Comments on: Why This Nurse is Pro-Choice

By: TorontoEmerg

TorontoEmerg — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:26:12 +0000

I am sorry that you were forced through this experience. Some wounds are deep and we bear them a long time. The gynaecologist’s remark to you was clearly unprofessional and suggests she fundamental issues of her own. Thank you for sharing your story.

If by asking,”Why is the nurse colleague not reported for her behavior,” you mean why didn’t I report my nurse colleague, it’s a good question. First of all, I am not clear by any means that every breach of professional demeanour requires a report to the appropriate professional body, in this case the College of Nurses of Ontario. If we all were reported for that, there were be very few HCPs left practising, anywhere. Including me. Secondly, I’m a restorative justice kind of person; in most cases I’m not terribly interested in immediate retribution. I’d much prefer, as a nurse, to talk to her, which I did. I do understand, that for many people, especially those of faith, it’s an issue that is black-and-white. I think they are wrong, and I think they must act in a manner consistent with their professional obligations, but I’m not the keeper of their conscience or the thought police.

By: SM

SM — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:03:23 +0000

Once upon a time, after I got home from travelling in Germany where I was raped, I found the event made me pregnant, I as I was going into the OR where the abortion was to take place (believe it or not, at Women’s College), the doctor (female) who was to perform the procedure was at the base of my gurney, confirmed my name, what the procedure was, and then said “Next time I guess you’ll use birth control”. To which I responded that I had been raped. No reply from her. That was from a female doctor, in Women’s College in Toronto in 1989. I see that the medical profession is still encouraging viscious cunts to voice their self-righteous misogynist opinions. Why is the nurse colleague not reported for her behavior?

By: TorontoEmerg

TorontoEmerg — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:39:38 +0000

I have to say, that most of my colleagues are completely professional in such situations, regardless of their personal opinions. You may be right that perhaps s/he probably needs to deal with it. Before the “morning after pill” was OTC, we commonly dispensed it, which caused some discomfort among nurses, and I knew a few physicians who wouldn’t prescribe it, even though it’s a long stretch to consider it an abortifacient; but people, I think tend to be ruled by their emotions than by the science and knowledge.

I agree with how you characterize your pro-choice position.

By: ck

ck — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:58:56 +0000

I always wondered how pro-life health care practioners dealt with those who had complications related to abortions; if they were able to put their jobs before their ideologies, regarding the patient, like that nurse colleague of your’s. Perhaps he/she shouldn’t be in the ER, knowing that patients with post-abortion complications would walk into their triage & they would have to treat them. Now imagine if the Harpercon socon element, like the weepy Dean DelMastro got their way and we went back to the back alley flop houses of criminalized abortions, how many more you and your colleague would see in your ER? Chilling!

I’m pro-choice; that is to say, a woman should be always allowed to access a safe abortion, no questions asked. And until we have better planned parenthood programs and better education, etc. etc., legalized abortion, no questions asked, is the only solution we have.