Barriers and enablers to nurse practitioner implementation of medication abortion in Canada: A qualitative study

Abstract

In this study we explored nurse practitioner-provided medication abortion in Canada and identified barriers and enablers to uptake and implementation. Between 2020–2021, we conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with 20 healthcare stakeholders and 23 nurse practitioners who both provided and did not provide medication abortion. Data were analyzed using interpretive description. We identified five overarching themes: 1) Access and use of ultrasound for gestational dating; 2) Advertising and anonymity of services; 3) Abortion as specialized or primary care; 4) Location and proximity to services; and 5) Education, mentorship, and peer support. Under certain conditions, ultrasound is not required for medication abortion, supporting nurse practitioner provision in the absence of access to this technology. Nurse practitioners felt a conflict between wanting to advertise their abortion services while also protecting their anonymity and that of their patients. Some nurse practitioners perceived medication abortion to be a low-resource, easy-to-provide service, while some not providing medication abortion continued to refer patients to specialized clinics. Some participants in rural areas felt unable to provide this service because they were too far from emergency services in the event of complications. Most nurse practitioners did not have any training in abortion care during their education and desired the support of a mentor experienced in abortion provision. Addressing factors that influence nurse practitioner provision of medication abortion will help to broaden access. Nurse practitioners are well-suited to provide medication abortion care but face multiple ongoing barriers to provision. We recommend the integration of medication abortion training into nurse practitioner education. Further, widespread communication from nursing organizations could inform nurse practitioners that medication abortion is within their scope of practice and facilitate public outreach campaigns to inform the public that this service exists and can be provided by nurse practitioners.

Abortion care at 20 weeks and over in Victoria: a thematic analysis of healthcare providers’ experiences

“…Providers of abortion at all gestations have been found to face many challenges in their role, including grappling with the ethical considerations of their work, and at times experiencing negative emotional impacts, such as anxiety, sadness and grief [ 17 – 20 ]. Many have described having inadequate supports in place to manage these challenges [ 17 , 20 , 21 ]. Though providers in this study similarly found their work difficult at times, they highlighted that the supportive team environment enabled them to successfully navigate emotional and ethical challenges.…”

Effect of extended precision nursing on neurobehavioral function and pregnancy outcome in patients with threatened abortion

“…However, post-discharge, these nursing interventions are often disrupted, resulting in ineffective engagement with the patient’s behavior. [ 5 , 6 ] Continuous precision nursing, as a form of post-discharge continuity of care, has shown positive effects in sustaining treatment efficacy and enhancing patient compliance across various clinical departments. [ 7 , 8 ] Nevertheless, there is limited research on its application in threatened miscarriage.…”