I am taking online A&P II at a community college. The course includes a lab component, though lab is not a requirement for the nursing program to which I have been admitted. I am not squeamish (used to be an EMT), nor do I oppose human cadaver dissection. I do, however, object to animal dissection for ethical reasons. I contacted my professor to request an alternative to the cow eye and heart dissection activities citing my ethical objection to animal dissection, and the fact that I haven't eaten or worn animals for over two decades. I expressed my willingness to engage in an alternate activity, such as an interactive, multimedia software program (we already utilize such software to conduct experiments on virtual lab animals). My request was denied. I was informed that if I chose not to do the dissections, I would be penalized with a deduction in points.
In response to my e-mail asking my professor to reconsider, I received the following reply (excerpt):
Would you tell someone who is badly mangled in a auto accident and bleeding to death that you cannot work on them because you are a vegetarian? I would hope not. If so, then you should choose another career.
My professor also called my ethical opposition to animal dissection into question with the following statement:
I understand being a vegetarian but this assignment does not require you to eat these animal specimens.
I found his message to be inappropriate, offensive, and ridiculous. I would like to obtain some outside perspective and would appreciate any comments you may have about this situation. Thanks.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
First of all, get over yourself. What is inappropriate is nursing students all over the place complaining and whining about things they don't want to do or they deserved this grade or that grade, or this part of the program is bad or blah, blah, blah. Chances are your college has carefully reviewed the program that you are taking and thought it was important or they would not have included it. We have ALL had to endure these procedures and we have all survived. While I respect your decision to be vegan and your choice in organic clothing and shoes, my question is...are you not going to inject certain insulins because some are obtained from animals? Heparin injections?? Will you go so far as to not administer certain meds or complete certain procedures because animals were killed and yes brutally dissected for the research involved. Where will you draw the line?? The truth is naive one, is that you are entering a field that is comprised on the study of animals, the use of animal products and parts, and that these poor creatures are killed for further research everyday, everywhere, all of the time. It doesn't make it right...that is just the way it is.
All of that really has nothing to do with not wanting to dissect a cat.
I think it's hilarious! Suggest you shed some layers of "sensitivity" and start learning to laugh at yourself. If you're so against animal dissection in the interest of learning how bodies work so you can later help save them, you may need to consider a career shift. People aren't made of tofu.
This thread is really pathetic. One thing I have enjoyed about the Pre-Nursing Students forum is that people are respectful of one another and try to help. That has been very refreshing because I have mostly on aviation boards the past 10 years where civility is in short supply.
This is the first time I have seen a thread here degenerate into a display of intolerance and hostility. Mocking others and attacking them. Why pick on the OP? Why belittle the others who have posted opinions different from your own?
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
Didn't mean to pick on anyone.
I just found the lack of understand and compassion towrd the OP made me very angry.
You are right and I will bow out.
I know though that the OP can be a fine nurse without ever needing to dissect a cat and I would hope that she would be allowed to avoid that and get an alternative assignment.
And I would truly hope that people here would get it through their thick skulls that telling the OP she should suck it up and/or consider a career change was just not true and not right.
It's all OK. Crunch, you can laugh at me anytime you want-- I'm sure I deserve it and I don't mind the can of whup applesauce you opened. I'm so dang old that it's hard to get overly sensitive about things. I'd just like the young girl to realize she doesn't need to rush to the department head with a complaint over a quip the prof made. It's embarrassing to be hung out to dry in front of classmates, but it may have been embarrassing to the prof, too, to be in that situation.
By the way, tofu is good stuff. I just wouldn't want to dissect it with a dull scalpel. :)
Personally, I think the professor's comments were highly inappropriate. They were just about as related as apples to automobiles. As a veg for over 25 years, non wearer of animal products and an avoider of products that are tested on animals, I can sympathize. It's not 100% (and yes I'm fully aware of medication testing on animals) but I do try to cause as little harm out there.
I too refused to disect the cat, thought it was pretty unrelated to human anatomy, just observed at a distance. My school had cadavers but didn't bring them out, which I found to be such a waste, I could learn more from the real deal than a mammal that was unlucky enough to be homeless. Thought it was interesting that many students thought it looked a lot like chicken and couldn't eat chicken for a while. Well it did, which is as gross to me as eating chicken.
Wish I could give some good advice, but every program is so different, I was lucky to have a prof who understood my ethical dilema. Passed A&P, nursing school and the NCLEX without ever having to slice into the darn cat.
Chin up, you are going to make FINE nurse. :redbeathe
I think your objection is a concern. What if you object to a girl having an abortion and then she shows up in your care after having post-abortion medical issues - would you not care for her? Or what about an abortion doctor - if he was in your hospital for surgery -would you object to giving him post-operative care? I think you need to get over certain objections and treat the A&P course as science.
I think your objection is a concern. What if you object to a girl having an abortion and then she shows up in your care after having post-abortion medical issues - would you not care for her? Or what about an abortion doctor - if he was in your hospital for surgery -would you object to giving him post-operative care? I think you need to get over certain objections and treat the A&P course as science.
I promised myself I wouldn't get sucked back into this thread, but alas, here I am. I just can't not point out how those "examples" are not even close to being relevant to the OP's moral objection to this assignment!
Okay, one more time: the OP has a moral, personal objection to dissecting the specimen. It has NOTHING to do with the specimen's opinion of/actions in relation to vegetarianism, veganism, dissection, eating meat, having abortions, or anything else! The OP's convictions only affect HIM/HER (and his/her grade). The OP has NO disdain for the specimen/"patient."
Being a vegan or vegetarian does not mean you wish harm on others who may choose to eat meat or wear leather or drink milk. I bet if the OP, when he/she is a competent, qualified nurse, walks into a treatment room and the patient is nomming on a cheezburger, the OP would still provide the best care they can of the patient (after requesting they put their meal on hold for the purpose of treatment, I would assume). It's ridiculous to imply otherwise.
CrunchRN, ADN, RN
4,556 Posts
All of that really has nothing to do with not wanting to dissect a cat.