Pro Life Beliefs and Nursing

[Tuzla99]

After spending weeks at a hospital while my dad was there I decided I wanted to pursue nursing as my future career after the great care they provided and I wish to do the same to others. I have pro-life beliefs and would not be able to live with myself killing a child. I know abortion is not an easy topic to discuss and I find I am very ignorant on the subject.

I would never treat anyone who has had an abortion differently and would give the best care to anyone regardless of religion or life choices. If anyone was in a certain situation when they started nursing school I would love to hear advice on what you did. I see myself either specializing in nurse researching/informatics or even oncology. I'm still learning and everything seems new and overwhelming to me so any input is greatly appreciated.

This is in no way meant to push any of my beliefs on any individual or to start arguments. I thank each and every one of you who are in a nursing field or will be in the future. Your work is invaluable.

[klone, MSN, RN]

FWIW, in states where "death with dignity" is allowed, the hospice nurse does not actively help the patient die. At least in Oregon, the nurse can't be anywhere near when the patient decides to take the medications; s/he comes to the home afterwards to "call" time of death.

[WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS]

Do the nurses on this thread actually believe that no patient they have ever had, has dealt with sexual harassment or abuse? Have they never gone to a grocery store?

Just because it's not discussed, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Don't be judgmental, and don't discuss your opinions about abortion and anything else you feel strongly about, with your patients. They need to feel comfortable and safe at all times..

I will say this:

I told a doctor I was having an abortion. She was a Nvy doc. She lied. She said if I died during the procedure, the life insurance wouldnt be paid. She said the Navy wouldn't give me aftercare. I found out that was all a lie.

Fast forward two years:

I went to the VA. The Obgyn I went to for an IUD asked about my pregnancy history. I told him at that point I had one live birth and one abortion. He said I was only going to be covered for VA care, for four months.

I lost out on over ten years of quality free health care, because I trusted him, and he lied..

Just STOP pushing your agenda on other people.

How you should deal with it is say this "I will support ANY decision you make. Do you know that you have three different ways you can go with this?"

And explain to them that they can abort, adopt out, or become a parent.

Leave your personal thoughts out of it.

My mom found out she had cancer a month before I found out I was pregnant.

The living ALWAYS take priority. Do no harm. Remember this:

You can't resucitate a fetus.

That is all. :-)

Firstly, I'm really sorry you have had to deal with the kind of stuff you wrote about. And I hear the point you are making about the living taking a priority. Your comment brings to light, also, many of the reasons women find themselves getting abortions. I'm glad you shared these things, because no matter what an individual view is on something -- we can never forget the person-hood of our patients! You said this very well.

I only take issue with the keep-your-feelings-to-yourself-your-job-is-to-support-whatever-the-patient-wants-to-do part. Nurses are human, too. They also have person-hood. This doesn't mean we (as nurses) can refuse care to our patients or that we should not offer them a therapeutic, non-judgemental nurse-patient interaction -- we absolutely should and must. It also doesn't mean we should be running our mouths off about our opinions about this and that to anyone who will listen. But that doesn't mean there is only one acceptable way to view reproductive rights issues -- which is often how these conversations go -- when actually there needs to be room for everyone's person-hood. There are many perspectives (and the generic 'you' may not be the only one in the room with big feelings about a subject) -- it isn't so black and white to everyone and that is OK.

And there is room for that in nursing. As others have said -- don't go work in Planned Parenthood if you don't want to participate in the abortion procedure. Check out the OBGYN ward carefully before accepting employment there --- how are differing world-views regarding reproductive rights handled in that particular unit?

These are the areas a person would most likely be face to face with the abortion procedure. Whether or not a woman has had an abortion is, to me, a silly thing to be concerned about. Regardless of what any of us feel about any given life choices others make, we will ALWAYS have patients who have made decisions in their life that are different from how we would have done it. Right??

[cov1dea, CNA]

It will take practices. We provide health care to all kinds of people. I hated child molesters and wife beaters. When I become a CNA, I learned to work on this kind of people. It took me awhile to shake my perception towards them. I provide them an optimum care as I would to patients who are good people.

Interacting with predators? No, I strictly limit my conversation with them. I keep it simple. I would prefer they get very nasty to me than me giving them a favor such as hugs and kisses. Yes, some of them, they asked/would ask to kiss or hug me. Others? It depends on a person's history. I might do it. For now, I keep everything simpler.

In short, I keep my opinion to myself. I usually listen.