A Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who provides primary health care to women throughout their lifespan. The Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner is a gender-focused specialist for healthcare issues specific to women, including:
- Reproductive Health,
- Preconception Healthcare,
- Prenatal and Postpartum Care,
- Family Planning, including Birth Control,
- Treatment of STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases),
- Perimenopause and Menopause Care, and
- General Wellness and Preventative Care.
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners perform physical assessments and orders and interpret the results of diagnostic tests. The WHNP creates treatment plans, prescribes and monitors medications, and conducts follow-up visits to monitor the continuing care of patients.
Sometimes a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner is referred to as a Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHCNP).
Visit the Nurse Practitioner (NP) job description overview for more information about NP practice.
Practice Specialties
The primary focus of practice for Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners is women’s reproductive and gynecologic health needs and, in some cases, their partners. With the appropriate experience, education, and certification, the WHNP may also choose to specialize in more specific health issues such as:
- Cardiovascular Health,
- Endocrinology,
- Geriatrics,
- High-risk Pregnancy,
- Infertility,
- Oncology,
- Osteoporosis, or
- Mental Health.
The WHNP provides these services through health education, counseling and promotion, disease prevention, and helping patients make smart lifestyle and health choices.
Practice Settings
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners work in a wide range of practice settings, often as part of a multi-specialty team:
- Clinics – Perinatal, Primary Care, School and College Health, Family Planning, Women’s Health, Infertility, Ambulatory OB/GYN,
- Hospitals – Women’s and Children Services, Antepartum Triage Units, Adult Care, Internal Medicine,
- Private Practice – Physician Offices,
- Homes – Nursing, Assisted Living, and
- Government Entities – Health Departments, Community Health Centers, Indian Reservations, Prisons.
Scope of Practice
- Practice Autonomy – the degree to which a WHNP may practice without physician supervision or oversight, and
- Prescriptive Authority – the ability to issue prescriptions or order treatments.
Scope of Practice varies by state, depending on state legislative and regulatory rules. Visit the Color Coded Map and Sortable List to view how NP Scope of Practice varies by state. For more detailed information, visit the Board of Nursing for the state of interest. Individual employers may impose Scope of Practice rules more restrictive than the state permits.
Education
The ability to practice as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner requires a graduate-level nursing education. There are several degrees or certificate types:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Science, Nursing Major (MS-NM), or Master of Nursing (MN) – The master’s degree has been the most commonly offered degree type and is the minimum degree required for Certified Nurse Midwife education. These degree programs are offered widely by public and private schools. The master’s degree in nursing focuses on advanced nursing theory and care practice. Read more...
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – In addition to studying advanced nursing theory and care practice, the DNP emphasizes using research results to improve the NP‘s nursing practice. DNP programs also emphasize the application of Evidence-Based Practice to improve the quality of patient care. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties is committed to transitioning all entry-level NP programs to the DNP by 2025. Read more...
- Post-Master's Certificate – Eligibility is limited to individuals who already hold a graduate-level nursing degree. For example, someone holding an MSN as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) would be eligible to enroll in a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner certificate program. Read more...
Prospective students should verify that the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner program they are considering is accredited. Proper accreditation ensures that graduates are eligible to sit for the certification exams required to become licensed to practice.
Use the Nurse Practitioner Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Accelerated Degree Programs
Accelerated Degree Programs generally cost less and can be completed more quickly than enrolling in consecutive BSN–MSN or BSN-doctoral programs. Use the Accelerated Degree Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Certificate Programs
Most schools that offer a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner master’s or doctoral degree also offer a post-master’s or post-doctoral Certificate Program. These programs are open to individuals with a master’s or doctoral degree in another nursing specialty who wish to practice as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. These Certificate Programs should not be confused with certification offered by Certification Boards and professional associations.
Dual Programs
Some schools offer Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner study in Dual Degree and Dual Practice Programs. These programs save the student time and expense by eliminating duplicate coursework..
Dual Degree Programs
Dual Degree Programs award two degrees in separate but related areas of study. Students enrich their nursing education with study in another academic department. These programs award a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner degree with an additional non-nursing degree, such as:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, paired with a:
- Master of Arts in Bioethics (MAB).
Graduates from these Dual Degree Programs are eligible to sit for the appropriate national certification exams and become licensed as required.
Use this Dual Degree Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Dual Practice Programs
Some schools offer Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner study in a Dual Practice Program. These programs award a single degree that combines the WHNP with an additional clinical practice role. Education in Dual Practice roles enables graduates to work in an expanded range of practice settings and patient populations. This versatility provides the graduate with more career flexibility and growth opportunities.
WHNP Dual Practice programs may offer these additional practice roles:
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP),
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), or
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).
Graduates of these programs may apply for national certification exams and become licensed in both practice areas.
Use this Dual Practice Program Search Tool to identify programs for this and other degree combinations from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Tandem Degree Programs
Tandem Degree Programs award two degrees in the course of Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner study. These programs save the student time and expense by eliminating duplicate coursework. Some schools offer WHNP Tandem Degree combinations, such as:
- Bachelor of Science, Nursing Major (BS-N), followed by a:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), followed by a:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), followed by a:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), followed by a:
Graduates from these Tandem Degree Programs are eligible to sit for the appropriate national certification exams and become licensed as required.
Use this Tandem Degree Program Search Tool to identify Tandem Degree Programs from our survey of more than 710 schools.
Top 10 Degree and Certificate Offerings
This table displays a count of the Top 10 Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner degrees and certificates offered by more than 710 graduate nursing programs. This count includes degrees awarded singly, as the higher of two degrees in a Tandem Degree Program, or as part of Dual Practice and Dual Degree program offerings.
Certification
The National Certification Corporation (NCC) offers a certification exam to graduates of WHNP degree or certificate programs. Individuals who pass the exam receive the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (WHNP-BC) credential. This certification is a prerequisite for a state license to practice as a WHNP.
A Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner may choose to obtain other certifications in clinical specializations. Review this site’s survey of more than 300 nursing and related healthcare certifications.
License to Practice
The Board of Nursing for each state issues licenses to practice as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in their state. The WHNP scope of practice, including Practice Autonomy and Prescriptive Authority, varies by state.
States participating in the APRN Compact and Nurse Licensure Compact have multistate APRN and RN license agreements. These Compacts ease the transfer of WHNP licenses and the ability to practice among participating states. Participation in these Compacts varies by state. Check with your state’s Board of Nursing for more detailed information.
Professional Associations
The primary professional association for Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners is the Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH). Many WHNPs also belong to the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) . Another national association, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) provides representation and resources for all nurse practitioners.
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners often belong to associations that provide resources and representation in specific areas of practice specialization. Other associations of interest at the state and local levels enable members to organize with their neighboring peers to address more localized issues. These associations may be chapters of national or international associations or organized independently.
This site includes an extensive survey of more than 1,800 international, national, regional, state, and local nursing and related healthcare professional associations. These associations provide professional development resources and representation in numerous nursing and affiliated healthcare specialties.