This is the only truly comprehensive advanced text for the assessment of women's health, written for such primary care providers as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse-midwives. It encompasses both foundational and cutting-edge physical and psychosocial information in a clear and concise outline format, and is unique in its presentation of more advanced techniques and procedures not addressed in standard graduate assessment texts. Keeping pace with the expanding scope of advanced practice, the third edition provides several completely new chapters authored by renowned specialists, expanded chapters, and updates. This includes new information on contraception, domestic violence, health history of special populations, lesbian health, evaluation of the pelvic floor, aging and menopause, bleeding irregularities, infertility, skin aesthetics, pelvic pain, and health guidelines.

With an integrated approach to treatment, the authors delineate the expanded roles of advanced health care providers, including guidance for situations when a practitioner must decide whether to act independently, co-manage, consult, or refer. The authors provide in-depth descriptions enhanced by plentiful tables and figures of each assessment skill and technique along with its underlying rationale. Basic techniques are augmented by the inclusion of possible alterations for a particular procedure.

On a continuum from simple to complex, the text is divided into 11 units that cover basic women's health assessment down to the cellular level, health history, prenatal assessment, investigative procedures including sonohysteroscopy and simple cystometrogram, and several chapters on specific women's health concerns. A special chapter on urinary incontinence includes diagnosis of bladder dysfunction. Sample assessment forms are integrated throughout, as are comprehensive lists of equipment required for each procedure along with information on patient preparation and follow-up.

New to the Third Edition:

Updated assessment guidelines
New chapters on lesbian health, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, polycystic ovarian syndrome, skin aesthetics, and pelvic pain
Information on new contraception devices
New information on domestic violence, health history of special populations, and vaginal microscopy
Cervical cancer screening, menopause assessment, and osteoporosis screening
Expanded information on evaluation of the pelvic floor
Expanded information on aging and menopause
Updates on infertility and information on BRCA gene testing

Key Features:

Provides detailed descriptions of advanced assessment techniques enhanced with plentiful tables and figures
Presents the rationale for all assessments and procedures
Delineates clinical procedures on the leading edge of the expanded role of the advanced practice clinician
Includes unique chapters about selection and insertion of the vaginal pessary, intrauterine insemination procedure, and donor insemination
Covers such advanced skills as vulvar exam and biopsy, endometrial biopsy, acrochordonectomy, polypectomy, and colposcopy