opting out of helping: an ethical and moral right?

Gustav Klimt
Medicine

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during the last week during my PCA training and again yesterday, at orientation, they spoke of when you have certain moral or ethical rights regarding certain matters that it is imperative you speak with your manager beforehand and not in the middle of the situation when it presents itself.

case in point: this hospital performs abortions. i am thinking it might be a med/surg floor matter, but my gut is telling me if you, as an OB Tech, are going to scrub in for c-sections so you can hand the doctor the instruments, the chances are overwhelmingly good that you will be required to do so for mid- to late-term abortions.

survey says? time to talk with the manager. i could not willfully participate in something like that, especially if i had prior knowledge (would that not be a sin of comission?)

how about after the surgery? what if the mama is now a patient on the maternity floor even though now, the *maternity* part is over with and they do receive gynecological patients -- will i be able to care for her as i would any other patient?

my conscience is having a harder time with that one - she is still a human being, she is still deserving of care, she made a decision i don't align myself with. is this not now when she should be shown love? the forgiveness, the love of Christ?

i realize this is *one of those questions* and i am throwing it out there like bait because i have to leave by 7:25 a.m. and will not be available to moderate.......however: i trust you, my friends, to keep things civil, present your opinions, not get personal = no ad hominem attacks, behave, i will be back and i will delete your comments if i find them to be against the code of m2, pretending that such a code does exist.

oh, and i am not afraid to pull a thread. it's been done once and i will do it again :)

any midwives or nurse practitioners or doctors or health care professionals who read my blog -- i would be very appreciative of your opinions on this matter, especially if you have been directly involved in a situation such as what i described above. thank you!

~~discuss amongst yourselves~~