Northern Michigan University Provost Kerri Schuiling and her Tennessee-based colleague Francie Likis, both nurse practitioners and midwives, recently published the 4th edition of Gynecologic Health Care: With an Introduction to Prenatal and Postpartum Care. The award-winning text is billed as “the gold standard in evidence-based” care and advocates a holistic, person-centered approach. NMU nursing professors also contributed content to the updated edition.
The book features new chapters that help clinicians address racism and health disparities, male sexual and reproductive health, and preconception care. Schuiling and Likis also incorporated gender-inclusive language and explore ways in which clinicians can better-understand the unique healthcare needs of transgender and nonbinary individuals.
“Francie and I met when she was a student of mine and then we became colleagues, teaching gynecology to midwives and nurse practitioners,” Schuiling said. “We were very frustrated that we couldn't find a book that felt right to use for our students, and decided the only way to get one that encompassed nursing and midwifery's philosophy of care throughout was to write it ourselves. The journey began in 2003 and, over 17 years, we have worked on various editions of this book to create a women's health book that did not pathologize normal physiological functions.”
The text, published by Jones & Bartlett, has won two Book of the Year awards from the American College of Nurse Midwives.
Nursing faculty members contributed the following chapters: Women's Health after Gynecologic Surgery, Theresa Durley and Ann Stein; Gynecologic Cancers, Nancy Maas and Associate Dean of Nursing Kristi Robinia; and Chronic Pelvic Pain, Melissa Romero. Professor Rachel Nye provided an expert review of the Overview of Postpartum Care chapter.
According to its publisher, Gynecologic Health Care encompasses both health promotion and management of gynecologic conditions. It provides a strong foundation in gynecologic care and the knowledge necessary to apply it in clinical practice. The book also provides an overview of prenatal and postpartum care, including anatomic and physiologic adaptations of normal pregnancy and common complications of pregnancy. It is intended for all midwives, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians who provide gynecologic health care.
