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Well Women's Screening Course

Written by SHFPACT.

The aim of this course is to equip nurses working in primary care with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve competency in undertaking Cervical Screening Tests in the context of a well women's screening consultation.

Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT is the leader in integrated sexual and reproductive health workforce development, including post-graduate sexual and reproductive health education for nurses and doctors in the ACT region.

High-quality continuing professional development for the nursing and allied health workforce is central to SHFPACT’s strategic directions to ensure continuing access by the ACT community to high quality sexual and reproductive health services.

SHFPACT offers a Well Women's Screening Course specifically designed and developed to provide nurses working in primary health care, with the skills and knowledge required to undertake Cervical Screening Tests under the new National Cervical Screening Program Guidelines.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this course participants will be expected to:

  • Demonstrate confidence and competence in performing cervical screening in the context of well women’s screening.
  • Demonstrate accurate history taking skills and clear documentation for a well women’s screen.
  • Articulate the preventative health issues relevant to a well women’s screen, including contraceptive information, STI information, screening for chlamydia, breast health, continence information and education, and menopause information.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The course is structured as a mixed delivery program with a distance module, a face to face workshop, and a two day clinical placement.

DISTANCE MODULE: READINGS AND WORKBOOK

This comprises approximately 16 hours of course readings and workbook assessment activities undertaken over an 8 week period and covers:

  • The role and scope of the nurse in well women’s screening 
  • Human sexuality and attitudes and values
  • Female sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology revision
  • A well woman’s screening consultation- history taking & documentation
  • Introduction to sexually transmissible infections and screening for chlamydia
  • Introduction to contraception
  • Breast health and teaching breast awareness
  • Continence advice and education
  • Menopause
  • Common vulvovaginal conditions and vulval skin care
  • Cervical cancer, HPV, and the National Cervical Screening Program
  • Taking a Cervical Screening Test, test results, and management of results

FACE TO FACE WORKSHOP 

This is a one day interactive workshop conducted on SHFPACT's premises in Canberra, and covering the following topics:

  • A well woman’s screening consultation: history taking & documentation for a well woman’s screen
  • The National Cervical Screening Program 
  • Cervical Screening Test results, abnormal results, management, follow–up & recall
  • Common vulvovaginal conditions
  • Taking a Cervical Screening Test: protocol, equipment, technique & procedure
  • Skills practice and tutor client session

NB: Some areas are covered in both readings/workbook and face-to-face training.

CLINICAL PLACEMENT

This is a supervised placement of approximately 15 hours undertaken over 2 days.

Participants work in a clinical setting under the direct supervision of experienced SHFPACT clinical nurse assessor/trainers in a model of guided clinical practice leading towards clinical competency as set down by the National Standards for Nurse Pap Smear Providers (1997).

The clinical placement is undertaken at SHFPACT's clinic in Canberrra and comprises the following:

  • Observation of experienced sexual and reproductive health nurses performing well women’s screening consultations and Cervical Screening Tests
  • Undertaking well women’s screening consultations
  • Performing a minimum of 10 Cervical Screening Tests to a competent standard
  • Completing the following clinical competency: Cervical Screening Test consultation and technique

It is anticipated participants will complete their clinical placements within six months of commencement of the theory component of the course.

ENDORSEMENT AND CPD HOURS

 

"This course is endorsed by ACN according to our Continuing Professional Develpoment (CPD) Endorsed Course Standards. It has been allocated 38 CPD hours according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia-Continuing Professional Development Standard."

COURSE COST

$1,200 (This includes distance module, face to face workshop, clinical placement, and all course materials). 

2025 COURSE DATE

The Well Women’s Screening course for 2025 is now full and we are no longer accepting registrations.

For further information or to be placed on a waiting list for future courses, please contact us.

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