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A feminist framework for graduate education in women's health
1MGH Institute of Health Professions, Graduate Program in Nursing, Boston, Massachusetts.
Graduate programs in the area of women's health have focused primarily on childbearing issues. Titles of programs such as Parent-Child Nursing, Maternal-Newborn Nursing, and Maternal-Child Nursing suggest a focus on reproduction and reproductive organs. It cannot be assumed that programs presume a feminist framework or produce graduates who are women-centered and look beyond reproductive issues. It is essential that graduate education in women's health encompasses the values of feminism and women-centered philosophy. Feminist theory, as a world view of women, brings to nursing the underpinnings for a conceptual framework in women's health. Women's health is committed to health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of the whole person through women-centered practice. The graduate curriculum provides students with the philosophy and tools for advanced nursing practice; therefore graduate curricula in women's health must include two important purposes. The first purpose is refocusing the curriculum on the whole person-woman, not solely on obstetrics and gynecology. The second purpose is socialization of students towards feminist practice, in the profession, in clinical practice, and in research.
Graduate programs in the area of women's health have focused primarily on childbearing issues. Titles of programs such as Parent-Child Nursing, Maternal-Newborn Nursing, and Maternal-Child Nursing suggest a focus on reproduction and reproductive organs. It cannot be assumed that programs presume a feminist framework or produce graduates who are women-centered and look beyond reproductive issues. It is essential that graduate education in women's health encompasses the values of feminism and women-centered philosophy. Feminist theory, as a world view of women, brings to nursing the underpinnings for a conceptual framework in women's health. Women's health is committed to health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of the whole person through women-centered practice. The graduate curriculum provides students with the philosophy and tools for advanced nursing practice; therefore graduate curricula in women's health must include two important purposes. The first purpose is refocusing the curriculum on the whole person-woman, not solely on obstetrics and gynecology. The second purpose is socialization of students towards feminist practice, in the profession, in clinical practice, and in research.