Pediatric Nursing Jobs in Maryland - MD

According to the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland, in 2010 there are 450 pediatric nurse practitioners and 16 pediatric nurse practitioners working in acute care who practice in the state. If you’d like to join their ranks, you must first lean how to become a pediatric nurse in Maryland. This career is a highly rewarding one that requires a registered nurse license in Maryland, as well as post-graduate certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) or a master’s degree. After graduation, PNPs must become certified in their specialty area by taking a national examination. Certification options exist from various national organizations including but not limited to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

A pediatric nurse practitioner’s job description involves providing medical care to children and adolescents, examining them, diagnosing and treating their problems, ordering and reading laboratory tests, prescribing medications, and educating patients and families. In Maryland, PNPs may be reimbursed by private medical insurance, Medicare and Medicaid as primary care providers, and may also be listed by HMOs as such. Before being allowed to practice in Maryland, a PNP needs an agreement on file showing they have collaborated with a state-approved physician on matters of medical protocol.