Masters of Science in Nursing from Yale Univerity School of Nursing

Additional Degrees and Certifications:
• Adult Nurse Practitioner, AANP National Board Certification
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, NCC National Board Certification
• Bachelor of the Arts, Hampshire College

Awards Received:

Award:
New Abortion Provider Development Fund Grant
Awarding Organization:
Provide (formerly Abortion Access Project)
Date Awarded:
June 1, 2011

Alison Hathaway (MSN, NP-C, WHNP-BC) graduated from Yale School of Nursing in 2012 with a dual specialty in Women’s Health and Adult Primary Care. During her graduate studies, she traveled to Mexico City and completed a 6-week intensive training in manual vacuum aspiration abortion with support from the Abortion Access Project. From 2012 to 2017, Alison served on the board of directors for Nursing Students for Sexual & Reproductive Health (NSSRH) (formerly Nursing Students for Choice); for two years, she was the board chair. During her time on the board, Alison helped facilitate the organization’s first national activist conference, bringing nursing students from across the country together to learn about family planning, trans health, abortion care and reproductive justice. After 4 years of organizing, she is pleased to be presenting at NSSRH’s 5th annual activist conference this fall in Minneapolis. Beyond her volunteer work on the board of NSSRH, Alison has worked with nursing and physician colleagues to publish several articles. Currently, she is completing a chapter on pregnancy options counseling for a primary care textbook for nurse practitioner students. Alison works as a nurse practitioner in California, where she provides family planning, primary care and abortion services. She is dedicated to improving access to safe, legal abortion through augmenting scope of practice for professional nurses. She has been trained in both medical and aspiration abortion care, and serves as one of the first nurse practitioners providing surgical abortion in the state.

Over the last 6 years, I have sought educational, clinical, and volunteer positions to increase access to family planning and abortion care through advancing scope of practice for nurse practitioners and midwives. During my graduate studies, I traveled to Mexico City and completed an intensive clinical training in 1st trimester medical and manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) abortion–I utilized this training experience to lead workshops for nursing students, training them in the basics of MVA for therapeutic abortion and miscarriage management. I am currently a nurse practitioner in California; over the last 4.5 years, I have been proud to offer family planning, comprehensive contraceptive counseling, and abortion care to patients at ten Planned Parenthood health centers in the state.

My passion grew from an evolving understanding that without access to family planning and abortion care, there can be no semblance of equality in the world. Possessing the ability to reproduce when desired, and prevent fertility when desired, is at the root of bodily autonomy and the ability to take control over one’s life and dreams. Through witnessing the positive impact that family planning has on people’s futures, I became passionate about becoming a nurse educator, provider, and advocate.

Over the last 4 years, I’ve served on the board of directors for Nursing Students for Sexual and Reproductive Health; for 2 years, I was the board Chair. Our mission is to provide nursing students with the tools to become social change agents within the healthcare system as it relates to sexual and reproductive justice. I have helped organize 4 activist conferences and presented at national conferences on abortion care. I am one of the few NPs in California that provides surgical abortion.

I would use this new platform and grant to continue my advocacy work for expanding access to abortion services by utilizing advanced practice clinicians (nurse practitioners, midwives, and physician assistants) as providers. I would specifically use the $1000 grant to launch a podcast to highlight the work of other 120 under 40 winners, to learn about what they are doing and share the important role that professional nursing has in expanding access to family planning and abortion care worldwide.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27779816
http://nursingstudentsforsexualandreproductivehealth.org/the-welcoming-committee…
https://npwomenshealthcare.com/four-apn-students-narratives-abortion-training-me…
http://nursingstudentsforsexualandreproductivehealth.org/one-year-out-looking-ba…