Fast Facts about the Gynecologic Exam for Nurse Practitioners

Book excerpt: ìThis is an extraordinarily down-to-earth and useful rapid review guide for both novice and experienced cliniciansÖMost of all, this book is a gold mine for clinicians committed to delivering the best possible care to women with a wide range of characteristics and challenges.î From the Foreword by Joellen W. Hawkins, RN, WHNP-BC, PhD Professor Emeritus, Boston College, Connell School of Nursing Writer-in-Residence, Simmons College School of Nursing and Health Sciences This step-by-step guide to the key points of conducting the GYN exam addresses everything a nurse practitioner needs to know, from basic procedures through high-level challenges. The concise and accessible guide discusses strategies to decrease patient anxiety, minimize discomfort, and navigate such challenging scenarios as working with virginal women, premenarchal girls, elderly women, and sexually abused women. It includes difficult-to-find information on how to locate key organs in obese women and how to handle patients who have undergone female genital mutilation. This handy guide also covers diagnostic skills and includes the Fast Facts in a Nutshell summary feature. Key Features: Provides a comprehensive, accessible, step-by-step review of conducting the GYN exam for novice and seasoned NPs Covers diagnostic procedures including vaginal microscopy, how to obtain a vaginal and anal Pap smear, as well as samples for testing for STIs, and much more Provides tips on how to examine special populations, including overweight, anxious, multiparous, pediatric, menopausal, and elderly patients, with skill and confidence