I had a patient a while back who I’ll call Denise.  She was a 14 year old who had unprotected sex for the first time and gotten pregnant.  She was scared.  What would happen to her plans for the future?  She wanted to be a nurse.

What would happen to her plans for the future?  She wanted to be a nurse.

Her parents would be furious if they found out, and she was sure that they would either kick her out of the house or cause her physical harm.

The only person she could turn to was her school nurse, who helped her through the process of a judicial consent and helped her find us.  She got her abortion with the school nurse in the waiting room. Some young women don’t have many people to turn to, even within their family.  Allies in schools are essential for girls trying to access reproductive healthcare.

Allies in schools are essential for girls trying to access reproductive healthcare.

Now Denise can go on to be a nurse just like the one who took care of her.