Minor's right to refuse

Nurses General Nursing

Published

If you have a patient's parent who is requesting her daughter to be put on birth control when the daughter says she is not having sex, how can you diplomatically handle it? Id never want to force a patient to do something, but want to avoid parent hostility.

Specializes in ER.

I've never had a parent refuse to step out when I needed to talk to a teen. Just ask her. If you can't have a private conversation with the teen you can't be sure of getting the full story-and you can't prescribe/treat.

I was in a very similiar situation with my then 15 year old daughter years ago. She WAS sexually active and I told her that she will no longer be allowed to date if she didn't get on birth control. When she spoke with the Dr, she was told that she did not have to get on birth control if she didn't want to. It was her decision and I could not force the issue. However, I called child protective services and asked them if she got pregnant, who was responsible for the baby, they said I was. I asked them if I could make her put the child up for adoption, the answer was no. I asked if I could make her abort (not that I would) and they said no. I asked them what would happen if she neglected the baby and they said that I could go to jail for child neglect. If I kicked her out while pregnant (not that I would), I would be charged with child neglect, abandonment and endangerment. So, after she told me that the doctor said that she didn't have to get on birth control, I said well, welcome to prison!

I was in a very similiar situation with my then 15 year old daughter years ago. She WAS sexually active and I told her that she will no longer be allowed to date if she didn't get on birth control. When she spoke with the Dr, she was told that she did not have to get on birth control if she didn't want to. It was her decision and I could not force the issue. However, I called child protective services and asked them if she got pregnant, who was responsible for the baby, they said I was. I asked them if I could make her put the child up for adoption, the answer was no. I asked if I could make her abort (not that I would) and they said no. I asked them what would happen if she neglected the baby and they said that I could go to jail for child neglect. If I kicked her out while pregnant (not that I would), I would be charged with child neglect, abandonment and endangerment. So, after she told me that the doctor said that she didn't have to get on birth control, I said well, welcome to prison!

**files this one away for future use if needed**

I like this...I really, really like this...

I was in a very similiar situation with my then 15 year old daughter years ago. She WAS sexually active and I told her that she will no longer be allowed to date if she didn't get on birth control. When she spoke with the Dr, she was told that she did not have to get on birth control if she didn't want to. It was her decision and I could not force the issue. However, I called child protective services and asked them if she got pregnant, who was responsible for the baby, they said I was. I asked them if I could make her put the child up for adoption, the answer was no. I asked if I could make her abort (not that I would) and they said no. I asked them what would happen if she neglected the baby and they said that I could go to jail for child neglect. If I kicked her out while pregnant (not that I would), I would be charged with child neglect, abandonment and endangerment. So, after she told me that the doctor said that she didn't have to get on birth control, I said well, welcome to prison!

Just curious...why didn't she want to go on birth control? Was she denying being sexually active? Was it just a power struggle? I hope I'm not prying but it's interesting. She should be grateful her mother faces reality and wants to protect her from pregnancy.

She half butt denied being sexually active. But I knew she was because she didn't argue about it very strongly, and well, I know my daughter! I also believe it was a control thing.

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