In a time when abortion care is becoming increasingly less accessible, and attacks on the legal right to healthcare are seemingly never-ending, NSRH is doubling down on our commitment to creating a world where all people have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH). NSRH has created the Training in Abortion Care (TAC) Residency as part of this commitment. The TAC residency aims to address the need for more full-spectrum clinical training opportunities for registered nurses within their scope of practice.
TAC’s first cohort was established in honor of Helen Pearl Lay Watson, a registered nurse and pro-choice supporter who practiced for 54 years, mainly in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. Helen’s granddaughters, Julie Watson and Katie Watson, are honoring her legacy by supporting the development of the TAC residency. For this first TAC cycle, only RNs licensed to practice in the states of Kentucky and/or Tennessee are eligible.
About
The Training in Abortion Care Residency Program (TAC) aims to address the need for more full-spectrum clinical training opportunities for registered nurses.
This 6 month residency provides registered nurses with clinical experience and community engagement opportunities to develop both clinical and advocacy skills in SRH.
Clinical Experience
Learners will be paired with a local clinic that specializes in SRH, specifically abortion care. The clinical experience will be hands-on learning where the nurse will be expected to assist in the daily routines of the clinic. Each learner will complete a minimum of 80 hours of clinical experience over 6 months.
Group Learning
In addition to clinical experience, TAC aims to educate learners on broader issues surrounding abortion care, SRH and Reproductive Justice. Every month, learners will meet as a group with a content area expert to delve deeper into the copy and its impact on comprehensive health and wellbeing.
Independent Study
With each monthly topic, NSRH has compiled a unique package of content that learners will complete, self-guided, on NSRH's Online Institute. Content includes readin academic journals, webinars, interactive modules etc.
Apply
Applications for the inaugural TAC Residency are closed. Stay tuned to find out when we will launch our 2023 cohort!
Frequently Asked Questions
The hands-on clinical training is determined by the nursing scope of practice as defined by state law where the training takes place. Clinical training topics may include:
- Access and referral
- Patient assessment
- Options counseling
- Preparation and intraprocedural care
- Post-abortion care, and
- Maintenance of patient confidentiality
Some training sites may have specific requirements for trainees. These specific requirements will be communicated to applicants during the application process by NSRH. This is not an employment program and participants will not be paid any compensation by the training sites. NSRH is not a health center or clinical site and does not provide any direct patient care. NSRH works with providers to coordinate and provide training opportunities to trainees.
In addition to clinical experience, learners will commit to 3.5hrs/week of non-clinical education including: participating in monthly group learning and networking sessions, selfguided education through NSRH and our partners, and local community engagement.
In order to provide the most accessible training experience, NSRH will provide trainees with a modest stipend to offset any costs associated with participating in the residency program.
The residency calls for 80 hours of clinical training, which must be completed over the course of 6 months. Participants will coordinate their clinical schedules with the clinics directly after they are accepted.
In addition to clinical training, the residency will also provide participants with a one-year membership with NSRH; a one-year membership to Clinicians in Abortion Care (CIAC), a program of the National Abortion Federation (NAF); advocacy skills building opportunities with local community partners, and exclusive access to various tailored online content.
During the first residency cycle, clinic training sites are located in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. For the first cycle, we are only accepting registered nurses who are licensed and living in either Kentucky or Tennessee.
To be eligible to participate, applicants must be RNs (either bachelor or associates) who are licensed to practice in the states of Tennessee and/or Kentucky. Compact licensed nurses must reside in either Tennessee or Kentucky.
For the first cohort, we will accept 5 registered nurses to participate.
There is no cost to apply for the residency. However, participants may incur some expenses related to travel or clinic specific onboarding requirements. NSRH provides participants with a modest stipend to offset these possible costs.
For this residency cycle, we will only accept RNs who are licensed to practice in Tennessee and/or Kentucky. Our goal is to expand the states we are able to serve after the fist pilot year.
Applications open November 3rd, 2021. The application deadline is January 17th, 2021. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.