program has an outstanding reputation, and it offers in-person classes. I thought a pediatrics-focused program would prepare me well for my career in pediatrics. I’m honored to be part of the first class of the Pediatric NP program at LSU. Having a pediatric NP program in Louisiana will serve a powerful role in optimizing children’s health in the state.
What was the highlight of the program for you?
My second clinical rotation in the program gave me experience in the emergency department at Children’s Hospital. I saw a variety of patients in a high-volume setting. That rotation made me sharpen my skills and gave me confidence that I could provide great care in my future NP career.
Give one example that made you feel like you were making a difference for patients.
My preceptor and I saw a patient at a clinic in rural southeastern Louisiana who was 3 weeks old and not gaining weight. Based on my observations of the infant, I recommended a referral to a lactation consultant. The lactation consultant confirmed a poor suck and latch and referred the patient to a speech-language pathologist. At that patient’s 2-month well-child visit, the mother thanked me for figuring out what was wrong with her child.
Alyson Wooderson, DNP, RNC-NIC
What was your career path before entering the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program?
I have been a nurse in a Level IV NICU for the past seven years.
What drew you to a career in pediatric nursing?
Ultimately, my heart was drawn to pediatrics. I enjoy caring for such a vulnerable population and being able to celebrate the many milestones I can witness as a nurse.
Why did you choose the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing’s Pediatric NP program, and how do you feel about being one of its first graduates?
I graduated with my BSN from the LSU School of Nursing, so to continue my education through their NP program felt like a natural progression. I was also attracted by the fact that LSU held their classes in person (pre-COVID) as opposed to an online program.
What was the highlight of the program for you?
Dr. Nunn was exceptional these past three years as our champion for success, and I was able to present my DNP project poster at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners conference this year in Dallas.
Give one example that made you feel like you were making a difference for patients.
I loved being granted the opportunity to evaluate newborns recently discharged from the hospital and follow them through their first couple of milestones during practicum experience, while providing guidance and reassurance to the families.
