Conscience Clauses and Refusal to Treat: Implications for Nurse Practitioners

Ethics and law in the United States prioritize respect for patient autonomy. Patients have a right to make decisions regarding their own health and their own bodies, and providers have a concurrent duty to provide reasonable information to assure that patient decisions are “informed” decisions. When these disagreements involve moral values, nurses and nurse practitioners may experience a “conflict of conscience,” a situation where they are asked to do something that is contrary to their religious beliefs, moral convictions, or conscience. Preparing to respond to these situations in a responsible and ethical manner is a duty of all professional providers.