Abortion services: nursing students first to complete clinical placement at charity

The two students spent six weeks at charity Marie Stopes’ centre in London

Two nursing students in London have become the first to complete clinical placements at a Marie Stopes UK abortion service.

Their deployment coincided with the recent publication of guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which recommended that students should gain experience in abortion services.

Students participate in many aspects of abortion 

The adult nursing students from King’s College London (KCL) attended charity Marie Stopes UK’s West London Centre for a six-week clinical placement in September.

They gained experience in pre-assessments and consent for treatment, early medical abortion, surgical termination of pregnancy, and recovery and discharge, as well as safeguarding processes.

‘There will always be women who need this sort of care’

Final-year adult nursing student Kirstin Panganiba said she had known nothing about the abortion process before the placement, but now wanted to tackle the stigma surrounding it.

‘When I told my friends and family about my placement there was a shock factor,’ she said.

‘But I would tell them that it is healthcare, and whether people are against it or not, it doesn’t bother me.

‘There will always be women out there who need this sort of care and will do whatever they need to access it, whether it’s readily available or not.’

KCL associate dean of practice learning Julie Bliss said it was important for students to experience placements that reflected the full range of healthcare.

Another two nursing students from KCL will begin placements at the centre in January.