UC College of Nursing Women's Health Nurse Practitioner program strengthens congenital syphilis education
Congenital syphilis is preventable, yet cases in the United States keep climbing. The infection occurs when syphilis passes from a pregnant person to their baby during pregnancy, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it affected 3,941 newborns in 2024 alone — the 12th consecutive year of increases and a total nearly 700% higher than in 2015.
Left undetected, the infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, infant death and other serious health complications. Yet most of these outcomes are preventable with timely screening and appropriate treatment uring pregnancy, which is why preparing women's health providers to recognize and manage syphilis has become a key part of addressing the public health challenge.
The University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Nursing Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) program is one of three graduate education sites selected to participate in a national multisite educational initiative focused on infectious diseases during pregnancy, with particular attention to the rise in congenital syphilis cases nationwide. Led and coordinated by the University of Missouri–Kansas City and supported by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health through funding from the CDC Foundation, the initiative aims to equip healthcare providers, including WHNP and other advanced practice registered nurses, with current knowledge and practical resources to identify, diagnose and treat infections during pregnancy.
While congenital syphilis is a key focus, the broader initiative addresses other perinatal infectious disease threats, giving providers a fuller set of tools to protect maternal and newborn health.
"Syphilis education is particularly important for Women's Health NP students because we are often involved in the care of patients before, during and after pregnancy, which puts us in a key position to identify risk, provide screening, recognize infection and ensure patients receive timely treatment," says Tamara Pavlik-Maus, MSN, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, director of the college's WHNP program.
Integrating the National STD Curriculum into WHNP education
In addition to Pavlik-Maus, Assistant Professors Heather McCracken, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, and Glenna Kersten, MSN, WHNP-BC, integrated two modules of the National STD Curriculum into an existing required WHNP course. The modules focus on syphilis and provide evidence-based information for healthcare providers.
Rather than creating a new course or substantially restructuring the existing curriculum, UC faculty incorporated the national educational content into the program's existing course structure. That approach allowed students to learn about an emerging public health priority while also becoming familiar with a provider-level clinical resource they can continue using after graduation.
"Developing a high-quality national resource is only part of the challenge. The other is finding practical ways to get that evidence into the hands of current and future clinicians who can use it in practice," explains Associate Dean for Research & PhD Education Carolyn Smith, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAOHN. "UC was able to successfully incorporate a nationally developed provider-level resource into an established graduate WHNP curriculum while also contributing student participation and data to the standardized multisite evaluation."
The National STD Curriculum is designed to provide healthcare providers with current information for preventing, diagnosing and managing sexually transmitted infections. For future WHNPs, becoming familiar with authoritative clinical resources during graduate education can help establish a habit of consulting current evidence as guidelines and recommendations evolve.
Evaluating the impact of syphilis education
The national multisite evaluation included 31 participants, with 27 matched pre- and post-intervention responses available for paired analysis.
Following the educational intervention, students' self-rated ability to apply evidence-based recommendations for syphilis care improved significantly on both clinical measures evaluated. Knowledge scores increased modestly, although the change was not statistically significant. Additionally, 81.5% of participants reported an intention to apply what they learned.
For UC faculty, the results provide insight into how evidence-based, nationally developed educational resources can be incorporated into graduate nursing education.
"We cannot simply teach students today's recommendations. Clinical guidance and public health priorities change and students need to know where to find authoritative resources and become accustomed to using those as part of their professional practice after graduation," says Pavlik-Maus.
Preparing future WHNPs for evidence-based practice
Healthcare recommendations change as new evidence emerges, and graduate nursing programs must continually prepare students to respond to evolving patient and public health needs. For students, learning how to recognize syphilis and apply current recommendations is one part of becoming an evidence-based practitioner. Learning where to find reliable, provider-level information gives them a resource they can continue to use throughout their careers.
Tamara Pavlik-Maus, MSN, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC
The need for that preparation is underscored by national data. CDC research found that lack of timely testing and adequate treatment during pregnancy contributed to nearly 90% of congenital syphilis cases reviewed from 2022, highlighting opportunities to improve screening, treatment and follow-up.
For the UC Women's Health NP program, participation in the national congenital syphilis education initiative provided an opportunity to bring current evidence and a nationally developed clinical resource directly into the graduate curriculum.
"When an emerging public health problem requires clinicians to rapidly incorporate new or changing evidence into practice, integrating national provider-level resources into existing graduate education is an efficient way to prepare our students," Pavlik-Maus explains. "The same approach could be adapted to other emerging health concerns, changing screening recommendations, or other evolving women's and maternal health priorities."
The long-term goal of the national initiative is to strengthen healthcare providers' ability to identify and treat infectious diseases during pregnancy and ultimately reduce preventable perinatal infections, including congenital syphilis.
For UC's future Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, the project offers a lesson that extends beyond syphilis: evidence-based practice requires staying current. By introducing students to a national provider resource as part of their graduate education, UC College of Nursing is helping future clinicians build the skills to find, evaluate and apply current guidance as women's and maternal health needs evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is congenital syphilis?
Congenital syphilis occurs when syphilis passes from a pregnant person to their baby during pregnancy. It can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, infant death and other serious health complications.
Can congenital syphilis be prevented?
Yes. Congenital syphilis is preventable when syphilis is identified and appropriately treated during pregnancy. Timely screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up are important components of prevention.
Why is syphilis education important for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners?
Women's Health Nurse Practitioners may provide care before, during and after pregnancy, placing them in an important position to identify risk, provide screening, recognize infection and help ensure patients receive timely treatment.
What did UC College of Nursing do as part of the national initiative?
UC faculty integrated two modules from the National STD Curriculum into an existing required Women's Health Nurse Practitioner course. The modules provide evidence-based information about syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections for healthcare providers.
What is the National STD Curriculum?
The National STD Curriculum is an educational resource designed to provide healthcare providers with current information for preventing, diagnosing and managing sexually transmitted infections.
Tags
Related Stories
Nurses are in high demand
March 3, 2026
WCPO recently spoke with faculty and students at UC College of Nursing about the education pipeline needed to train more nurses to meet a growing demand for healthcare nationally.
UC’s ‘Healthcare Heroes’ change lives in and beyond Cincinnati
March 3, 2026
The Cincinnati Business Courier released its list of "2026 Healthcare Heroes," with one-third of the list made up of UC-affiliated entrepreneurs and medical professionals.
Health care industry is hiring despite a job market that has cooled
April 16, 2026
The US labor market has cooled but the demand for health care workers, expecially skilled nurses, remains strong. Interviews with UC College of Nursing admininstrators Dr. Donna Green and Dr. Lindsay Davis were part of a WCPO segment on health care industry hiring.