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University of Colorado College of Nursing

College of Nursing
 

Specialties

Women's Health

The women's health nurse practitioner option focuses on the health care needs of women from adolescence through older adulthood. Program content examines the comprehensive health needs of women: gynecological, prenatal, post-partum care, common minor and acute health problems, as well as influences that affect women's lives.  WHNPs help promote and maintain wellness. The WHNP program is based on in-depth knowledge of nursingand scientific theory, physiology and pathophysiology, research utilization, and clinical decision-making. A minimum of 630 hours of clinical practicum are required; these hours are available in a variety of women's health, primary care, and specialty settings.

 

A Post Master's Certificate is available in this specialty.  Please see Overview of the Post Master's Certificate.

Gainful Employment and Program Statistics for Post Master's Certificate
 

 

For more information regarding graduation rates, the median debt of students completing our certificate programs, and other important information, please visit the University of Colorado Denver Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. Nursing Post Masters Certificate - Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner 

 

Overview

Key features of the WHNP program include:

  • Clinical sites in both rural and urban areas and the opportunity to work with a diverse group of patients.
  • Opportunities to work in both generalized primary care as well as specialty and sub-specialty practices.
  • A curriculum with a strong emphasis on health promotion, genetics, reproductive healthcare, acute disease management, and gender-specific health problems.

Women's health nurse practitioners (WHNPs) provide comprehensive primary health care services to women, from adolescence through the elder years, in a variety of health care settings. WHNPs assess the status and problems of women related to reproductive health, pregnancy and birth and menopause, including primary healthcare problems.  WHNPs provide health promotion and continuing care to women experiencing acute and stable chronic health care problems. WHNPs ensure that women receive personalized, comprehensive, and quality health care across the lifespan. Graduates of the program will make a significant impact on the health care of women.

Program Plan

 
Master of Science in Nursing Core Courses
Advanced Practice Core Courses Required for Specialty Option
Advanced Practice Nursing: Women's Health Practitioner
Total Credits for WHNP

The specialty program plan outlines the courses that are offered for the women's health care nurse practitioners (WHNPs) program.

Competencies

Upon completion of the nursing program, students will be prepared to incorporate pertinent knowledge, values and abilities for direct and indirect provider roles to:

  • Implement caring and competent nursing practice with individuals, families and communities based on understanding the human experiences of health, illness and healing.
  • Integrate the ethical use of technology and information systems to augment the human capacity for health, facilitate decision-making, support collaboration and foster communication.
  • Promote health of local to global communities through promoting safe environments and safe and effective health care addressing the interaction among individuals, communities and their environmental contexts.
  • Manage care to achieve quality, cost-effective and ethical outcomes in the delivery of health care for individuals, families and populations.
  • Engage in leadership to promote social justice related to access, quality and socio-cultural acceptability of health care through relationship-centered caring, advocacy and empowerment.
  • Negotiate and adapt the delivery and management of health care and health care systems for diverse populations and environments.
  • Practice relationship-centered caring through self-awareness, by developing and maintaining respectful relationships, communicating effectively, and integrating the influence of the human experience of health, illness and healing.
  • Practice nursing reflectively, guided by theory, based on best evidence and integrating creative and critical thinking.
  • Participate in generating and testing knowledge regarding nursing, health care and reflective caring practice.
  • Actively engage in self-directed learning to maintain state of the art nursing practice and to facilitate the education of future practitioners, paraprofessionals and healthy communities

Faculty

Faculty is one of the cornerstones of any program. They provide direction for the curriculum, incorporate their research endeavors into their teaching, provide guidance to learners, serve as mentors and create innovative learning opportunities. We are fortunate at the University of Colorado College of Nursing to have many faculty involved with our program. We have a cadre of extremely well qualified faculty and Associates who teach, conduct research and serve as preceptors and mentors for our students. Our faculty are located in Colorado and across the United States. Our faculty are extremely committed to the discipline of women's health care and serve on many national and international boards and are leaders in several professional organizations.

Contact Dr. Jennifer Hensley for additional information.

FAQs

How long will it take to complete women's health nurse practitioner program?
Will I be required to do any clinical experiences?
Is the WHNP program offered completely online or in class?
Will this program prepare me to sit for certification as a women's health care NP?
Will I be required to come to Colorado?
Can I take a course before I apply?
What is CU-UNITE?
How do I apply and get information for the CU-UNITE multidisciplinary urban underserved track?