PARTIAL PARTICIPATION or OPT-OUT CURRICULUM
This curriculum is designed to help trainees achieve their individualized learning objectives in reproductive health care. Not everyone will go on to provide abortion care, although it is important that all primary care providers become familiar with services their patients seek to help manage their follow-up care. Benefits commonly reported by partial participants who opt out of abortion training include improved counseling skills, gynecologic procedural exposure, and reflection on individual values (Steinauer 2014).
Professional organizations such as the AAFP, ACOG, ACNM, and NONPF recommend trainees receive exposure to many core skills covered in this curriculum, including:
- Evaluation of pregnancy dating and pregnancy risk
- Pregnancy options and contraceptive counseling
- Management of uncomplicated spontaneous abortion
- IUD and contraceptive implant counseling, placement, and removal
- First trimester uterine aspiration (considered advanced training by professional organizations of Family Physicians, Ob/Gyns, Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners).
After initial orientation and values clarification, trainees benefit from discussing options with their faculty to arrive at a balanced appraisal of appropriate training content.
The alternative or opt out curriculum recommendation below is for partial participants to cover foundations of values clarification, counseling, contraception, follow-up, early pregnancy loss, and complication management, with additional material as desired.
Suggested Material for Partial Participation or Opt Out
Date | Chapter / Activity | Reading / Exercises | Initials |
---|---|---|---|
1. Abortion in Perspective | All / All | ||
2. Counseling & Informed Consent | All / All | ||
3. Pre-Abortion Evaluation | All / All | ||
4. Medication Abortion | All / 4.3 (1-3) | ||
5. Pain Management & Other Medication | |||
6. Uterine Aspiration Procedure | |||
7. Contraception & Abortion Aftercare | All / 7.1 | ||
8. Management of Early Pregnancy Loss | All / All | ||
9. Becoming a Provider, Advocate, & Leader |
Note: SHADING indicates optional activities depending on training goals.