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Menopause & Hormone Therapy (MHT): Evidence-Based Care for Primary Care NPs

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Course Overview

It is common for menopausal patients to experience treatment barriers, and nurse practitioners can play an important role in promoting accessibility to care. This 1.5-hour continuing education course gives nurse practitioners a practical, evidence-informed framework for supporting patients through perimenopause and menopause. Fitzgerald faculty member Erica Springer provides a comprehensive framework for addressing concerns, complications, and symptoms common in menopausal individuals, helping you to deliver timely and quality care. 

Topics include: 
The value of menopause education 
Common myths about menopausal hormone therapy (HRT/MHT) 
Differences between HRT and hormonal contraception, including its role in perimenopause 
Low-dose vaginal estrogen and systemic therapy, with cardiovascular risk considerations 
True contraindications vs. common “comfort-level” concerns 
When hormone laboratory testing helps—and when it doesn’t

Learning Outcomes 
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:

  • Describe the clinical impact of menopause education and support in primary care, including how effective counseling improves symptom management and patient outcomes.
  • Dispel common myths about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and differentiate MHT from hormonal contraception based on indications, dosing goals, and expected clinical effects.
  • Identify appropriate roles for hormonal contraception in perimenopause and determine when transition to MHT should be considered.
  • Evaluate the benefits and risks of systemic MHT and vaginal estrogen, including cardiovascular and bone health considerations, safety counseling, and duration-of-therapy discussions.
  • Apply an evidence-informed approach to patient selection by distinguishing contraindications from conditions of concern and selecting when hormone laboratory testing is appropriate.


About the Author/Presenter 
Erica Springer, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC is a Fitzgerald Faculty member. Erica is an Assistant Clinical Professor, Track Director of the Women’s Health/Gender Related Nurse Practitioner Program at the College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. She is a board-certified women’s health NP. Professor Springer earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Neumann University and her Master of Science in Nursing at Drexel University. She has completed postgraduate training in colposcopy and is on the faculty of Drexel University’s Comprehensive Colposcopy Training Course. Professor Springer brings clinical expertise from nearly two decades of women’s health experience and over 10 years in her current practice as Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner with Axia Women’s Health, Main Line Ob/Gyn Division, Collegeville, PA. Her growing academic interests include supporting psychologic safety in simulation and nurse practitioner role development through mentorship.

Professor Springer completed a post-baccalaureate critical care internship followed by specializing in trauma and neurosurgical nursing at a level 1 trauma center before following her passion to work in women’s health. As a certified inpatient obstetrics nurse at Paoli Hospital, with mentorship through the Sigma Theta Tau International Maternal Child Health Leadership Academy, Professor Springer created an interdisciplinary safety initiative for her unit that sparked her passion for teaching and mentorship. She strives to empower women in prioritizing their health and self-care in both the clinical and academic setting.

Professor Springer serves as a peer reviewer for several professional journals and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the North American Menopause Society.


Why Learn With Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald Health Education Associates has helped practicing NPs stay current with expert-led, evidence-based continuing education for decades. Our courses are developed by practicing NP faculty and designed to grow with you at every stage of your career. Fitzgerald Health Education Associates is accredited by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as an approved provider of nurse practitioner continuing education, Provider #070201.