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Women's Health

Use this guide to find information resources about women’s health including books, reports and journal articles.

Last updated: 08/02/2024

Key Resources

Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2023) Women’s health pocket guide. London: RCN.
Book cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) Menopause: RCN guidance for nurses, midwives and health visitors. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2022) Nurse specialist in menopause. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2022) Menopause and mental health. London: RCN.
Clinical nurse specialist in endometriosis Royal College of Nursing (2021) Clinical nurse specialist in endometriosis. London, RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2017) Clinical nurse specialist in early pregnancy care, London: RCN. Royal College of Nursing (2021) Clinical nurse specialist in early pregnancy care. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2019) Female genital mutilation. An RCN resource for nursing and midwifery practice. 4th edn. London: RCN.
Book cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) Female genital mutilation. RCN guidance for sexual health care. London: RCN.
Book Cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) Guidance for nurses and midwives to support those affected by domestic abuse. London: RCN. 
Royal College of Nursing (2020) Genital examination in women. A resource for skills development and assessment. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) Human Papillomavirus (HPV), cervical screening and cervical cancer. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2021) RCN position statement on Registered Nursing Associates (RNAs) training in cervical screening. England only. London: RCN.
Book cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) Modern slavery and trafficking: guidance for nurses and midwives. London: RCN.
Book cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN guidance conscientious objection (termination of pregnancy): position statement. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN nursing education in termination of pregnancy services. London: RCN.
Book cover Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN termination of pregnancy (induced abortion) 2013: position statement. London: RCN.
Publication cover Royal College of Nursing (2022) Promoting menstrual wellbeing. 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 women's health
Public Health England (2016) Colposcopy and programme management: NHS cervical screening programme. PHE: London.
NHS Choices: Women’s health 18-39
We would like to thank the RCN Women's Health member community for their input into the development of this subject guide.

Books

Book cover Alexander I, Johnson-Mallard V, Kostas-Polston E et al. (2017) Women's health care in advanced practice nursing. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Book cover Bobel C, Winkler I T, Fahs B, Hasson K A, Kissling E A, Roberts T A (eds.) (2020) The Palgrave handbook of critical menstruation studies. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.
Book cover Geraghty P (ed.) (2021) Each woman's menopause: an evidence based resource: for nurse practitioners, advanced practice nurses and allied health professionals. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Book cover Guillebaud J and Macgregor A (eds.) (2017) Contraception: your questions answered. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Book cover Gupta S, Holloway D and Kubba A (2021) Oxford handbook of women's health nursing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Book cover Holloway D (2019) Nursing management of women’s health: a guide for nurse specialists and practitioners. London: Springer.
Book cover Schuiling K and Likis F (2016) Women's gynecologic health. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Book subject searches

Events and Exhibitions

Exhibition cover 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

Book cover Graham H (1993) Hardship and health in women’s lives. Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
Book cover Moscucci O (1993) The science of woman: gynaecology and gender in England 1800-1929. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Book cover Nelson J (2015) More than medicine: a history of the feminist women’s health movement. New York: New York University Press.

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

Nursing Record/British Journal of Nursing (1888-1956)
  • Digitised journal available online.
    View page
  • Article: (no author) (1918) The health of a woman, British Journal of Nursing, 30 March, p.226-227.
    View page

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Page last updated - 08/02/2024