The Future of Professional Education in Natural Family Planning

Richard J.FehringDNSc, RN(professor in the College of Nursing and director of the Institute for

Natural Family Planning)1

https://doi.org/10.1177/0884217503258549

Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing

Volume 33, Issue 1, January 2004, Pages 34-43

Nurses and other health care professionals often have little knowledge of methods of natural

family planning (NFP) and do not readily prescribe natural methods for their patients. One

reason for this is that little or no information on NFP is provided in nursing or medical

schools. The holistic, informational, and integrative nature of NFP fits well with professional

nursing practice. A university online distance education NFP teacher training program, which

offers academic credit and includes theory, practice, and the latest developments in fertility

monitoring, has been developed for health care professionals. Professional NFP services in

the United States need to meet worldwide standards and include documenting and assessing

pregnancy outcomes, tailoring NFP services to the client or couple, and simplifying them for

ease of use in a standard health care practice.

St. Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction

The St. Pope Paul VI Institute (Omaha, Nebraska) offers a variety of educational programs

for healthcare professionals in the Creighton Model FertilityCareTM system and in

NaProTechnology (women's reproductive health services). These programs carry the

appropriate CMEs and CEUs from the School of Medicine, Creighton University.

 Medical Consultant

This six month program consists of two Education Phases (an eight-day course and a
 seven-day course) and supervised practicum via long distance supervision.

Note: This program is only for medical doctors, osteopaths, nurse practitioners,

physician assistants, nurse midwives, or pharmacists.

 Medical Consultant/Practitioner

This combined program of 13 months consists of two Education Phases (an eight-day

course and another eight-day course) and supervised practicum via long distance

supervision. An On- Site Visit is required.

Note: Prerequisite—Bachelor degree or RN degree and certification as a

FertilityCareTM Practitioner with a minimum of one year of teaching the Creighton

Model FertilityCareTM System.

 Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Nurse Midwife, or Pharmacist

These certificate programs include a combination of the Creighton Model

FertilityCareTM Practitioner (teaching the method) and Medical Consultant Programs

(working with NaProTechnology). A FertilityCareTM Practitioner who is a nurse

practitioner, physician assistant, nurse midwife or pharmacist may return to Education

Phase II and complete the Medical Consultant portion of the program.