Ten Precepts for the  Novice Colposcopist

Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a critical role in cervical cancer prevention. In addition to performing Pap smears and human papillomavirus (HPV) screening and promoting HPV vaccination, it is now routine practice for many NPs to examine the cervix via colposcopy, perform colposcopic-directed biopsy, and treat cervical dysplasia. Studies have shown that NPs and gynecologists deliver comparable colposcopy results.1 But as with any new skill set, there is a learning curve. When starting out in colposcopy, the clinician ’s focus is on learning to maneuver the colposcope, properly visualize and magnify the cervix, and methodically evaluate and select where to obtain biopsies.
Source: The Journal for Nurse Practitioners - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Quality Care for Women ’s Health Source Type: research