Pro-Life Nurse

After posting to the NUSI board at NYU regarding the Call to Action today, I received a response from a fellow nursing student. Here’s what she had to say:

abortion is murder. an embryo or fetus is a human stage of life, as in “infant”, “toddler”, “child”, “teenager”, etc.

So, apparently whatever school she attended previously didn’t teach her punctuation… but, damn, she sure knows how to use those quote marks!

Aside of me being snarky about her grammar, I felt she deserved to have her opinion… although I really HATE when people decide to be self-righteous and respond to these things as if THEY are going to change someone’s mind. It really is quite presumptuous! I mean, really, don’t you think I haven’t already given it a little thought? (Hell, the fact is that I’m NOT entirely comfortable with abortion and that it DOES upset me. HOWEVER, that still doesn’t change the way I feel about the issue- ALL WOMEN DESERVE A CHOICE!)

In any case, here is how I responded (I think I did a fair enough job of biting my tongue and succinctly stating why I feel the way I do):

Behind every choice is a story. I believe everyone has the right to choose what is best for THEM. And while it’s a choice I am thankful to have never had to make, the fact is that women will make that choice regardless of access. Being pro-choice means keeping women SAFE.

In Solidarity,
Mina

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6 Responses to “Pro-Life Nurse”

  1. I am a pro-choice nursing student, which shocks people for a couple of reasons; one because I’m going to be a nurse and two because I have a child. People think because I had my son at such a young age that I must be pro-life, when I just chose to keep him. The idea of abortion does not entirely thrill me either, but when a nursing student friend of mine recently worried about whether she was pregnant, she came to me because she knew that I was the only person she could trust to take her to have an abortion if she needed one. Thank you for bringing this up. I believe it’s really important for nurses to always focus on the best ways to keep their patients safe.

    Laken said this on December 9th, 2009 at 1:28 am

  2. You’d think medical professionals would know better. Denying women a choice, and making abortions illegal hurts women in so many ways – being forced into a pregnancy they can’t or don’t want to continue for a variety of reason for one, and pushing them into the icky alternative back ally abortions – which if they go well, its an accident.

    Wendy Blackheart said this on December 9th, 2009 at 1:52 am

  3. Well and succinctly put.

    Sascha said this on December 11th, 2009 at 3:52 pm

  4. Thank you all for reading and supporting women. Pro-life campaigns seem to assume that pro-choice people are pro-abortion or have not regard for life. I think it’s really quite the opposite. Because we value life so strongly, we are able to look at the life of the mother as well as the child in the long-run- after all, if it goes to term, it has to be raised and supported, yes? I strongly believe women know what is best for them and for any life they bring into the world. I want every child to be a wanted and loved child, and I want every woman to stay safe… so that she can happily live the life she’s got.

    Laken – As nurses, we have to be advocates for our patients. I tell others that, regardless of our own judgments and beliefs, we need to support our patients in the decisions they make. We need to help them stay safe, healthy, and alive.

    Mina Meow said this on December 11th, 2009 at 4:06 pm

  5. anti-choice nurses are SO not okay! once i had heatstroke and had to be hospitalized in the middle regions of california (en route from SF to LA) — and the nurse had a fucking LIFE bracelet on, at the hospital! that’s not legit. at all. i literally ran out with my IV still in!

    Mistress Dartmouth said this on December 13th, 2009 at 1:53 am

  6. Everyone has the right to their own beliefs, and even in the hospital, I think that they can still own them… however, I think it’s a matter of respecting other people and their decisions/choices that defines whether it’s truly a conflict of the profession. What gets me the most are healthcare professionals who refuse to EDUCATE their patients on all of their choices… as a healthcare provider, you can set limits for the procedures and care YOU are willing to provide YOURSELF, but you CAN’T limit the procedures and care YOUR PATIENT can receive from OTHERS.

    Mina Meow said this on December 13th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

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