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Priority deadline Jan. 15

Women’s Health Clinical Nurse Specialist

Advocating for the health and wellness of women

Our Women’s Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (WHCNS) track within the DNP degree program prepares you as a direct and indirect care expert for individuals across childbearing continuum, with emphasis on quality and safety initiatives, education, and system level leadership.  WHCNS practice focuses on providing care to families during the childbearing continuum: from preconception through the prenatal and birth processes and into the postpartum and early infancy periods. You will learn to work with adolescents through older adults and within broader health systems.

#2 ranking

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Of public schools offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Rankings

$3.8M in funding

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147 DNP scholarships funded in 2023-24, totaling $3.8 million.

Pre-arranged clinicals

We manage your clinicals, setting us apart from most other DNP programs.

Accessible Accordion

Women’s Health CNS graduates are prepared to explore and analyze:

  • Normal physiologic changes and psychosocial events during the childbearing cycle
  • Pathophysiologic events and chronic health conditions affecting the mother
  • Fetus and/or neonate in at-risk situations
  • Family adaptations

Women’s Health CNSs most often work in a hospital or institutional setting, providing leadership, consultation, and education support to maternity units, and providing expert direct nursing care. Graduates from our program have taken positions as:

  • Maternity clinical nurse specialist
  • Nurse manager
  • Outreach educator
  • Staff developer

The DNP curriculum starts with a shared first-year core, offering a strong foundation in advanced practice and leadership, before transitioning into specialized coursework tailored to each track, allowing students to develop targeted expertise and drive advancements in healthcare.

View the current DNP Women’s Health CNS curriculum grid

At this time, there is no certification exam for the Women’s Health CNS offered by national certification organizations.
Our Women’s Health CNS curriculum follows the Women’s Health CNS Competencies published by the Association of Women’s Health Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) in 2014.

What makes our program unique?

The Manning Price Spratlen Center for Anti-Racism and Equity (MPSCARE) at the University of Washington School of Nursing is one of the first and only research institutions of its kind, setting incredible precedence for the importance of anti-racist pedagogy in nursing education. As a leading institution dedicated to advancing access to reproductive care for historically underserved women and pregnant capable people, the MPSCARE center offers unparalleled research, professional development, and mentorship opportunities for those pursuing the Women’s Health Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP.
Hone your skills in the safe and controlled environment of our leading-edge Simulation Center, where you will familiarize yourself with the tools and techniques you need to deliver excellent patient care in a psychologically safe environment.
The UW School of Nursing Office of Clinical Placements collaborates with an expansive network of partners to provide students with pre-arranged clinical placements with some of the country’s best care settings and hospitals. While we cannot guarantee specific placements, we work with the world-class UW Medicine system and countless clinical and community partners. Our unique placement process allows students to focus their full attention on learning, knowing that clinical training and patient care experience are fully integrated into their matriculation plan.

Graduate certificates

The University of Washington School of Nursing offers graduate certificates to those looking to to expand their scope of practice as APRNs and are currently clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, or nurse anesthetists. The certificates we offer provide currently practicing or soon-to-be certified MN and DNP graduates with additional knowledge and experience to provide the most optimal, culturally relevant care to pregnant capable people and their families. Relevant graduate certificate programs include:

Interested in learning more? Join us for an upcoming online information session, or contact us at asknursing@uw.edu to find out if this program would be a great fit and how to create a quality application.

Alumni spotlight

Melissa Mitchell DNP ’22 shares her experiences in rural health as a fellow with the UW Premera Rural Nursing Health Initiative (RNHI) Fellowship.

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