Celebrating NAPNAP's 50th Anniversary
Throughout 2023, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) will be celebrating our 50th anniversary and place in history as the first national nurse practitioner society. We have a rich history of optimizing child and family health to honor. Equally important – we have an incredibly bright future. This is why we have themed our yearlong celebration 50Forward.
Visit all of the webpages under our 50Forward tab and look for new content in the weeks and months to come. Take a walk down memory lane in our gallery of past event and member photos. You can also view our retrospective of NAPNAP’s provider and public education projects (coming soon!).
The History of NAPNAP
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your professional home. As we celebrate throughout 2023 and look towards building in years to come, please enjoy the rich history of our association.
Convened a planning meeting in Ohio to discuss uniting nurse practitioners
Published first newsletter, "The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner"
Hosted first national meeting in Chicago with 400 attendees and officially founded NAPNAP
Conducted first educational conference and business meeting; drafted and approved Scope of Practice statement
Published Pediatric Nursing, NAPNAP's first journal
Trademarked first logo
Supported by Ross Laboratories, Mead Johnson, Wyeth, Johnson & Johnson and American Academy of Pediatrics
Established the National Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Associates, a separate entity to develop certification, with representatives from NAPNAP, AAP and faculty group
Transitioned NAPNAP's operations to a management company and hired first paid executive director
First certification exam for PNPs conducted by NBPNPA; 958 testers
Recognized Ohio, Arkansas and Los Angeles as first NAPNAP chapters
Established NAPNAP Foundation
Presented first Henry K. Silver Memorial Award to Patricia McAtee
Hosted NAPNAP's first nursing conference on pediatric primary care in Washington, D.C.
Presented first Loretta C. Ford Distinguished Fellow Award to Katie Barton Frantz
Adopted NAPNAP's first legislative platform; launched "NAPNAP and Children Growing Together" public relations campaign
Conducted NAPNAP's first certification review course
Revised Scope of Practice Statement to describe relationship with physicians as collegial rather than supervisory; grassroots support from PNPs and pediatricians positively facilitated the revision
Appointed first director of government relations; hired first lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
Established NAPNAP's first independent national office in New Jersey
Debuted Journal of Pediatric Health Care to meet needs of changing membership
Conducted public awareness campaign about PNPs as health care leaders; published related provider and patient booklets
Initiated Risk Management Project and published "Risk Management for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners"
Conducted the Universe Study, focused on NAPNAP's membership recruitment and retention
State legislation covering reimbursement and prescriptive authority for NPs introduced and passed
Direct reimbursement under Medicaid became effective for PNPs
Participated in high profile national projects on pediatric HIV/AIDs and immunization
Published first position statement after formation of policy and position committee
National health care reform movement caused NAPNAP to evaluate its strategic planning to respond to future demand
Approved formation of first two special interest groups — Child Care and School-based Health
Approved investigation into developing a research agenda
National dialogue about merging all advanced practice nurses into a single generic role; NAPNAP advocated for specific NP recognition
Developed and executed "Put Prevention into Practice", NAPNAP's first major government-funded project
Published first white paper, Education Preparation and Role Parameter of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
Developed NAPNAP's first website
Hosted first Capitol Hill Day in Washington, D.C.
Adapted logo to align with changes in infant sleep health
Celebrated NAPNAP's 25th anniversary
Removed "Associates &" from organization name
Launched Keep your Child/Self Safe and Secure (KySS) campaign
Published first Baby Steps consumer magazine
Approved new logo representative of pediatric population
Launched Healthy Eating and Activity Together (HEAT©) initiative as joint NAPNAP/NAPNAP Foundation project
Participated in the development and publication of the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education
Issued first NAPNAP advocacy call to action which focused on Medicaid funding
Published first edition of KySS Guide to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Screening, Early Intervention, and Health Promotion
Presented first Grassroots Advocacy Award
Co-published first Core Review for Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners book
Converted NAPNAP national election to online voting system
Hosted first student reception at national conference with special guest Dr. Loretta Ford
Launched NAPNAP online education platform, PNPSourCE — now PedsCESM
Co-published first Pediatric Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice
Published first Ready Set Grow consumer magazine
Unified NAPNAP chapters with national organization to promote uniform standards for education, practice, regulation, advocacy and communication messages
Launched first online e-communities for NAPNAP members
Launched Twitter page
Launched Facebook page
Helped initiate the LACE Network
Launched LinkedIn page
Convened Optimum Board Size and Structure Advisory Working Group which led to 11-member board and introduction of members-at-large
Amended bylaws to reflect new board structure and inclusivity of all pediatric-focused APRNs
Launched Instagram page
Expanded in-person CE offerings to include specialty symposia
Introduced The Leader in Pediatric Education for Nurse Practitioners® for educational marketing
Hosted first SIG leader summit in Chicago
Received award for Social Responsibility from the New York Society of Association Executives
Conducted first national radio media tour focused on cancer prevention/ HPV
Founded NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth with first campaign Alliance for Children in Trafficking
Initiated group membership program with institutional partners
Hosted first chapter officer summit in Denver
Convened Diversity and Inclusion taskforce which led to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion national committee in 2020
Signed on to first amicus brief in Flores v. Barr lawsuit challenging the administration’s regulations intended to replace the Flores Settlement Agreement
Published white paper, Critical Shortage of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Predicted
Initiated Student Ambassadors volunteer marketer program
COVID-19 global pandemic; conducted highly successful virtual 41st National Conference on Pediatric Health Care
Conducted first TeamPeds Experts Live on Facebook
Posted first TeamPeds Talks podcast
Launched new national, chapter and SIG branding with logo and hero message "Experts in Pediatrics, Advocates for Children" and newly designed and upgraded website
Published white paper, Recognizing Child Trafficking as a Critical Emerging Health Threat
Published Exhausted and Burned Out: COVID-19 Emerging Impacts Threaten the Health of the Pediatric Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Workforce
Participated as plaintiff in County of Santa Clara, et al. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, et al. - successful legal challenge to block the “Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely” (SUNSET) rule
Received CDC grant for Lyme disease prevention initiative
Published first Pulse of the Profession report
Received CDC grant for COVID-19 immunization initiative
Partipated in first amicus brief in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County v. Talevski
Celebrating NAPNAP's 50th anniversary, themed 50Forward
