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Volume 73, Issue 4, Pages 408-414 (April 2006)


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Abortion education in nurse practitioner, physician assistant and certified nurse–midwifery programs: a national survey

Angel M. FosteraCorresponding Author Informationemail address, Chelsea Polisa, Mary Kate Alleeb, Katherine Simmondsc, Melanie Zurekc, Ann Browna

Received 20 September 2005; received in revised form 26 October 2005; accepted 26 October 2005. published online 16 January 2006.

Abstract 

Objective

This study was undertaken to examine the inclusion and extent of abortion education in accredited nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA) and certified nurse–midwifery (CNM) programs in the United States.

Methods

In January 2000, a confidential survey requesting information about the curricular inclusion of eight reproductive health topics was mailed to program directors at all 486 accredited NP, PA and CNM programs in the United States.

Results

Two hundred two surveys were returned, with a response rate of 42%. Overall, 53% of programs reported didactic instruction on surgical abortion, manual vacuum aspiration or medication abortion and 21% reported including at least one of these three procedures in their routine clinical curriculum.

Conclusion

Abortion education is deficient in NP, PA and CNM programs in the United States. As integral components of women's health care, abortion, pregnancy options counseling and family planning merit incorporation into routine didactic and clinical education.

a Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

b National Abortion Federation, Washington, DC 20036, USA

c Abortion Access Project, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 617 349 0045.

PII: S0010-7824(05)00426-9

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2005.10.011


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