Abortion and Nurse's Conscientious Objection Essay

Abortion and Nurse's Conscientious Objection - Essay Example The question of this essay is regarding legality of abortion and nurse’s right of objection. Two Roman Catholic nurses recently won the right not to work in an abortion clinic, which is not new considering the right of conscientious objection to abortion on religious or ethical grounds, was written in an act of 1967. "No person shall be under any duty, whether by contract or by any statutory or other legal requirement, to participate in any treatment authorized by this act to which he has a conscientious objection."(The Gaurdian,2011) But this statement is modified in the cases where mother’s life is at stake. There are several conceptions of conscience. Some are religious and some are secular. According to some conceptions identify conscience as a faculty that discerns moral truth or makes ethical judgments. For some it has no importance when it comes to the decisions already made by law or Governmental rule.(The Gaurdian,2011) Abortion is however, one of the most ethi cal dilemmas faced by the society for decades. There are many strong arguments about the issue for those who are in favor or against it. Abortion is a pregnancy termination, an ending of a life that has just begun. Social and personal issues are the main causes of abortions. Such as more then 60% of abortions are caused on single woman. Arguments which takes place mostly against abortions are that growing embryo is living being with a heart beat and it is unmerciful to kill an unborn child whereas, abortion is not a solution for the financial problems of mothers, adoption is the relevant solution for that. According to an obstetrician nurses don’t need to be bothered by the rightness or wrongness of abortion, it is the decision taken by physicians and nurses do as they are told. Why should they discuss the pros and cons of abortion when the decision lies in the hands of church or other Governmental organization? So if an abortion is decided then nurses have no right to object to the decision. These are the reflections of some of the attitudes of health care professionals. However, as a health care professional, nurses have a right as well as responsibility to judge their attitudes towards abortion, both personal and professional integrity relies on them that they provide, on the basis of their knowledge and integrity, participate in care of patient only in therapeutic ways.(Bosek,2007) According to the  Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008  legalized abortion in the State of Victoria, Australia. Section 8,  of the bill demands that physicians, who object to abortion for reasons of conscience must refer a woman to a colleague or another physician, who has no such objections in order to facilitate with the abortion procedure, and requires physicians to perform abortions if necessary "to preserve the life of the pregnant woman."   Many physicians who object to abortion also object to transfer for abortion on the grounds that to refer or otherwise facilita te the procedure makes them ethically complicit in it. A number of individuals and groups have spoken out against the bill, often for a combination of reasons. (Legal Commentaries.2008)). Not only physicians but also nurses have a responsibility in this scenario and there are a number of reasons why they can not ignore the question of abortion. Conscientious objection in medicine is the idea that a health care provider can refrain from offering certain types of medical care with which he/she does not personally agree. These include services which are although legal and medically appropriate such as abortion or sterilization. On one hand ANMC code of ethics state that nurses are to respect the wishes of their patients as long as they are