Education

The Menopause Course is delivered by Kathy Abernethy, Specialist Nurse and former Chair of the British Menopause Society.

UK nurses are at the forefront of menopause care. In primary and secondary care, nurses support and treat women, offering lifestyle and complementary strategies as well as prescribing and monitoring therapeutic options.

The Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) Code of Conduct highlights that nurses are personally accountable for their practice, regardless of direction from another professional and it is their responsibility to ensure that their practice is competent.

Completing a recognised course does not ensure competence but enhances knowledge and may help demonstrate a defined level of practice. It will also help when considering the Knowledge and Skills Framework within Agenda for Change.

Menopause Foundations Course

This 2 day menopause course was developed in partnership with BMS and is aimed at nurses who regularly see and advise women about menopause issues. Aimed mainly at primary care nurses, others such as sexual health nurses, gynae nurses and those working in breast or oncology will find it useful. It will equip you to confidently advise and treat women.

• Presentation and assessment
• Premature menopause
• NICE Guidance
• Quality Standards
• Bone health
• HRT – Risks and Benefits
• HRT – Types, routes and regimens
• Which treatment for which women?
• Non hormonal choices – medical and complementary
• Sex and menopause
• DHEA for vaginal health
• Testosterone
• Lifestyle choices

Beyond Cancer – Living with induced menopause

Having cancer is stressful; the consequences after treatments are finished can be equally difficult to manage. Medication side effects, menopausal symptoms, anxiety about long term health, sexual difficulty, emotional lability – all contribute to women feeling under supported however good their cancer care was.

• Do you know when HRT can be used in your patient group?
• Do you prepare women prior to BRCA testing or risk reducing surgery about the impact of early menopause?
• Can you discuss the evidence for alternative treatments to manage symptoms?
• What is a woman’s experience of induced menopause?
• Are you up to date on vaginal treatments – SERMS, lasers, DHEA, as well as oestrogen?
• Do you shy away from the sex issues which might affect women after induced menopause?

Menopause Overview study days

With the publication of NICE Guidance in late 2015 and Quality Standards in 2017, women are expecting to receive information about symptoms, treatments and options and health professionals are expected to be do so. Nurses are often the ones who women speak to!

• What’s normal, what’s not – how do you assess?
• Can you advise women about HRT, its safety and use?
• Can you advise women on starting, stoppng HRT and monitor it effectively?
• Do you know what to expect in terms of bleeding and how to assess?
• What else can women do?

This study day can be commissioned by CCGs and groups of nurses.

For further information on all courses and other opportunities for nurse education please go to The Menopause Course website: www.themenopausecourse.com.