Arizona Nurse - October 2021

Page 12 • Arizona Nurse October, November, December 2021
Patricia Johnson, a Trailblazer in Neonatal Care
Shannon E. Perry, RN
Arizona started transporting infants to St.
Joseph and Good Samaritan Hospitals in Phoenix
for specialty care in 1967. Shortly thereafter,
Tucson Medical Center and the University of
Arizona Health Sciences Center established
newborn intensive care units and started
receiving transported infants (Perry, 2021).
Regionalization of perinatal care throughout the
country became widespread in the 1970s and
premature and sick infants were transported to
specialty nurseries.
Specially trained nurses became essential to
provide care for these high-risk infants. Slovis and
Comerci (1974) described a program to prepare
nursery nurses as neonatal nurse practitioners
(NNPs). The program consisted of 24 hours
of teaching by physicians at the crib side and
approximately two months of supervised clinical
experience. Only two nurses were in this initial
class, but the program was deemed a success.
The first NNP prepared at the graduate level was
Patricia Johnson (Johnson, 2002). An experienced
neonatal and pediatric intensive care nurse,
Johnson designed a graduate curriculum to test
the feasibility of an advanced-practice role in a
NICU. She managed her group of neonates during
a seven-week internship. Johnson maintained
a traditional resident physician schedule by
working seven days a week and in-house every
third night. At the end of the internship, she
designed a method to evaluate the trial. The
management she provided was compared to that
provided by resident physicians for ten similar
neonates. The results were evaluated by blinded
chart review by ten leading neonatologists in
the West. These results provided evidence that
an advanced practice nurse could give care
comparable to that provided by the resident
physicians (Johnson, 2002).
From Johnson’s groundbreaking educational
preparation and practice, the roles in specialty
care of neonates have proliferated. Today there
are over 7,000 certified low-risk neonatal intensive
care nurses, 30,000 certified neonatal intensive
care nurses, 7,900 certified NNPs (About NCC,
2021), and 1,700 certified neonatal clinical nurse
specialists (AACN, n.d.).
Since graduation in 1974, Johnson has
functioned as an NNP in several settings
providing care to neonates, transporting infants,
and supervising other NNPs. She has served
as faculty and clinical preceptor in several
universities. Johnson earned a Master of Public
Health in 2002 and a Doctorate in Nursing
Practice in 2008.
Johnson has a long list of professional
publications, holds membership in a number
of professional associations, and has served
in numerous leadership positions. Her honors
include the Distinguished Service Award and
Distinguished Leader in Neonatal Nursing Award
from Nurses Association of Neonatal Nurses
(NAAN), the NNP Excellence in Practice Award
from National Association of Neonatal Nurse
Practitioners (NANN/NANNP). She was an
inaugural inductee into the Neonatal Nursing
Hall of Fame of the Academy of Neonatal Nursing
(P. Johnson, curriculum vitae, October 10, 2020).
Johnson noted that her biggest challenge
as an NNP was early in her career when she
was pioneering the NNP role among so many
physicians and nurses who were not in favor
of nurses expanding their roles in patient
management. What she likes most about being
an NNP is the opportunity to use her skills to help
a baby survive and attend births of babies with
initial needs and problems (P. Johnson, personal
communication, April 23, 2021).
Johnson believes there is a future for NNPs
because more and more physicians prefer not
to participate in the hands-on management of,
and the detailed processing of the management
plan for, high-risk neonates. She hopes more
nurses will consider pursuing a career as NNPs
but is not convinced that a DNP is required for
this role. However, she promotes the education
and tools provided in the DNP curriculum to
optimize nurses’ contributions to improving
care (P. Johnson, personal communication, April
23, 2021).
Currently, Johnson is an NNP with staff
privileges and NNP Coordinator at Valleywise
Health/AZ Children’s Center in Phoenix. She
is responsible for clinical management of
newborns in all levels of care and for teaching
and mentoring residents.
Dr. Patricia Johnson, DNP, MPH, APRN,
NNP, was a trailblazer in neonatal care and has
continued to contribute to the care of these
vulnerable infants. Many NNPs and families owe
her a debt of gratitude. Kudos to her!
References
About NCC. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.
nccwebsite.org/about-ncc.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
(n.d.). Certification exam statistics and cut scores.
Retrieved from https://www.aacn.org/certification/
preparation-tools-and-
Johnson, P. J. (2002). The history of the neonatal nurse
practitioner: Reflections from “Under the looking
glass.” Neonatal Network, 21(5), 51-59.
Perry, S. E. (2021). Regionalization of premature infant
care in Arizona and the nurses who helped
make it happen: Frances L. Mast and Sister Alice
Montgomery. Arizona Nurse, 74 (1), 9.
Slovis, T. L., & Comerci, G. D. (1974). The neonatal nurse
practitioner. American Journal of Diseases of
Children, 128, 310-314.
Because of AzNA nurses can say YES
YES
YES
YES
there is a strong state-wide
voice for nursing
nurses influence laws, rules
and Scope of Practice
collaboration on the local
and national level
www.aznurse.org
YES
YES
YES
promotion of a healthy
Arizona
nationally accredited
continuing education
nurses have access to
mentors and role models
Fundamentals of
Healthcare for Veterans
45 CE credits available | Cost: $450
This online, noncredit course offered by ASU’s
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation
provides an introduction for health professionals of
all backgrounds to the unique healthcare needs of
veterans, military patients and their families.
https://nursingandhealth.asu.edu/programs/
continuing-education/veteran-healthcare
aznurse.org/JoinToday