NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation Program

The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and introduces the basic skills required for neonatal resuscitation. NRP certification is ideal for healthcare professionals involved in the care of newborns at birth and may be involved in any aspect of neonatal resuscitation, such as registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, nurse midwives, respiratory therapists and other healthcare providers.

NRP certification involves completing the NRP curriculum, which utilizes a blended learning approach. Students/Providers must complete online testing and hands-on case-based simulations that focus on communication, teamwork and critical leadership skills. The program is designed for any healthcare professional who provides direct care during neonatal resuscitation.

The traditional instructor-led NRP course now offers two status levels based on a provider’s level of care. NRP Essentials Provider and NRP Advanced Provider courses result in the appropriate Provider eCard upon completion of all course requirements. Healthcare facilities generally have policies on who should obtain NRP Essentials or NRP Advanced provider status.

NRP Essentials Providers must complete the Online Learning Assessment, an adaptive eLearning component. The online portion of NRP certification is intended to assess and verify students’ fundamental knowledge of the NRP Essentials Provider curriculum, which includes textbook lessons 1 through 4. These lessons are suitable for any healthcare provider involved in the care of a newborn who may be required to initiate neonatal resuscitation, including positive pressure ventilation. Upon completion of the online components, students register for an Essentials instructor-led event to review and practice essential resuscitation skills and participate in simulations and debriefings. After passing all in-person assignments, students are issued an NRP Essentials Provider eCard.

• Completion Time: Online Learning Assessment timeframe varies based on how many questions students answer correctly on the first try. The NRP course agenda varies, but standard instructor-led events take about 3 to 4 hours.

• Cost: NRP Textbook $76.95 for paperback or eBook version. Essential Provider curriculum is $45. Fees for instructor-led events are at the discretion of the instructor and/or the institution holding the event to compensate them for time, space and equipment.

NRP Advanced Providers must also complete the Online Learning Assessment and pass an Advanced Exam, which includes 35 questions with unlimited pass attempts. The online portion of the course is intended to assess and verify students’ fundamental knowledge of the NRP Advanced Provider curriculum, which includes textbook lessons 1 through 11. These lessons are suitable for any healthcare provider who participates in neonatal resuscitation beyond positive-pressure ventilation. Advanced lessons are also intended for those who attend births and are responsible for the anticipated resuscitation of newborns based on known risk factors. Upon completion of the online components, students must register for an Advanced instructor-led event to review and practice advanced resuscitation skills and participate in simulations and debriefings. After passing all in-person assignments, students are issued an NRP Advanced Provider eCard.

• Completion time: Online learning assessment timeframe varies based on how many questions students answer correctly on the first try. Completion time of the Advanced Exam varies based on how many attempts it takes to pass. The NRP course agenda varies, but standard instructor-led events take 3 to 4 hours.

• Cost: NRP Textbook $76.95 for paperback or eBook version. Advanced Provider curriculum is $45. Fees for instructor-led events are at the discretion of the instructor and/or the institution holding the event to compensate them for time, space and equipment.

Students/Providers must complete Provider Curriculum Part 1 before attending an instructor-led event, or they will be denied entry into the in-person class. Part 1 includes self-study of the textbook, the Online Learning Assessment and the Part 1 evaluation. Advanced Providers must also pass the 35-question Advanced Exam. Students complete Part 1 online. 

Provider Curriculum Part 2 is the instructor-led event, which students must register for in advance. They must bring a printed copy of their Part 1 completion certificate to the event to prove they completed the online component. Once students finish all the steps covered in the in-person class, the instructor approves their skills and their NRP Provider eCard will be generated online.

NRP Provider eCards are active for 2 years and expire at the end of the month in which the healthcare professional completed the course. Before the expiration date, NRP providers must complete Part 1 of the NRP Provider Course, then attend an instructor-led event to renew NRP certification.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation, American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and Commission on Accreditation of Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE) to provide continuing education to various medical professionals. Therefore, completing NRP Part 1 provides 4.6 contact hours for RNs, 5 NAPNAP CE contact hours for NPs, 5 hours of Category 1 credit for certified nurse midwives, 5 contact hours CRCE credit for respiratory therapists, 5 advanced CE hours for emergency medical services providers and 5 AMA PRA Category 1 credits for physicians and physician assistants.

Medical professionals who complete the Advanced Provider curriculum are eligible for a higher number of continuing education credits. These include 11.9 contact hours for RNs, 12 NAPNAP CE contact hours for NPs, 12 hours of Category 1 credit for certified nurse midwives, 12 contact hours CRCE credit for respiratory therapists, 12 advanced CE hours for emergency medical services providers and 12 AMA PRA Category 1 credits for physicians and physician assistants.

The AAP advises healthcare professionals that entities offering Neonatal Resuscitation Program certification cards through online courses aren’t affiliated or associated with the AAP and have no authority from the AAP or the American Heart Association to issue these cards. NRP certification requires an in-person component. Cards being issued by these entities aren’t official AAP/AHA NRP Course Completion cards.

Nurses, emergency medical technicians, and other healthcare providers who may encounter pediatric emergencies during their work may benefit from other training and certifications directly related to children and infants, including:

• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification is often required of nurses and other medical providers who regularly work with pediatric patients.

• Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS) certification prepares healthcare providers to quickly assess, recognize, communicate and provide initial intervention for pediatric patients with respiratory emergencies, cardiopulmonary arrest and shock to improve outcomes.

• Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work, and Emotional support (STABLE) neonatal education focuses on post-resuscitation or pre-transport stabilization.

Registered nurses who regularly treat or specialize in treating infants and children should consider professional certifications like:

• Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) credentials for RNs who work in an emergency setting and want to demonstrate their expertise and knowledge in pediatric emergency nursing.

• RNC Certification for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC) for RNs providing care to acutely and critically ill neonatal patients within an intensive care environment.

• Pediatric Nursing Certification (PED-BC) for RNs who specialize in caring for children from infancy through their late teens.

• Critical Care Registered Nurse-Pediatric (CCRN-Pediatric) certification for RNs who provide direct care to acutely or critically ill pediatric patients regardless of their physical location.

• Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) credentials to validate the knowledge and expertise of pediatric nurses in the promotion and restoration of health and management of acute and chronic illness in infants, children, and adolescents.

• Acute/Critical Care Nursing-Neonatal (CCRN-Neonatal) certification for RNs who provide direct care to acutely or critically ill neonatal patients regardless of their physical location.

• Acute/Critical Care Knowledge Professional-Neonatal (CCRN-K-Neonatal) recognizes nurses who influence the care provided to patients of neonatal acute or critical care units without providing direct patient care.

Other related certifications include the AAPCC Certified Specialist in Poison Information (C-SPI).