Ethical Issue
The ethical issue that will be considered in this paper is abortion. The practice of abortion has been controversial throughout medical history, both supported and condemned by various parts of society. For nurses, the subject of treating or discussing abortions, then, becomes one of professionalism, patient care, and personal opinion. As workers primarily engaged in direct patient care, nurses act as an agent for their patient’s well-being. Such a perspective may become difficult to maintain, however, when either the government’s or the nurse’s stance on abortion goes against the needs of the individual.
Currently, several articles exist that highlight different facets of this issue in nursing, including the ability of nurses to object to abortion, their confrontation with the law, and their perception of specific types of abortion. I think that nurses should have comprehensive ethical training when it comes to the questions of women’s autonomy and rights. While the wishes and needs of a nurse may be taken into consideration, the primary goal of nursing care – supporting the patient, must always come first.
Articles on Ethical Issue
As mentioned previously, several articles were examined to contextualize the subject within the broader field of nursing ethics. The first article discusses the practice of conscientious objection, which is a rejection of providing medical services. Usually, the objection is based on moral, ethical, or religious norms, but it can also be a result of considering the impact abortion has on the health of its participants. The study examined compiles and analyzes the variety of reasons nurses used to object to providing abortion care. By examining existing literature, the researchers could identify some underlying factors that affect the decision-making process of these medical professionals. As a result of this data collection, the study found that most nurses who object to providing abortion care do so because of moral reasons (Fleming et al.). However, as stated by the research, the issue comes primarily from the inability of the law to define the acceptable criteria for what can be considered a conscientious objection.
The fact that so many different nurses presented their unique arguments against the practice, showcases that there is no unified structure or framework to access the validity of an objection. This lack of clarity presents an ethical dilemma in itself and endangers patients. Without the capacity to know whether or not a nurse will assist them with an abortion, an individual may suffer both physically and mentally. The degree of uncertainty further opens up the potential for scrutiny and puts each case of conscientious objection in the limelight. To improve access to abortion for patients, it is necessary to create more universal criteria for objecting to abortion care. This would allow nurses to be more responsible toward their patients, while also respecting their rights as people themselves.
The second article that will be discussed concerns the actions of nurses that had to work against the law to provide abortion care to their patients. A nurse is always faced with a dual responsibility – working within the constraints of legal medical practice, and providing adequate, humane care to their patients. When the subject of abortion falls on the line drawn between these two concepts, many nurses choose to favor their duty as care providers (Emezue). In such cases, nurses were shown to be able to bend local and federal laws, or explicitly break them, to provide abortion services. The need for nurses to work against existing legislation in cases where patient health is at stake is alarming. An inability to unite the need of nurses to obey the law with their active work practice puts their professional confidence and the competence of the entire profession in danger. The issue of legislation and abortion showcases that there are significant gaps between the services nurses need and are allowed to perform. The lack of systematic support or change on a legislative level endangers the job security of nurses, making them feel professionally compromised. This article raises the issue of healthcare provider regulation as it relates to nurse agency and active provision of care.
The third article that was chosen for examination concerns nurse attitudes to self-induced abortion. The study was conducted in Turkey, meaning that its results may not be applicable universally. However, the issues raised within the article and its discussion are still important to discuss. In particular, the study measured the attitudes of nurses in training about the subject of self-induced abortion (Bulucu Büyüksoy et al.). The authors found a discrepancy between the nurses’ views as professionals and their perspectives as individuals. In particular, there is a stark contrast between the conservative and traditional concerns about self-induced abortion and the healthcare provider’s responsibility to support their subjects.
The data showcased in this study highlights the fact that history, tradition, and culture have a strong impact on the ability of nurses to consider the subject of abortion or work within the legal bounds of their profession. Therefore, it becomes necessary to ensure that societal culture of condemnation is not able to negatively impact the quality of healthcare delivery.
Works Cited
Bulucu Büyüksoy, G. D., et al. “Pro-abortion attitude with context of traditional and professional identity dilemma.” Nursing Ethics, vol. 27, no. 7, 2020, pp. 1529-1541, doi:10.1177/0969733020923719.
Emezue, C. “Review for “Working with or against the system: Nurses’ and midwives’ process of providing abortion care in the context of gender‐based violence in Australia”.” 2022, doi:10.1111/jan.15226/v2/review1.
Fleming, V., et al. “Conscientious objection to participation in abortion by midwives and nurses: A systematic review of reasons.” BMC Medical Ethics, vol. 19, no. 1, 2018, doi:10.1186/s12910-018-0268-3.