Running head: ANALYSIS OF A U.S.

HEALTHCARE POLICY

Analysis of a U.S. Healthcare Policy

Jordyn Elwell

Grand Canyon University: NSG 436

July 12, 2020

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ANALYSIS OF A U.S. HEALTHCARE POLICY

Analysis of a U.S. Healthcare Policy

All states within the United States have different views and policies when it comes to

whether or not abortions should be legal and different guidelines on when they can take place

and how they will be performed. In Colorado, a new policy about a 22-week abortion ban is

currently being voted on. This policy bans all abortions if the fetus is past 22-weeks gestation

unless proven medically necessary by qualified physicians. Abortions anywhere past 20-weeks

may cause pain to the fetus which is why the policy should be adjusted to a ban after 20-weeks.

This analysis will thoroughly look at this policy while suggesting adjustments while keeping

stakeholders affected, positive and negatives of the policy and other influencing factors in mind.

Summary of a U.S. Healthcare Policy

This U.S. healthcare policy prohibits abortions that are past 22-week gestational age

unless it is completely necessary to save the pregnant woman (Ballotpedia, 2020). The

gestational age will be determined by the healthcare provider that would be preforming the

abortion and will be calculated by using the date of the last menstrual period and by assessing the

patient. If an abortion is performed after 22-weeks without being completely necessary, the

woman will be fined $500 to $5,000 and the medical provider will have their license suspended

for at least three years (Ballotpedia, 2020). This healthcare policy is one that could use revision

because 22-weeks is far enough into a pregnancy to which the fetus can feel pain. Researchers

have found that the fetus’s brain and nervous system has developed enough at this time, more

specifically at 20 weeks, that the brain may process any pain that the fetus may be experiencing

(Charlotte Lozier Institute, 2020). The process of abortion is grueling and would most likely

cause a certain level of pain to an unborn fetus who is 22-weeks. If the state of Colorado wishes

to make abortions legal up to a certain point in pregnancy, they should keep the fetus in mind as
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well, since they are technically a patient too. Abortions should not be legal past the gestational

age in which they would feel the pain of the process which would be approximately 20-weeks.

Major Stakeholders

This policy could affect many different people including physicians, nurses, and patients.

Everyone has their own views about abortion and whether or not it is right and depending on

those views, they could be affected differently. With this policy in specific, physicians would be

affected because they are the ones performing the procedure and determining whether or not it is

legal, knowing their license could be suspended if the pregnant mother is past 22-weeks. They

are also responsible for determining if an abortion is necessary to save the woman’s life after

those 22-weeks. Nurses help assist the provider throughout the procedure and their knowledge on

the details of the procedure and the fetus could affect their feelings and emotions. The pregnant

woman is directly affected and involved because the policy may or may not allow the abortion to

occur.

Positive and Negative Aspects of the Policy

The 22-week abortion ban in Colorado has both positive and negative aspects, depending

on what way it is looked at and approached. This policy could be positive for women who

discover they are pregnant farther into their pregnancy and wish to terminate. This could also be

beneficial to women who have been raped. This specific gestational age gives the woman time to

discover the pregnancy and do genetic testing if needed to identify the father while allowing

plenty of time to make a decision to terminate or not. However, at 22-weeks the fetus’s nervous

system and brain are developed enough to feel sensations of pain which is a negative of this

policy (Charlotte Lozier Institute, 2020). The fetus should be addressed as much as the pregnant

woman and suffering and pain should be eliminated as much as possible for any patient. Due to
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this, there is a delay of the policy and debates are taking place on whether 22-weeks is humane

for abortion or not.

Policy Impact on Nursing Practice and Effective and Equitable Care

With abortions being such a controversial subject, problems may arise in the healthcare

setting and nursing care could be affected. Some nurses may not agree with the regulations set

with abortions which could overall affect the care they give their patients and interrupt the idea

of advocating for every patient. Certain states have laws in place that allow nurses to refuse to

participate in abortions if they feel it is unethical and there is protection through the Civil Rights

Act and Title VI to protect those who do not want to participate due to religious views (Horsley,

n.d.). Overall, the legislature has the power to propose bills and allow people to vote to address

these issues to find a solution. They also have the power to create punishments and regulations.

Proposed Policy Changes

To ensure positive outcomes, a change to this policy should be made. This policy bans

abortions of pregnancies that are past 22 weeks, but it should be changed to before the fetus can

feel pain, which according to research would be before 20-weeks (Charlotte Lozier Institute,

2020). This would be more ethical and reasonable to the unborn fetus because it would cause less

suffering and pain. This may help healthcare workers feel more comfortable with the idea as well

and may help them feel as if they aren’t cause as much harm.

Conclusion

As long as abortion is performed legally, the focus should be on more than just the

pregnant mother, but the fetus as well. Creating a death that is painful and that may create

suffering is unnecessary and should be avoided at all costs which is why 22-weeks is too long to

still be considered for abortion. If states are wanting to legalize abortions, they should consider
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the fetus and only mandate abortions before 20-weeks, so abortion is as painless for the fetus as

possible. This adjustment to the policy will still allow for positive patient outcomes and will still

give the patients the ability to make a decision within a certain amount of time.
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References

Ballotpedia. (2020). Colorado 22-week abortion ban initiative. Retrieved from

https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_22-Week_Abortion_Ban_Initiative_(2020)

Charlotte Lozier Institute. (2020). Fact sheet: Science of fetal pain. Retrieved from

https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-science-of-fetal-pain/

Horsley, J. (n.d.). Abortion and nursing: a legal update. RN, 55(12), 57–58.