The Law in the State of Florida on Abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy after being accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by, the death of the embryo or fetus (Merriam-Webster,2020). According to Flordia law, this procedure must be performed by a licensed physician. The state law says that termination of a pregnancy can not be done in or after the third trimester or if the physician thinks it is a viable life. Termination after the third trimester must be signed off by my two physicians, who both believe it is a reasonable medical judgment. These reasons have to be within causes: changes or damages to the woman’s life or other irreversible physical impairment. Physicians are supposed to do their all to protect the fetus and make sure that the fetus is born without harm. The only thing that can overrule this is the woman’s life and health are harmed.
Florida state law requires that consent is given by the voluntary and informed writing of the pregnant woman or the court-appointed guardian. The only thing that can change is if it is a medical emergency. The physician who will be inducting the woman must be in the room or hear the consent orally within 24 hours. There must also be an ultrasound that determines the gestational age of the fetus. The woman must be given a chance to view the ultrasound. If she is inclined to see the ultrasound, there must be someone present to be able to explain everything in the ultrasound. If the woman declines the viewing of the ultrasound, there must be someone who is not the physician who can witness and write that it was not a force or influence to decline the chance. In the case of a raped victim, the woman must have a court order documentation or medical or police report to be able to have an abortion. In the situation of a medical emergency, the physician must get a corroborating medical opinion that it is a medical necessity to have an abortion. In the state of Florida, everyone who is thinking about abortion has the right to this information and should be given written information with the information on it.
Being a social worker means supporting and giving help when needed. So, clients will always have the right to get the right information when they make a decision. They should share the information so that they can make the correct decision (Bobby, Dominelli,2017). Being a Christian means that abortion is a sin, so it goes against my religious beliefs. There are different reasons why this could be a valid point in an argument. Morally there is no reason why anyone should be forced to do anything that they are not ready for or bring harm to themselves. With my religious standing, I understand the reason for abortion, but it is still a life that has rights, and there are women every day learning that they can not have kids. Those women and families are trying to adopt and would love to. These ethical entanglements are not horrible, but to a client, they should never be forced. It can make the client feel as if they are in a situation where they can not get out of it. It should never be ok to change a client’s decision or idea to be in line with your own entanglements. Your personal entanglement could, for example, put a rape victim in more trauma or even put a husband and wife in a situation where it is too much to bear.
“Social work is the helping profession. The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic and complex needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty” (National. Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2008, preamble). This means that my opinion does not. Matter when it comes to helping my client make a decision that will change their life forever. Even if I do have ethical issues with abortion, it is never about forcing things on them. Enhancing my client’s well-being is just stating the facts or choices that they have and letting them decide. No one wants to be blamed for a choice that someone makes. So why start with a client that came for your help?
References
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Abortion. In the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abortion
Jennifer Boddy & Lena Dominelli (2017) Social Media and Social Work: The Challenges of a New Ethical Space, Australian Social Work, 70:2, 172-184, DOI: 10.1080/0312407X.2016.1224907
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). The code of ethics. Retrieved May 4, 2008, from http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/ Code/code.asp
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behaviour and the social environment (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
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Question
Define Abortion.
What is the law regarding abortion in the State of Florida?
What are your personal thoughts regarding Abortion?
Conclusion