Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to Spring! I have intensely appreciated moving past winter this year to see daffodils and crocuses blooming, hear birds singing, and enjoy the daylight lasting
longer. I imagine many of you feel the same way. I have hope that we will continue to see great progress in moving to an end of the Covid-19 pandemic. For now, we must stay the course, continue with all infection prevention recommendations, and encourage our patients, friends, family members, and colleagues to receive Covid-19 vaccinations.
Because information about Covid-19 continues to evolve, we find ourselves as healthcare providers regularly needing to digest new evidence regarding transmission, variants, vaccinations, and preventive measures. We need to stay abreast of this information to be able to address patients’ questions and concerns. Through the journal, we are now providing one resource you can look to for timely and accurate information. We have created a Covid-19 updates department for the next several issues of the journal to cover topics pertinent to clinical practice. In this issue, two authors provide information that may help you allay some of the fears surrounding vaccination and to answer the questions patients are asking.
The journal cannot, of course, be your only source of information because it is published bimonthly. Faced with a pandemic that emerged quickly, spread rapidly, has caused devastating morbidity and mortality, and that is not over yet, we need reliable updates on an almost daily basis. The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are among the trusted sources available to all of us. Of note, these sources provide us with crucial information about Covid-19 infection and vaccinations for women who are pregnant or lactating. NPWH also provides a list with links to suggested resources that is updated on a regular basis: npwh.org/pages/covid19.A
Now, though, are you ready for a break, at least a virtual break, to learn about other topics relevant to your practice and professional growth? While we wait for the all clear on traveling and large gatherings, NPWH has planned for several virtual continuing education opportunities. See the announcement in this issue for details about the Essentials of Female Sexual Health Workshop to be held on June 4, 2021. Mark your calendars for the following two virtual events with more information to come: September 10–12, 2021, Genetic Risk Assessment Course for Advanced Practice Providers and Advanced Breast Cancer Assessment Workshop, and October 13–16, 2021, 24th Annual Premier Women’s Healthcare Conference. Then, let’s look forward to getting together face-to-face for events in 2022 including the NPWH 25th Annual Premier Women’s Healthcare Conference.
Keep in mind also that each issue of the journal includes an article offering 1 hour of continuing education (CE). The CE is free to NPWH members and provides an easy way to learn by reading the article as well as to accumulate required CE credits to maintain your national certification. The CE article on type 2 diabetes in this issue is relevant to all who provide healthcare for reproductive-age women. We want CE article topics to meet your learning and clinical practice needs. Please let us know if there is a specific topic or topics you would like to see. If pharmacology CE credit is at the top of your list, let us know what pharmacology topics are of particular interest.
Last, we continue to encourage our readers to submit manuscripts on topics for which they have expert knowledge. We are currently seeking manuscripts with a focus on assessment and management for high-risk pregnancy conditions and/or prevention, assessment, and management of complications in pregnancy. Other obstetric topics of interest include considerations about and innovations in providing prenatal/postpartum care for specific populations (eg, adolescents, homeless individuals, individuals with disabilities, transgender individuals) and addressing inequities in obstetric care. We are interested in manuscripts for feature-length articles or short-form articles to include assessment and management, clinical resources, and on the case. Consult our Guidelines for authorsB for more detailed information. Email queries concerning manuscript submission to gschwenker@healthcommedia.com.
Beth Kelsey, EdD, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP