Good News for Nurses’ Conscience Rights Protection
Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RN
Chair, Ethics & Spirituality Committee
It is good to know that at last laws protecting conscience objection to participating in abortion are being enforced. On August 28, 2019 the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMC) was put on notice by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for violating the Church amendments by forcing nurses to assist with abortions against their moral objections.
Upon an investigation by the OCR, the UVMC was found to have intentionally and knowingly scheduled nurses and other health care personnel who have documented religious and moral objections to assist with abortion. UVMC has one month to change its policies and procedures and must take immediate steps to remedy the effect of its discriminatory practices or risk losing federal funds.
