University of Michigan. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program.

The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program (PNP) was jointly initiated by the School of Nursing, the Department of Continuing Education for Nurses, and the Medical School's Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, in August 1973. It was begun at the request of the Michigan Department of Public Health's Bureau of Maternal Child Health in order to relieve practicing pediatricians of many primary health care responsibilities. A thirty-two week undergraduate credit program was developed leading to a special certificate. Barbara Sachs, who served as nurse co-director, devoted most of her time to the operation of the program. Between 1974 and 1977 the program was funded through a grant from the Division of Nursing, Department of Health, Education and Welfare. In 1979 the existence of eight to ten similar programs, a difficulty in placing program participants in clinical settings, staffing problems and other reasons led the School of Nursing to revamp the PNP, making it a part of the School's graduate degree program. This change, however, did not resolve difficulties experienced within the PNP and in August 1980 the program was ended.