The next frontier in advanced practice nursing: Infectious diseases nurse practitioner certification.

The increasing complexity of infectious diseases (ID) care, including antimicrobial stewardship, emerging pathogens, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy, and expanding immunocompromised populations, has significantly broadened the role of nurse practitioners (NPs) in IDs practice. Concurrent challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, recurrent pandemics, evolving immunization guidelines, and vaccine hesitancy, further underscore the need for specialized expertise. This article proposes formal recognition of IDs as a NP subspecialty and outlines a framework for a postgraduate certification for Infectious Diseases Nurse Practitioners. The proposed competencies are grounded in the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties' NP Role Core Competencies and align with the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials for Advanced Nursing Education. The framework also incorporates a One Health perspective, recognizing the interconnected influences of human, animal, and environmental health on ID management. Establishing a structured pathway for advanced training and certification may strengthen the NP workforce and enhance the delivery of comprehensive, evidence-based ID care.