Saturday, September 17, 2022
Rendering: Providence College/SLAM
In news that was somewhat lost a bit during the primary election week, Providence College made one of the biggest higher education announcements to hit Rhode Island in years.
The small Catholic college is leaping into healthcare in a big way — it is launching a school of nursing. At a time when local hospitals and hospitals across the country are facing a shortfall in the field, the decision is a smart business move and helps transform the face and depth of PC.
Lifespan lists hundreds of nursing vacancies. Care New England is suffering millions in losses each quarter tied directly to the cost of overtime being paid to nurses.
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The PC commitment is significant, and the college announced it is building a 100,000-square-foot dedicated building to support the academic effort.
“Programs like nursing, which focus on the care of others, respect for the dignity of every person, and the importance of service to God and neighbor, flow naturally from and support the Catholic and Dominican mission of Providence College,” said PC’s President Kenneth Sicard in announcing the new initiative.
But it also requires the college to wrestle with the complex issue of reproductive rights for women as it relates to Catholic doctrine and healthcare academics.
“The preparation of future nurses and healthcare professionals at PC will be consistent with other major Catholic colleges and universities around the world. We will respond to a growing critical shortage in the health profession where there is a tremendous need for serving all people, especially those on the fringes of society,” said Steve Maurano, vice president at PC.
PC President Kenneth Sicard PHOTO: PC
“The centuries-old tradition of nursing originated with Saint Catherine of Siena, a lay member of the Dominican order, regarded by many as the first nurse. In this Catholic tradition, we will address all medical topics in a way that prepares our students as knowledgeable, skilled, and caring professionals. Clinical placements will include options at acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, community health centers, and others who deliver comprehensive care to all people,” added Maurano.
When the nursing school begins, in all likelihood, many of its instructors will be adjuncts — faculty often part-time and hired as contractors rather than employees.
Maurano said it was unlikely the PC would hire faculty for the nursing school that worked with healthcare organizations that provided abortions.
“Our education and training will not affiliate with any specific ‘clinics’ that offer just a single medical procedure since our focus will be on holistic care,” added Maurano.
Providence College is not the only higher education Catholic institution wrestling with the intersection of church doctrine and the demands of students for reproductive rights.
Reproductive Rights and Recruiting Students – Georgetown
The student newspaper at Georgetown University, the Hoya writes in a guidance story to students about reproductive rights, “As the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution in the United States, Georgetown University aligns itself with the values and beliefs of the Catholic Church, including those that condemn abortion and contraceptives as ‘immoral’ in all cases.”
And it writes, “As a Catholic hospital, MedStar Georgetown is not permitted to perform abortions in accordance with the ‘Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.’ The Georgetown University School of Medicine also does not offer abortion training in its curriculum.”
Protest at RI State House over Roe v. Wade bill, 2019. PHOTO: GoLocal
At Georgetown, university employees cannot refer students to abortion clinics because of the Catholic church’s stance on abortion.
On the main Georgetown campus, “H*yas for Choice” (HFC), a pro-abortion rights student group, “Continues to work on advancing the abortion conversation. While abortions are prohibited at MedStar Georgetown, many HFC members work as volunteer clinic escorts for Planned Parenthood and similar abortion-providing organizations in the District.”
Abortion is legal in Washington, DC, but a Republican majority could reverse that.
According to a CNN poll conducted in July, nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the US Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. The number rises to 74% among young Americans.
At Georgetown, some students are organizing a protest against the University’s reproductive rights policies.
“In recent weeks, HFC launched a #nochoicenodonations campaign in collaboration with the Georgetown University Law Center chapter of If/When/How, a national nonprofit network of lawyers and law students focused on providing legal support for reproductive justice issues, including abortion,” reports the paper.
“In recent weeks, HFC launched a #nochoicenodonations campaign in collaboration with the Georgetown University Law Center chapter of If/When/How, a national nonprofit network of lawyers and law students focused on providing legal support for reproductive justice issues including abortion,” adds The Hoya, “The campaign asks community members to join a ‘no donation’ pledge, which seeks to withhold certain donations to the university endowment to pressure the university into changing its policies on reproductive rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.”
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