Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

The Women's Health specialty track prepares graduates for challenging careers as Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners. Coursework, extensive precepted clinical experience and utilization of evidence-based practice allow our students to acquire the knowledge, values and skills necessary for certification as Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners by the National Certification Corporation (NCC).

The curriculum is designed to facilitate the student’s achievement of the competencies of the “The Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner: Guidelines for Practice and Education.” Our nurse practitioner specialty meets the curriculum guidelines of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties.

At the heart of our master’s program are active, collaborative relationships between the College of Nursing faculty and community-based primary care agencies as well as The Ohio State University Medical Center’s teaching hospitals. As part of the country’s most comprehensive health sciences center, our students benefit from access to cutting-edge research and knowledge, a diverse selection of elective courses and interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals.

Our central location, class schedules, and preceptors throughout Ohio accommodate both part-time and full-time students.

Lucia Jenkusky
Director, Women's Health Specialty Track

Message from the Director

The WHNP specialty track prepares students to provide quality primary and specialty healthcare to women of all ages including non-judgmental, respectful and culturally appropriate sexual and reproductive healthcare to all individuals (NPWH, 2018). 

Faculty

Lucia Jenkusky
DNP, APRN-CNM, C-EFM, FACNM
jenkusky.3@osu.edu
Emily Neiman
MS, APRN-CNM, C-EFM, FACNM
neiman.3@osu.edu
Laura Valle
DNP, APRN-CNM, NCMP, C-EFM
valle.40@osu.edu

Available Degree Programs

This specialty can be completed on campus through the following programs:

Skills

Our graduates enter the workforce with the skills and competencies to: 

  • Assume an advanced practice role as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Put theory and evidence into practice with women and their families 
  • Design, implement and evaluate healthcare strategies for selected populations 
  • Utilize leadership skills and ethical principles to effect positive change in policies at the local, regional and national level
  • Engage in evidence-based practice by identifying clinical problems, evaluating current research and providing care within the context of preceptor clinical expertise and patient preference
  • Adapt professionally to the constantly changing healthcare environment
  • Contribute to the advancement of the profession

Curriculum

  • Nursing 7281 Advanced Reproductive Dynamics
  • Nursing 7260 Concepts and Issues in Advanced Family Nursing
  • Nursing 7298.01 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum I
  • Nursing 7298.02 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum II
  • Nursing 7298.03 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum III

 

Specialty Content and Clinical Experience

Our specialty provides precepted clinical experience in a wide variety of geographic locations and clinical sites. Students may be required to travel up to three hours within the State of Ohio to complete the clinical requirement. All travel is at the expense of the student. Clinical experience at a minimum of 16 to 24 hours per week throughout the clinical sequence provides students with opportunities to achieve the competencies of the specialty. In addition, clinical skills laboratories, presentations by faculty on selected topics, student-led case studies, and occasional guest speakers are included in the curriculum. Student performance is evaluated through a variety of methods, including scholarly papers, in-class and take-home quizzes, and examinations, worksheets, and precepted clinical practice.

All WHNP students are required to publicly present at an in-state professional conference to a professional conference during their last clinical year. This may require travel expenses.

Sample Full-Time Traditional MS Curriculum
Year 1
 
Autumn Credit Hours
N7403 Innovation Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice 3
N7483 Quality Improvement and Informatics 3
N7450 Pathophysiology of Altered Health States 5
N7780 Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship 3
Total credit hours 14
   
Spring  
N7281 Advanced Reproductive Dynamics 3
N7260 Concepts in Advanced Family Nursing 2
N7410 Advanced Health Assessment 3
N7470 Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing 4
NRSPRCT 8490 Health Promotion, Theory, and Population Health 2
Total credit hours 14
   
Summer  
N7298.01 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum I 8
Total credit hours 8
   
Year 2
 
Autumn  
N7298.02 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum II 9
Total credit hours 9
   
Spring  
N7298.03 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum III 9
NRSPRCT 8500 Nursing Policy for Doctoral Nursing Practice 2
Total credit hours 11
This is a sample curriculum only. Your specific curriculum plan can be found at beacon.nursing.osu.edu. Please follow the personalized plan on the portal.
Sample Part-Time Traditional MS Curriculum
Year 1
 
Autumn Credit Hours
N7780 Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship 3
N7403 Innovation Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice 3
Total credit hours 6
   
Spring  
NRSPRCT 8490 Health Promotion, Theory, and Population Health 2
N7260 Concepts in Advanced Family Nursing 2
NRSPRCT 8500 Nursing Policy for Doctoral Nursing Practice 2
Total credit hours 6
   
Year 2
 
Autumn  
N7450 Pathophysiology of Altered Health States 5
N7483 Quality Improvement and Informatics 3
Total credit hours 8
   
Spring  
N7281 Advanced Reproductive Dynamics 3
N7410 Advanced Health Assessment 3
N7470 Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing 4
Total credit hours 10
   
Summer  
N7298.01 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum I 8
Total credit hours 8
   
Year 3
 
Autumn  
N7298.02 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum II 9
Total credit hours 9
   
Spring  
N7298.03 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum III 9
Total credit hours 9
This is a sample curriculum only. Your specific curriculum plan can be found at beacon.nursing.osu.edu. Please follow the personalized plan on the portal.
Sample Full-Time Graduate Entry Curriculum
Year 1
 
Summer Credit Hours
N6100 Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice 2
N6410 Introduction to Health Assessment 3
N6420 A Nursing Perspective: Life span Development of Individuals Within a Family Context 3
Total credit hours 8
   
Autumn  
N6270 Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults I 7
N6430 Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts 3
N7450 Pathophysiology of Altered Health States 5
Total credit hours 15
   
Spring  
N6260 Nursing Care of Children and Their Families 4
N6280 Nursing Care of Women and Their Families During Reproductive Transitions 4
N7780 Evidence Based Nursing Scholarship2 3
NRSPRCT 8500 Nursing Policy for Doctoral Nursing Practice 2
N7260 Concepts in Advanced Family Nursing 2
Total credit hours 15
   
Year 2
 
Summer + May  
N6240(S) Concepts in Community Health Nursing 4
N6340 Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 4
NRSPRCT 8490 Health Promotion, Theory, and Population Health 2
Total credit hours 10
   
Autumn  
N6271 Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults II 8
N6480 Quality Safety Initiatives in Clinical Practice1 1
N7403 Innovation Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice 3
Total credit hours 12
   
Spring  
N7470 Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing 4
N7281 Advanced Reproductive Dynamics 3
N7410 Advanced Health Assessment 3
Total credit hours 10
   
Year 3
 
Summer + May  
N7298.01 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum I 8
Total credit hours 8
   
Autumn  
N7298.02 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum II 9
N7483 Quality Improvement and Informatics 3
Total credit hours 12
   
Spring  
N7298.03 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum III 9
Total credit hours 9
This is a sample curriculum only. Your specific curriculum plan can be found at beacon.nursing.osu.edu. Please follow the personalized plan on the portal.
1 Students must take N6480 prior to N7483
2 Students must take N7780 prior to NCLEX
Sample Full-Time BSN to DNP Curriculum
Year 1
 
Autumn Credit Hours
N7450 Pathophysiology of Altered Health States* 5
NP8402 Innovation and Leadership Development for the DNP Nurse 2
NP8890 Professional Seminar 1
N5115 MINDSTRONG: An Evidence-based Program to Reduce Stress and Promote Overall Well-being 1
Total credit hours 9
   
Spring  
N7260 Concepts in Advanced Family Nursing* 2
NP8490 Health Promotion in the Age of Personalized Health and Health Care 2
NP8500 Nursing Policy For Doctoral Nursing Practice 2
NP8782 Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice 2
Total credit hours 8
   
Summer  
NP8480 Quality Improvement for the Doctor of Nursing Practice 2
NP8610 Informatics for Leadership in Health and Health Care 2
NP8896 Practice Inquiry I 3
Total credit hours 7
   
Year 2
 
Autumn  
NP8403 Science of Practice Innovation 2
N8510 Ethics in Healthcare Practice, Research and Policy 2
NP8781 Methods and Measurement for Clinical Practice Scholarship 2
Total credit hours 6
   
Spring  
N7281 Advanced Reproductive Dynamics* 3
N7410 Advanced Health Assessment* 3
N7470 Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing* 4
Total credit hours 10
   
Summer  
N7298.01 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum I* 8
Total credit hours 8
   
Year 3
 
Autumn  
N7298.02 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum II* 10
Total credit hours 10
   
Spring  
N7298.03 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum III* 10
Master’s Comprehensive Exam**  
Total credit hours 10
   
Summer  
NP8897 Practice Inquiry II 3
NP8193 Individual Studies (Optional) 1
APRN Certification Exam  
Total credit hours 3-4
   
Year 4
 
Autumn  
NP8898 DNP Clinical Immersion 5
NP8998 DNP Final Project 1
Total credit hours 6
   
Spring  
NP8898 DNP Clinical Immersion 5
NP8998 DNP Final Project 1
Total credit hours 6
   
Total credit hours 83
This is a sample curriculum only. Your specific curriculum plan can be found at beacon.nursing.osu.edu. Please follow the personalized plan on the portal.
*Denotes master’s level coursework
**Denotes Graduate School requirements
Sample Part-Time BSN to DNP Curriculum
Year 1
 
Autumn Credit Hours
NP8402 Innovation and Leadership Development for the DNP Nurse 2
NP8403 Science of Practice Innovation 2
NP8890 Professional Seminar 1
N5115 MINDSTRONG: An Evidence-based Program to Reduce Stress and Promote Overall Well-being 1
Total credit hours 6
   
Spring  
N7260 Concepts in Advanced Family Nursing* 2
NP8490 Health Promotion in the Age of Personalized Health and Health Care 2
NP8500 Nursing Policy For Doctoral Nursing Practice 2
NP8782 Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice 2
Total credit hours 8
   
Summer  
NP8480 Quality Improvement for the Doctor of Nursing Practice 2
NP8610 Informatics for Leadership in Health and Health Care 2
NP8896 Practice Inquiry I 3
Total credit hours 7
   
Year 2
 
Autumn  
N7450 Pathophysiology of Altered Health States* 5
N8510 Ethics in Healthcare Practice, Research and Policy 2
Total credit hours 7
   
Spring  
N7281 Advanced Reproductive Dynamics* 3
N7410 Advanced Health Assessment* 3
N7470 Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing* 4
Total credit hours 10
   
Summer  
N7289.01 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum I* 8
Total credit hours 8
   
Year 3
 
Autumn  
N7289.02 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum II* 10
Total credit hours 10
   
Spring  
N7289.03 Advanced Practice Nursing: Women’s Health Clinical Practicum III* 10
Master’s Comprehensive Exam**  
Total credit hours 10
   
Summer  
APRN Certification Exam  
Total credit hours 0
   
Year 4
 
Autumn  
NP8781 Methods and Measurement for Clinical Practice Scholarship 2
Total credit hours 2
   
Spring  
NP8193 Individual Studies (optional) 1
NP8897 Practice Inquiry II 3
Total credit hours 3-4
   
Year 5
 
Autumn  
NP8898 DNP Clinical Immersion 5
NP8998 DNP Final Project 1
Total credit hours 6
   
Spring  
NP8898 DNP Clinical Immersion 5
NP8998 DNP Final Project 1
Total credit hours 6
   
Total credit hours 83
This is a sample curriculum only. Your specific curriculum plan can be found at beacon.nursing.osu.edu. Please follow the personalized plan on the portal.
*Denotes master’s level coursework
**Denotes Graduate School requirements

We offer the opportunity for students in the Nurse Midwifery or Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner specialties to petition for dual specialization. To learn more about this option, please visit the Nurse Midwifery specialty page.

FAQs

Leisa Boakye-Dankwah
Leisa Boakye-Dankwah, graduate

"As a graduate, I was provided with exceptional education, guidance and opportunities that prepared me for my career as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. The College of Nursing’s dynamic approach enhanced my learning and made me feel comfortable as a student."