The history of the neonatal nurse practitioner in the United States.

Emergence of the neonatal nurse practitioner role in the 1970s was influenced by improved care for high-risk neonates, the expanding role of neonatal nursing, medical staff shortages, and the nurse practitioner movement. The role continued to evolve in the 1980s and 1990s. This article chronicles the development of the neonatal nurse practitioner role, education, and certification.