By Seth Augenstein/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger NEWARK — Standing on the steps of the school’s administration building, 12 nurses today accused the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey of abruptly forcing them to assist in abortion cases, despite religious and moral objections to the procedures. “In October, we were suddenly confronted with a choice between our faith and our jobs,” said Fe Esperanza-Racpan Vinoya, one of the suing University Hospital nurses. “They said very clearly if we did not assist, we would face termination.” UMDNJ denies that nurses have been asked to take any direct involvement in abortions or to even be in the room at the time of abortion procedures if they have cultural, ethical or religious objections. The 12 nurses are all objecting on religious grounds, their attorney said. “The University is in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and is confident its position will be vindicated when the court gives this matter a full hearing,” the school said in a statement. Twelve of the 16 nurses in the hospital’s same-day surgery unit are part of the suit, according to their attorneys, one of whom is from the Arizona-based Christian non-profit Alliance Defense Fund. The lawsuit asks the court to prevent the school from forcing “health care personnel to assist in abortions or in any health service related to abortion.” It does not specify exactly what the nurses were asked to assist on. The suit, filed Oct. 31, also asks that millions in federal funding be withheld because, it contends, the university recently changed policy on whether nurses must assist in abortions. “The law said they don’t have to assist any part of the (abortion) case,” said Matt Bowman, the attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund. For the full story, go to: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/12_nurses_accuse_umdnj_of_forc.html
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