Public Health and birth control

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Can you be a public health nurse and not have to give out birth control (morning after pill especially)?

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.
Do the public a favor and do not place yourself in a position where you cannot give patients the care and services they desire separate from your own feelings and beliefs. Women do not need yet another healthcare provider refusing to give or refer them to emergency contraception so they possibly end up having to have an abortion as a result of a decision that was forced on them because of your personal beliefs.

This is about meeting the patient's needs, not yours. If you can't do the job 100% with whatever the patient wants done then please let the job go to someone who can do it.

If you want to practice certain belief systems, then IMHO there are places in nursing where it's just not appropriate for you to work.

If I could give you a thousand kudos, I would. You took the words right out of my mouth.

Specializes in Med/Surg.
So, what's the problem then? Plan B IS the BIRTH CONTROL PILL.

:) Wish I knew. OP has a misguided belief that Plan B is an abortion pill. Can't change some people's minds with, you know....truth. :rolleyes:

It seems the OP has Plan B confused with RU-486

The Emergency Contraception Debate

"Emergency Contraception, also known as the morning after pill or Plan B One-Step, is used to prevent pregnancy when taken within 5 days after unprotected intercourse. It will not harm an existing pregnancy."

Emergency Contraception - EC - The Emergency Contraception Controversy

leslie

I know that Plan B prevents implantation, but it does not prevent fertilization. I have friends that have taken it, they are still my friends, i just never personally would or want to give it out. In regards to getting the paycheck, in Canada our tax dollars already go to abortion without any of us getting a choice or say in that whatsoever (hoping that changes). My paycheck would come from the government of Canada/provincial government just as it has in other jobs that I have worked in so that part is really no different. It would upset me to work in a hospital knowing that was going on on the other side of the building but if I were doing work that I felt was helping people and had nothing to do with that, I think I would still feel like I was doing something great for people, and not going against my beliefs at all. It was a really good point though that was brought up about where your paycheck is coming from, and I have thought about that myself as well.

I worked as a community health educator before going into nursing. Now I have my PHN and I am a L&D nurse. I would have to say that the reason I wanted to go into nursing was because I wanted to provide patients and clients with all the correct and accurate information to make informed decision in regards of their health care. I have my own personal beliefs and I would never place them on others. Nurses have to be objective yet caring to patients and their needs and denying their rights to information is an ethical violation.

Sure in a perfect world we could all get out of having uncomfortable conversations with patients about health care dilemmas but if nurses want to continue to learn and grow then you must engage in those conversations.

Honesty I dont see how you could be a public health nurse and not give out information about all aspects of reproductive services.

You're right, I probably could not be a public health nurse. Could this thread please be closed?

Thanks :)

I would not be judgemental working with drug addicts or prostitutes.

Yet you would be unwilling to provide access to the birth control options they are legally entitled to. Forcing your value system on them is judgmental.

You are so fixed in what your idea of what Plan B is you're not open to any evidence to the contrary. Plan B is no more abortion than the regular, daily birth control pill is.

I'm curious, are you also opposed to daily birth control pills?

How about IUDs? They work by preventing implantation.

Quite honestly, if you aren't willing to open your mind and educate yourself regarding the known mechanism of action of a medication, by way of reliable references, then you shouldn't go into nursing. Patients receive too much bad information by way of Dr. Google, they shouldn't have to worry about their health care providers also being misinformed.

I know that Plan B prevents implantation, but it does not prevent fertilization. I have friends that have taken it, they are still my friends, i just never personally would or want to give it out. In regards to getting the paycheck, in Canada our tax dollars already go to abortion without any of us getting a choice or say in that whatsoever (hoping that changes). My paycheck would come from the government of Canada/provincial government just as it has in other jobs that I have worked in so that part is really no different. It would upset me to work in a hospital knowing that was going on on the other side of the building but if I were doing work that I felt was helping people and had nothing to do with that, I think I would still feel like I was doing something great for people, and not going against my beliefs at all. It was a really good point though that was brought up about where your paycheck is coming from, and I have thought about that myself as well.

It does prevent fertilization in the sense that it prevents ovulation (as long as the woman has not yet ovulated). Please, please, please, inform yourself if you're going to discuss the matter!

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
You're right, I probably could not be a public health nurse. Could this thread please be closed?

Thanks :)

Thread closed per OP request.

+ Add a Comment