Resolution supports healthcare workers and patients impacted by abortion bans

On June 1, the AFT executive council adopted a resolution addressing the impact of abortion restrictions, emphasizing the crucial role healthcare workers play in navigating the challenging landscape created by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.

The consequences of the decision are showing up in disturbing stories about people losing their rights to reproductive healthcare. It has created tremendous uncertainty for people accessing reproductive health services, including abortion, and for those providing care. This lack of clarity has devastating implications for patients seeking abortion services and the healthcare professionals who care for them, who now face the threat of criminalization for giving the best care possible.

“I think what has happened is that the states that have these draconian bans have put doctors and nurses into unbelievable moral dilemmas,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten setting the stage for the discussion on the resolution.

“Abortion is always and will always be probably a very hot topic,” said Vicky Byrd, MSN, RN. Byrd is president of the Montana Nurses Association and an AFT vice president. “From my lens, abortion is healthcare,” she said, noting that because abortion is healthcare, it should be safe and legal.  She also highlighted the importance of education to combat misconceptions surrounding abortion.

One unintended consequence of abortion bans is that women are being forced to carry non-viable fetuses, said Byrd, calling the practice cruel and inhumane. The fear of criminalization weighs heavily on doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses, causing them to delay critical medical interventions, Byrd added.

She said the nurses' code of ethics requires a commitment to patients, and then shared an anecdote about a nurse colleague who for personal reasons couldn't participate in abortion procedures. The care team rallied to support one another and ensure that the patient received the necessary care. “We took care of the patient,” she said. “We took care of each other.”

Byrd asked council members to keep in mind that the focus of the resolution is to support the healthcare workers and the patients impacted by the abortion ban. The resolution is “not saying whether abortion is right or wrong. Abortion is healthcare. We need to protect the workers and the patients.”

[Adrienne Coles]