The Role of the NNP in Facilitating Family-Centered Care

THE NEONATAL NURSE practitioner (NNP) has come a long way since the 1970s. A profession that was once educated in certificate programs is now one in which each nurse practitioner is master's prepared. The practitioner role has evolved from one of limited scope to its form as originally intended—an effective part of the collaborative team. The neonatal nurse practitioner collaborates not only with a physician, but with the entire NICU staff and family members. NNPs are excellent examples of the health care team approach that combines educated, research-based care with compassionate family-centered objectives.