Abstract

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) recognizes a critical need for women's health nurse practitioner (WHNP) scholars in discovery, practice, and teaching to improve women's and gender-related healthcare and health outcomes. WHNPs with earned doctoral degrees can make unique contributions to scholarship with their combination of advanced practice nursing knowledge and skills and expertise in women's and gender-related health.

The education and experience of WHNPs provide them with informed, unique perspectives on how women's and gender-related health is inextricably linked to the intersectionality of biology, genetics, behaviors, identities, social determinants, and life transitions. Scientific research led by WHNP scholars is needed to expand the evidence base to understand the connections among these facets. Translational science led by WHNP scholars is needed to develop, implement, and evaluate strategies based on the evidence to reduce health disparities and improve healthcare and health outcomes.

NPWH asserts that women's and gender-related healthcare and health outcomes at individual, population, organizational, and systems levels benefit by having WHNPs with PhD preparation generating new knowledge and WHNPs with DNP preparation leading the integration and application of findings within evidence-based practice. Growing and supporting a robust and diverse cadre of WHNPs prepared with the highest level of scientific knowledge and the ability to translate that knowledge quickly and effectively into evidence-based practice improves women's and gender-related healthcare and health outcomes. This benefit has yet to be fully realized.

Author Details

As a national professional membership organization, NPWH is the nation's leading voice for courageous conversations about women's health. In our clinics and in our culture, women's health nurse practitioners champion state-of-the-science health care that holistically addresses the unique needs of women across their lifetimes. We elevate the health issues others overlook and compel attention on women's health from providers, policymakers, and researchers.

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Lead Author Affiliation

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, Washington, DC, USA

Type

Position Statement

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Expert Opinion (nationally/internationally recognized)

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Scholarship, Doctorate of Nursing Practice, PhDs, Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, Nursing Research

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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Review Type

None: Reputation-based Submission

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Self-submission

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