The American Nurses Association (ANA) has released a statement concerning the recent Supreme Court decision.
“ANA is deeply disappointed in the decision to upend Roe v. Wade, which we view as a legal protection of basic reproductive health rights and human rights,” says ANA Enterprise CEO Loressa Cole, DNP, MBA, RN, FAAN, NEA-BC.
“No matter their philosophical differences or belief systems, all nurses must strive to remain consummate health care professionals and display empathy and respect to all,” says Cole. “This is a complicated issue and deeply personal for all, including nurses. Nurses, leaders, all health care professionals, and the public must engage on this issue with empathy and respect.”
Announced on June 24, 2022, the 6-3 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health overturns the 1973 precedent set by Roe v. Wade.
The Roe ruling determined that the Fourteenth Amendment’s “Due Process Clause” provided a fundamental right to privacy. This protected a woman’s right to receive an abortion. The Dobbs decision reversed that ruling, holding that there was no constitutional right to an abortion, and returned the regulation of abortion services to the states.
