Women's Mental Health

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I'm in the process of writing a program grant that would combine the specialties of psychiatric mental health with women's health in a masters degree program. Nurses would graduate and be able to take certification exams in both of these areas.

As a women's health practitioner for over 20 years, I know that having psych mental health expertise would make a HUGE difference for many women! If the women's health practitioners in OB-GYN offices could better help women with PMS, Post Partum Depression, Panic Disorder, eating disorders etc - that would really help! And if the psych mental health folks could understand the role that hormones could play - while also being able to provide needed preventive care for women in mental health facilities - that would also be great.

My question to the folks on this list is:

What do you think about this?

Would you ever consider a masters degree that combined these specialties?

Would you be interested if it was entirely offered on line?

I would love to hear what you think!

Thanks!

I am a current BSN student. Yes, I would be interested in a course like this. I am very interested in mental health issues, and especially for women since I have been affected by them myself.

I have done some distance ed and an online course would be a benefit to busy nurses.

Specializes in L&D, SICU.

Hi,

I can't offer much in terms of expertise on this topic (I just graduated nursing school May 14th, and am still deciding where I'll take my first job!)...

But I can say that I would definitely consider a master's on this combined topic. If I do go for my master's, women's health is my primary area of interest, but I also am very interested in trying psych as well, perhaps sometime before going back to school. So, in short, yes, I would consider this specialty degree.

As far as the whole thing on-line...not sure, I really like to learn as much as I can in a classroom. I know it's the wave of the future, but I think much is lost when you're doing it all on your own, via your PC. At least I think this is true for me, can't speak for others.

Louise

I think it's great. Nursing is supposed to be a holistic approach. Every one who works in woman's services has to deal with the issues you talk about. I think it would be good as long as it focused on holistic care of the women rather then getting into allot of heavy psyc stuff like schizophrenia and bipolar.

If it focused on things one was likely to see in an OBGYN office it would really be interesting and improve care.

I don't like psyc nursing per say but I certainly enjoy the psychosocial aspect to maternal child nursing.

Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

Great idea. I wish you the best actualizing it!

Wow- that sounds like a great idea and something I would be interested in. I read somewhere that OB-GYN's and Family Practicioners were the largest writers of antidepressant Rx's--NOT psych Dr's. So obviously there is a need for this kind of dual specialization.

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