Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

[sugarsweet21612]

I am doing my BSN right now, and as of right now I am thinking I may want to work in Labor and Delivery or post-partum as an RN. I would like to eventually continue my education and get my masters or DNP and become a nurse practitioner. However, I don't want to become a nurse midwife, because of all the responsibility they carry of delivering babies. So I am looking into the Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, as I really enjoyed obstetrics and the delivery aspect. So I figured WHNP would be the next option since I don't want to do nurse midwife, but I am wondering exactly what they do, where they work, etc. Could someone give me some information about this? I have tried to research it online but I really can't find much info about it. Thanks!

I don't know if I am making sense, but I really want to do labor and delivery, but I really want to get my masters, but I really don't want to be a nurse midwife... so I am looking at other options. haha

[CNM2B]

Hi! Women's Health NP's can work in a variety of practices. They often work in an OB/GYN practice and can provide well-woman care, contraceptive planning, pre-natal and post-partum care, etc. They just don't participate in the intrapartum aspect. WHNP's also sometimes work for fertility offices or college health clinics. I know quite a few and they have pretty good job options. I know a lot of people who say that you can do all of that with an FNP, but where I live (and where most of my classmates live), most of the OB/GYN offices want to hire only WHNP's or CNM's.

I am doing a joint CNM/WHNP program. I'm not sure that I want to catch babies forever, but a CNM can always work in the same role as a WHNP. I know a few CNM's who, for various reasons, only do office work and no longer catch babies. You have a lot of choices!

There are some WHNP students down on the CNM board, so you may want to pop in there. Good luck!