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The nurses and midwives who conscientiously oppose the termination of pregnancy still do not know how their work will change, a few weeks before the launch of the proposed new law on abortion, it was said yesterday .
The new law will allow health workers not to participate in an abortion if it conflicts with their beliefs.
However, nurses and midwives are particularly concerned that they not only want to give up their freedom of conscience but also refuse to refer a woman to an abortion provider.
The Nurses4Life group raised these issues yesterday by presenting a petition signed by 350 registered nurses asking Health Minister Simon Harris to protect their freedom of conscience.
Margaret Fitzgibbon, Lecturer in Nursing, said the shortage of staff meant that all nurses enrolled in a maternity unit could have the same ideas for life when an abortion was scheduled, plunging them in a deeply uncomfortable dilemma.
She added that nurses' obligations under the new law may "involve supervision, delegation, planning or support of personnel involved in the termination of pregnancy".
"We do not want to be discriminated against by our employers or as employees if we exercise our freedom of conscience," she said.
Ms. Fitzgibbon said that conflicts could arise in hospitals and that they could be brought to the attention of the courts.
Two other members of the group, Fiona McHugh, Pediatric Clinical Nurse, and Margaret McGovern, General Nurse, also pointed out that this issue was not raised at the hospital level by senior nursing staff.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Harris said last night: "With respect to conscientious objection, it is important to note that this legislation does not require doctors, nurses or midwives to do so. anything new, or even to do more than what is already required by law.
"As you know, Dr. HSE has commissioned Dr. Peter Boylan to badist in his preparations for the implementation of the provisions regarding termination of pregnancy and related services.
"Mr. Boylan has consulted extensively with representative organizations on the operation of this service."
Regarding the potential problems with the lists of staff, she said: "The lists of staff come under the management of each hospital."
Irish independent
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