Student Corner
Values in practice: Issues and arguments about abortion
Sholeh Todd Boyle
Post-registration student, Bachelor of Nursing Science, James Cook University, Townsville QLD
PP: 161 - 166
Abstract
Controversy about induced abortion is caused by issues such as the moral, medical and legal definitions of viability; the intrinsic value of human life; and the rights of the foetus versus the rights of the mother.
These issues pose ethical dilemmas for nurses seeking to enhance and support the autonomy of women who wish to have an abortion. Nurses are also obligated to adhere to their professional Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct, which are founded on preserving life and not destroying it.
Keywords
abortion - induced, ethics - nursing, Foetal rights
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