Duties and responsibilities
A womens health care nurse practitioner is responsible for managing a number of patient care issues in both inpatient and outpatient obstetrics of gynecology settings. Their typical duties and responsibilities include:
- Recording a patients’ medical histories and symptoms
- Performing physical exams and observing women
- Creating patient care plans or contributing to existing plans
- Performing and ordering diagnostic tests
- Diagnosing various health problems
- Analyzing test results or changes in a patient’s condition
- Giving patients medicines and treatments and evaluating their response
- Consulting with doctors and other healthcare professionals
Qualifications
All nurse practitioner will need a bachelors degree in nursing, to achieve a registered nursing license and to complete a musters degree in nursing. After this, they will need to achieve licensure from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Both of these certifications require periodic renewal.
In addition, all nurse practitioners should aim to get a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS), or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification.
Skills and relevant work experience
As women’s health care nurse practitioners need skills such as:
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- Attention to detail, as women’s health care nurse practitioners need to spot issues with patients during checkups and when providing care
- Dexterity, as they may have to use equipment in delicate areas
- Compassion, as womens health care nurse practitioners will will be faced with patients in great distress and pain. They must show the utmost understanding and compassion
- Written and verbal communication skills, as women’s health care nurse practitioners will need to communicate effectively with patients and with other healthcare providers. They also need t0 keep written documents up to date
Hours
Women’s health care nurse practitioners tend to work full time. However, there are part time opportunities available. They may also have to work nights or weekends to accommodate to their patients schedule.
Salary
According to salary.com, the average annual salary for a women’s health care nurse practitioner in the United States was $106,508 in 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $94,119 and the highest 10% earned over $121,287.
Progression
Nurse practitioners have already progressed from registered nurses. Women’s health care nurse practitioners have also progressed further to become specialized. Once at a nurse practitioner position, the next progression for family practice nurses is to take a Ph.D and move into research or teaching roles.