ethics lecture rant (sensitive topic)

[Ginyer]

Today our lecture was on ethics and values in nursing care. We were discussing abortions and our teacher was explaining to us that we can refuse to care for a patient if say they are in the hospital because of a serious medical problem due to an abortion. The discussion got a little heated (personally I wouldn't try and refuse to care for anyone unless I felt threatened in some way) but some of the students in my class explained they would never care for a patient who was in the hospital from a problem with an abortion unless obviously no one was available to take over that pt's care. I was surprised a few students felt so strongly about this. I thought a big part of nursing care is to not pass judgement and be as accepting as possible. I realize we're only human but personally I feel that if you have reservations about treating certain pt's because they believe in something you don't...or they have acted in a way that you feel is against your own morals, you're in the wrong profession.

Anyway...a little fired up from the lecture still and wondering how you guys feel about passing a pt on to another nurse and reasons that would make you refuse care to for someone.

(no abortion arguments please)

Ginyer

[GrnHonu99, RN]

Today our lecture was on ethics and values in nursing care. We were discussing abortions and our teacher was explaining to us that we can refuse to care for a patient if say they are in the hospital because of a serious medical problem due to an abortion. The discussion got a little heated (personally I wouldn't try and refuse to care for anyone unless I felt threatened in some way) but some of the students in my class explained they would never care for a patient who was in the hospital from a problem with an abortion unless obviously no one was available to take over that pt's care. I was surprised a few students felt so strongly about this. I thought a big part of nursing care is to not pass judgement and be as accepting as possible. I realize we're only human but personally I feel that if you have reservations about treating certain pt's because they believe in something you don't...or they have acted in a way that you feel is against your own morals, you're in the wrong profession.

Anyway...a little fired up from the lecture still and wondering how you guys feel about passing a pt on to another nurse and reasons that would make you refuse care to for someone.

(no abortion arguments please)

Ginyer

I agree with the others, I would not refuse care to anyone unless I felt personally threatened.

[debrasDD99]

det01, I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. Hugs to you. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

As to the post, I am a 2nd semester in a 5 semester nursing program so I have yet to come across this issue. Taking care of a patient that is having complications due to an abortion probably wouldn't bother me, however there might be other situations that would bother me. Right now, I come from the view point that as a nurse I am suppose to take care of any assigned patient regardless of the situation. It will be interesting to seeing if this view point changes once I actually enter the work force. Right now, I have to get through nursing school!:)

[rn2bn07, BSN, RN]

I feel that the whole aspect of Nursing is to be there for that patient, regardless of the situation. It would not matter if I had to be there during or after the abortion, it don't make me or break me to take care of her at that time. Who knows what the situation may have been for this patient as to why she had to go through an abortion. There are many reasons why people may have to go through this possibly (rape), maybe, you never know. So for those who say they would not be there for her during the abortion, I just want to know who are you to make these type of decisions about somebody else's situation, you are just there for the care of the patient not to become part of the pt's life.

[firstaiddave907]

the nurses are theyre to take care of pacients and not to pass judgement because its what the pacient believes in and everyone has there own oppions about a lot of topics. and the ohter thing is if a nurses refuses to take care of the pacient then a law suite could be filed for discrimation . i agree with you ginyer and your insturcter should have something said to her by the dean of the school like where here to teach the students to treat every pacient with the knowlodge they have been tought and the pacients are sick and want to get better not to have judgement pass upon them and not to be left in a room alone because some of the nurses dont believe in the pacient belifs . thats just my oppion.

[det01]

I feel that the whole aspect of Nursing is to be there for that patient, regardless of the situation. It would not matter if I had to be there during or after the abortion, it don't make me or break me to take care of her at that time. Who knows what the situation may have been for this patient as to why she had to go through an abortion. There are many reasons why people may have to go through this possibly (rape), maybe, you never know. So for those who say they would not be there for her during the abortion, I just want to know who are you to make these type of decisions about somebody else's situation, you are just there for the care of the patient not to become part of the pt's life.

I don't think people are saying they are making a value judgement about the patient. They are making a value judgement about their own morals and what they will and won't participate in. In some nurses cases it could be that participating in the actual performance of the abortion is so against their own moral beliefs that it could harm them psychologically to help with one (immense guilt, etc.) I see nothing wrong with that and do not think it makes them any less of a nurse - it just means they know themselves. There are nurses that are fine with performing abortions. Those nurses can do it, someone who believes strongly against it should not be forced to. Also if you feel strongly against it for whatever reason you can always choose to work at a hospital that does not perform that procedure.