Considering advancing your nursing career in the unique women’s health specialty? Here’s what you need to know.
You can advance to a primary care healthcare role across the lifespan as a women’s health nurse practitioner. The WHNP specialty is an excellent option for current RNs seeking greater autonomy in their practice and to focus their care on women’s health—in the pregnancy/childbirth period and across the lifespan as a primary care provider.
Here’s 关于成为WHNP你需要知道的:
Know the role: what does a women's health nurse practitioner do?
一名妇女保健执业护士(WHNP) an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who focuses on providing healthcare services to women across the lifespan, 从青春期到更年期甚至更久.
而许多注册护士可以专攻劳动 & delivery or OBGYN, WHNPs have more autonomy to provide preventive & educational primary care for women across all ages and stages of life.
General roles & responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities of a women’s health nurse practitioner can include:
- 进行身体检查和命令诊断测试
- Prescribe medications
- 制定和实施治疗计划
- Refer patients to specialists, and collaborate with other healthcare staff to ensure proper care
- Routine check-ups, pap smears, breast exams, screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- 就许多健康问题提供教育和咨询
预防保健和教育的重要性
WHNPs play a vital role in preventive care to educate their patients on how to achieve the best health outcomes. 他们的咨询涵盖各种主题，包括:
- Family planning and contraception
- Pregnancy and prenatal care
- Menopause and hormone therapy
- Sexual health and education
- Nutrition and exercise
- Mental health and well-being
WHNPs can diagnose and treat a variety of different conditions for women, including:
- Gynecological problems, such as endometriosis, irregular periods, or pelvic pain
- 尿路感染和膀胱问题
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and thyroid disorders
- 精神健康状况，如焦虑和抑郁
Where can women’s health NPs work?
Women’s health nurse practitioners can work in several different types of healthcare facilities, including:
- Doctor’s offices
- Women’s health centers
- Family planning centers
- Clinics and hospitals
- 作为教师或研究人员的学术背景
与妇女健康中其他角色的比较
There are several different types of healthcare professionals involved in women’s health, including WHNP and:
- OBGYN nurse practitioners. These NPs may be WHNPs, Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP), and even Adult Gerontology NPs that have chosen to focus on pregnancy and childbirth, 而不是在一生中担任初级保健的角色.
- OBGYN physicians. Obstetricians have a higher level of expertise in complex pregnancies, high-risk deliveries, 做妇科手术.
- Certified nurse midwives (CNM). Nurse midwives play a different role in the pregnancy and childbirth period, and can also deliver babies. Learn more about the biggest differences between CNM and WHNP.
- Labor & delivery nurses. These types of RNs provide direct care to patients during labor and delivery, 虽然他们没有高学历. 他们可以表演并读取生命体征, administer medications, assist with breastfeeding, or perform newborn assessments.
- OBGYN RNs. An RN who works in OBGYN can potentially assist with routine patient care tasks for patients in an OBGYN department outside of strictly labor and delivery.
2. Becoming a registered nurse
If you are already a licensed, practicing RN, you can skip to #3.
If you are not yet a licensed RN, you’ll need to first pursue that licensure before considering working towards a women’s health specialty as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).
That means your first step is to earn a nursing degree and take the additional steps needed to officially become a registered nurse.
You have a several options to begin your nursing education with an eye on WHNP in the future.
- 最快的途径可能是开始朝着一个目标努力 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) right away. If you have already earned a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you may qualify for an online MSN Direct Entry program.
- Given the rigor of the MSN direct entry pathway, you may also choose to work towards an 护理学副学士 or 护理学理学士. 在获得本科学位之后, you can potentially qualify for an MSN program in the WHNP specialty.
Once you’ve earned a nursing degree, you’ll need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam and meet the board of nursing requirements in your state to begin practicing as an RN. You can then pursue the advanced education and credential you need in the WHNP specialty.
The nursing school experience, and working as an RN, can really help you determine what career path you want to follow. 护理领域有很多可能性, 尤其是当你爬上高级练习的阶梯时.
A note regarding the FNP pathway
一些妇女保健护士从业人员有一个背景 Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).
记住这是一个独立的轨道, despite an FNP curriculum containing some coursework covering women’s health topics. 国家认证公司(NCC), the board certifying agency for women’s health nurse practitioners, does not accept FNP education as eligible education to sit for WHNP-BC certification.
If you eventually choose to broaden your specialty to FNP in the future, you will need to enroll in a post master’s certificate WHNP program to become qualified to sit for the WHNP-BC exam.
3. Earn a master’s degree in nursing
You’ll need to earn at least an MSN in the women’s health NP specialty to qualify for certification 并最终在你的州进行练习.
A master’s-level WHNP curriculum includes the advanced knowledge and skills you need to pass the certification exam and become fully prepared to excel in your first WHNP job.
Our School of Nursing offers multiple pathways for current RNs to earn an MSN-WHNP:
- Go from BSN to MSN. Our MSN-WHNP program is designed for RNs who hold a BSN.
- Go from ADN/ASN to MSN. Our Accelerated RN to MSN-WHNP option 是为持有护理副学士学位的注册护士设计的.
If you are an RN who earned an MSN via an MSN Direct Entry program, you’ll need to earn a post master’s certificate in WHNP to qualify for the WHNP-BC exam.
Now Through June 30th
4. Pass the WHNP-BC certification exam
After graduating with your master’s degree, the next step you’ll need to take is to get certified. This will put you in the best position to compete for the WHNP job you really want. 大多数州都要求获得执业证书.
Graduate from a Herzing University WHNP program and you will be qualified to sit for the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner – Board Certified (WHNP-BC) certification exam 来自国家认证公司(NCC).
该证书有效期为3年. 了解更多关于你需要采取的步骤 maintain WHNP-BC certification.
5. Obtain licensure in your state
Note the difference between being licensed and certified: becoming certified shows employers you are capable of patient care in a women’s health setting, while licensure determines if you are legally allowed to practice in your state of residence.
Each state has their own requirements for licensure as an advanced practice nurse. 您需要定位需求, which can be found on your state’s board of nursing website along with the current process for licensure.
Keep in mind employers may require board certification before hiring a WHNP even if practicing without certification is legally permissible in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
We offer multiple options for current nurses, including pathways for ASN/ADN and BSN degree holders.
View our available 在线妇女保健护士执业计划.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics在美国，护士从业人员的工作岗位预计将增长50% 45% from 2022-2032.* Given the projected growth in the baby-boom population the need for advanced medical care is expected to rise, and nurse practitioners will continue to be leaned on as primary contributors in this level of healthcare.
The 2018 NPWH Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Workforce Demographics and Compensation Survey highlights several environments in which WHNPs practice, including:
- Private practice offices
- Community health centers
- Hospital-based clinics
- Academic medical centers
- Schools and colleges
- Correctional facilities
- Inpatient settings
- Patients’ homes
WHNPs may work in urban, suburban, or rural areas, and may also potentially provide telehealth services (remote care).
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics在美国，护士从业人员的平均工资为 $128,490 per year ($61.78 per hour). Pay depends on many factors, including your location, what healthcare institution you work for and your level of experience.*
Discover the average nurse practitioner salary by state and find out what nurse practitioners make on average near you. Salaries can vary between specialties, and the BLS does not provide a specific estimate for WHNP.
具体的实践范围因州和雇主而异. The American Associate of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) provides a brief summary 所有执业护士共同的执业范围.
You may have some initial questions about what a WHNP can and can’t do. For instance, can WHNP…
- Write prescriptions? 是的，执业护士可以开处方.
- See male patients? Yes, some WHNPs may treat men. WHNPs are educationally prepared to care for individuals inclusive of sex, gender, or sexual orientation.
- Deliver babies? No, only midwives or obstetricians (Obstetrics and Gynecology - OBGYN) can deliver babies.
- Prenatal care? Yes, WHNP can provide pregnancy testing, fertility evaluation, prenatal visits, and postpartum care.
- 他被称为“妇产科”执业护士? Some WHNP may be informally regarded as an OBGYN NP if their care focuses primarily on the pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period. However, no WHNP has the same scope of practice as an OBGYN physician (or nurse midwife).
- Do mammograms? No. WHNP can order mammograms but they do not perform the actual exams.
You’ll learn more specifics over the course of the WHNP program.
According to the 2018 NPWH Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Workforce Demographics and Compensation Survey, the significant majority of WHNP describe direct patient care as their primary role (84%).
Some WHNP may work in academia, management/administration, research, or health policy/advocacy.
However, at this time there are no separate certifications for different types of WHNP: only the primary WHNP-BC certification from the 国家认证公司.
The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health’s 实践和教育指南 outline a large list of WHNP competencies across several important categories:
- Client-centered care
- Primary care
- Women’s gynecologic, sexual, reproductive, menopause-transition, and post-menopause healthcare
- 男性性和生殖保健
- Obstetric care
- Professional role
Both WHNP and certified nurse midwives (CNM) are advanced practice nurses with specialized roles for women, 但它们在实践范围上有独特的侧重点.
Women’s health nurse practitioners specialize in providing primary health care to women across the lifespan, while nurse midwives are more focused strictly on the pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. 助产士可以接生婴儿，但WHNP不能.
Each has their own unique certification and educational requirements, 以及薪资潜力的差异.
Learn more about the primary WHNP和注册助产士的区别.
你可以采取这些步骤，成为WHNP. You are possible.
Once you’ve graduated with a degree and earned certification and licensure, 你将准备好在你的第一份工作中取得成功.
你可能会在未来发现更多的晋升机会. 你可以通过注册一个 post master’s certificate program—or reach for the heights of the nursing profession by working towards earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Our School of Nursing is designed to provide you with the degree pathways necessary to help you build a fulfilling, 在护理领域有回报的事业. We know you are possible.
Learn more about our WHNP program
*美国劳工统计局(BLS).S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, 你想要工作的地理市场和学位领域, 会影响职业成果和收入吗. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, 加薪或其他职业发展.
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