The National Association of Catholic Nurses, U.S.A. Joined with 25,000 Physicians Fighting Proposed Global Abortion Policy to Strip Conscience Rights Protections The World Medical Association (WMA) representing 10 million physicians worldwide is poised to approve a policy that would demand doctors refer for abortion, even against their conscience. It is important to understand the differences between Referral and Transfer of Care. Read the Joint Letter to AMA in Opposition to WMA Proposed Changes Read the response from AMA and their position The WMA was founded in 1947 in response to [...]

HHS Actions to Protect Conscience Rights of Americans Following comments submitted by NACN-USA and many other organizations in November and December (see below), in January 2018 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced: Two major actions to protect life and conscience rights of Americans: New guidance to state Medicaid directors restoring state flexibility to decide program standards. The letter issued rescinds 2016 guidance that specifically restricted states' ability to take certain actions against family-planning provider that offer abortion services. HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a new [...]

HHS Removing Barriers to Participate in HHS Programs Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RNChair, Ethics & Spirituality Committee NACN-USA in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop and other organizations provided comments on Removing Barriers for Religious and Faith-Based Organizations to Participate in HHS Programs and Receive Public Funding. The HHS sought comments from faith-based organizations and other interested parties to inform HHS on how it may best identify and remove regulatory or other barriers in order for these institutions to participate in HHS-funded or regulated programs, [...]

Message of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Participants in the 32nd International Conference on the "Addressing Global Health Inequalities. In attendance at the Dicastery meeting were NACN-USA members: Marylee Meehan, RN, MA, NACN President (1996-1998), CICIAMS President Emeritus and Member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers (2011-2017); Dr. Patricia Sayers, DNP, RN, CICIAMS United Nations Representative; Maria Arvonio, BSN, MA(HCE), RN, Northeast Regional Director and Ellen Gianoli, BSN, PHN, RN, Pacific Regional Director. Read the full message here. XXXII International Conference, 16-18 November [...]

HHS DRAFT Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) solicited input to the HHS DRAFT Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 with this message.  Comments are due by October 27, 2017. Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RNChair, Ethics & Spirituality Committee Thank you Dr. Carolyn Laabs, PhD, MA, FNP-BC, RN, Chair, Ethics and Spirituality Committee for your excellent work drafting the NACN-USA comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) draft Strategic Plan. 10/23/2017