Women's Health
Women's health care is something that impacts across all healthcare setting, from contraception/pre-birth, adolescence to old age and death. The role of the nurse is to recognise the diversity of needs and expectations associated with delivering a high quality, humanistic approach to health, and would hope to empower women, from a personal heath perspective, to access the best available healthcare. Use this guide to find information resources about women’s health including books, reports and journal articles.
Last updated:
02/08/2022
Key Resources
Royal College of Nursing (2021) Clinical nurse specialist in endometriosis. London, RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2021) Clinical nurse specialist in early pregnancy care. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2019) Female genital mutilation. An RCN resource for nursing and midwifery practice. 4th edn. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) Female genital mutilation. RCN guidance for sexual health care. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) Genital examination in women. A resource for skills development and assessment. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Cervical screening and cervical cancer. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2023) Menopause: RCN guidance for nurses, midwives and health visitors. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2022) 
Royal College of Nursing (2022) Nurse specialist in menopause. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) Modern slavery and trafficking: guidance for nurses and midwives. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2021) RCN position statement on Registered Nursing Associates (RNAs) training in cervical screening. England only. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN guidance conscientious objection (termination of pregnancy): position statement. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN nursing education in termination of pregnancy services. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN termination of pregnancy (induced abortion) 2013: position statement. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2022) Promoting menstrual wellbeing. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2020) Women’s health pocket guide. London: RCN.
RCN page on domestic abuse
RCN page on female genital mutilation
RCN page on modern slavery and human trafficking
RCN page on pregnancy and disability
RCN page on woman's health
Public Health England (2016) Colposcopy and programme management: NHS cervical screening programme. PHE: London.
NHS Choices: Women’s health 18-39
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Information aimed at the public.
View page
We would like to thank the RCN Women's Health member community for their input into the development of this subject guide.
Books
Alexander I, Johnson-Mallard V, Kostas-Polston E et al. (2017) Women's health care in advanced practice nursing. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Bobel C, Winkler I T, Fahs B, Hasson K A, Kissling E A, Roberts T A (eds.) The Palgrave handbook of critical menstruation studies. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.
Davidson M (2012) A nurse’s guide to women’s mental health. New York: Springer.
Garner J (2014) Women and healthy aging: living productively in spite of it all. London: Routledge.
Goldman M (2013) Women and health. London: Academic Press.
Guillebaud J and Macgregor A (eds.) (2017) Contraception: your questions answered. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Gupta S (2009) Oxford handbook of women’s health nursing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Holloway D (2019) Nursing management of women’s health: a guide for nurse specialists and practitioners. London: Springer.
Keen A (2011) Women’s cancers. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Schuiling K and Likis F (2016) Women's gynecologic health. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Tharpe N, Farley C and Jordan R (2016) Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery and women's health. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Book subject searches
Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.
Journal articles
Use these links to see details of journal articles on each topic.
Journals
Journals of interest for women's health. Use these links to see details of availability.
Events and Exhibitions
RCN exhibition: The wandering womb -
Women have long been viewed as at the mercy of their biology. How has nursing as a profession challenged the myths and misconceptions around women's health? This exhibition explored themes including menstruation, miscarriage, menopause and gynaecological cancers.
View online exhibition
Nursing History Collection
Graham H (1993) Hardship and health in women’s lives. Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
Moscucci O (1993) The science of woman: gynaecology and gender in England 1800-1929. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nelson J (2015) More than medicine: a history of the feminist women’s health movement. New York: New York University Press.
Past Caring
Special Collections
Our Permanent Collection consists of nursing specific core items and rare items. It is viewable by appointment at the RCN Library and Heritage Centre. Here is a small selection of items from our collection
Bermosk L (1979) Women's health and human wholeness. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Leeson J (1978) Women and medicine. London: Tavistock.
Quain R (1895) A dictionary of medicine : including general pathology, general therapeutics, hygiene, and the diseases of women and children. London: Longmans, Green & Co.
Historical Journals
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Caroline Lynch
Editor of this guide
RCN Library and Archive Service
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Page last updated - 02/08/2022
