Jacques publishes values clarification study in JAMA Network Open

Laura Jacques, MD, associate professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, is the first author on a new study published in JAMA Network Open. Co-authors include Elise Cowley, MD, PhD; Laurie Lapp, MD, MPH; Jacquelyn Askins, BA; and Anna Altshuler, MD, MPH.

In “Experiences of Perinatal Personnel with Values Clarification Workshops about Abortion,” Jacques and co-authors examined patient perinatal experiences with value clarification and attitude transformation (VCAT) workshops as their labor and delivery unit prepared to implement second-trimester induction abortion services. 

The research team conducted workshops with all personnel (including physicians, midwives, nurses, medical assistants, and more) on a labor and delivery unit at a tertiary care hospital in California. Following the workshop, researchers interviewed 25 participants about their experience, finding that the workshops encouraged self-reflection and perspective-taking, led to discussion about responsibilities in abortion care, and assisted in identifying shared values: 

“The process helped participants explore value tensions, clarify their professional roles, and identify shared ethical commitments to patient care.”

Read the whole article here!

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Eiman Mir