Date and Time: Tuesday, November 26th from 3:30 – 5pm ET
This free webinar will examine RN and NP role in the provision of abortion care and will explore current and effective educational strategies for increasing nurse competence in this area. Both RNs and NPs play an integral role in supporting access to abortion and should be competent in providing information to clients regarding medication and procedural abortion, including cost, effectiveness and side effects of each. The presentation will also include teaching regarding medication abortion within the NP scope of practice. Presenters will explore the expanding RN role in the provision of contraceptives and will describe changes to scope and implications in specific jurisdictions.
This live presentation will be supported by simultaneous translation and attendees will have the option to listen in French or English.
Presenters: Kelsey Larter, NP and Aja Toste, RN
Kelsey Larter (she/her) is a Nurse Practitioner at the Sexual Health, Options & Reproductive Services (SHORS) in Charlottetown, PEI. She first started her career as a Registered Nurse at the Moncton Hospital working in the general surgery unit and then continued her learning and moved into the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit. Kelsey then moved back to lovely PEI to complete her Masters in Nurse Practitioner at UPEI. After graduation, she started her NP career as a Primary Care NP at the O’Leary Health Centre. Always on the pursuit of learning, Kelsey continued to advance her knowledge in women’s and sexual health and then started her job at SHORS. Kelsey has advocated for much change at the program and continues to advocate for all patients, but especially those in vulnerable situations. Kelsey lives in a rural community just outside of Charlottetown with her husband, three small children and spends her time chasing the three of them around the province.
Aja (she/her) is a registered nurse based in Toronto with over six years of diverse clinical experience in primary care, forensics, and reproductive/sexual health. She has also worked in several abortion care settings. Aja’s nursing practice is driven by a commitment to health equity, particularly in abortion care. As an educator, Aja teaches undergraduate nursing students at both college and university levels. She serves as a team lead at a non-profit abortion clinic, supporting client and learner needs, including students and nursing staff. Aja has also contributed to policy initiatives that foster trans and gender-diverse inclusivity and survivor-centric practices within abortion care contexts. Aja has spoken at several conferences, including the National Abortion Federation (NAF) conference in 2020, where she presented on trauma-informed approaches in abortion care. Additionally, at the National Community Health Nursing Conference in 2018, she discussed initiatives for enhancing trauma-informed care (TIC) education in nursing and medicine. Currently pursuing a PhD in nursing at the University of Saskatchewan, Aja focuses on integrating trauma- and violence- informed care with immersive technology in education curriculum and 2S LGBTQIA+ health. Her research aims to reshape nursing education and advance reproductive health rights with compassion and a critical lens.
