NURS 3500: Issues in Women's Health

Course Description

This course presents an overview of society’s impact on women’s health with a discussion of how the women’s health movement has introduced alternatives to medical control. We will explore common health concerns of women through the lifespan, with emphasis on preventive measures, health promotion strategies, and treatment alternatives, including nontraditional approaches.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

Discuss women’s health perceptions in a male-dominated medical world.
Discuss how the women’s movement has affected health care to women.
Describe the characteristics and concerns of the healthy women in today’s world.
Discuss acute and chronic physical problems of women and treatment modalities.
Discuss the special concerns of pregnancy, child-bearing, and child-rearing.
Describe psychological concerns and coping mechanisms of today’s women.
Discuss current therapies for psychological problems of women.
Discuss effects of traumatic life experiences on the health of women: physical abuse, rape, infertility, pain, physical disability.
Define strategies for women who are dealing with loss from such events as hysterectomy, menopause, divorce, depression, widowhood, and the death of a child.
Discuss issues related to the health care of older women.
Describe current research findings related to the health concerns of women.
Discuss the effects of health promotion activities among women.

Course Materials

Please go to MBS Direct to find the appropriate textbooks for this course. Please be aware when purchasing your textbooks that the International versions of the text may differ from the Domestic (North American) version required for your course.

Click here for more information about textbooks for online courses.

Course Activities

The course will be conducted entirely online. Students are expected to participate in all course activities as assigned by the instructor. Course activities may include extensive reading, papers, presentations, discussions, quizzes, and/or group projects. There will be a variety of assignments most weeks that will require you to submit your answers to the instructor for grading. The activities below represent a sampling of course activities. However, individual instructors may incorporate other activities such as journals and group work into the course materials.

Readings & Reviews :
Students are expected to read and review all assigned course materials.

Discussions:
Students are expected to participate fully and consistently in discussion of weekly topics. Your participation grade will be based on an evaluation of your activity level and relevant content. Grades for participation will also include your completion of the online exercises.

Student Presentations:
Students will select a women’s health topic from a list and submit a PowerPoint presentation on the assigned week. Information presented on the topic should ONLY be from sources listed on the syllabus or other current sources approved by the instructor. The presentation should provide a factual overview of the topic and specifically address the impact on women. Opinions or personal experience should NOT be included in the presentation, but can be included in the discussion following the presentation. Your grade is based on the content and clarity of presentation.

Critiques:
Each student will submit critiques of five (5) lay (non-professional) materials from a variety of types of sources such as women’s magazines, websites, newspaper articles etc. These will be on the same topic that you choose for your presentation but will be used for comparison with the approved sources. The material reviewed (or a link to the specific material) and a written evaluation of each material, indicating the strengths and weaknesses of each material for use by a general women’s health audience, should be submitted during Week 8.

Participation:
The instructor reserves the right to drop any student enrolled in the course who fails to participate in class appropriately, e.g., nonparticipation in discussions and/or failure to submit assignments. Specifics participation criteria will be posted in your course materials.

Policy Statements

The course policies follow Webster University policies including online class policies. Non-participation in online discussions and activities will affect your grade. Remember plagiarism concerns are part of this online course and the University's overall academic dishonesty policies. Plagiarism is use of another's idea, opinion, publications, writings, information in one's own publication without proper credit to the original source of the idea, opinion, writing, or information. Please cite whenever appropriate. (see the Undergraduate College Academic Policies and Procedures)

Academic Honesty:
The university is committed to high standards of academic honesty. Students will be held responsible for violations of these standards. Please refer to the Nursing Department’s Academic Honesty policies for a definition of academic dishonesty and potential disciplinary actions associated with it.

Drops and Withdrawals:
Please be aware that, should you choose to drop or withdraw from this course, the date on which you notify the university of your decision will determine the amount of tuition refund you receive. Students may withdraw from courses up to and including the Friday of the sixth week of an eight-week course and the Friday of the twelfth week of a semester course. To withdraw, a student must complete a withdrawal form, which is signed by the advisor. The symbol for course withdrawal (W) is recorded on the student's transcript. Withdrawals after the above dates may occur only under exceptional circumstances, and the withdrawal form must be approved by the instructor, the advisor, department chair and the director of the Academic Advising Center.

Please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog university policies on drops and withdrawals to find out what the deadlines are for dropping a course with a full refund and for withdrawing from a course with a partial refund.

Special Services:
If you are registered as a student with a documented disability and are entitled to classroom or testing accommodations, it is your responsibility to inform the instructor at the beginning of the course of the accommodations you will require in this class so that these can be provided. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you may require accommodations please contact the Academic Resource Center.

Disturbances:
Every student is entitled to full participation in class without interruption and all students are expected participate in all online course activities. Disruption of the learning process or inconsiderate behavior is not acceptable. Students are expected to treat the instructor and other students with dignity and respect, especially in cases where a diversity of opinion arises. Students who engage in disruptive behavior are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the course.

Note: This syllabus may be revised at any time at the discretion of the instructor and without prior notification or consent of the student.

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