Many clinicians lack information on misoprostol alone regimens for medication abortion, though these methods have been proven safe and effective for early abortion. New education slides from the Abortion Access Project on clinician usage of misoprostol alone are now available through the Curriculum Organizer for Reproductive Health Education (CORE), a program of AAP's colleague organization, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals.

A popular curriculum tool, educational slides on misoprostol alone will be at the disposal of medical faculty across the country. Educating healthcare professionals on the use of misoprostol in early abortion is another step towards guiding a thoughtful response to the medication's usage in the United States.

 Scope of practice issues for advanced practice nurses raise their ugly head from time to time. For NPs providing abortion care, scope of practice issues are particularly unique. Many states still have “physician only laws” that date back to the 1960s and 1970’s when they were passed to protect women from back street abortionists. Some states have used these antiquated laws to preclude advanced practice nurses from providing abortion care, particularly aspiration procedures. Other states do no have such laws in place and it is usually assumed the Nurse Practice Act encompasses the provision of abortion services among with many other women’s health care procedures. However, given the contentious nature of the abortion debate in the U.S., a variety of strategies have been used by the anti-choice movement to attempt to limit the provision of abortion, however possible.

In Arizona, a complaint was filed against an nurse practitioner (NP) who provides aspiration abortion procedures for a Planned Parenthood clinic. The complainant, who can be from the general public as well as the health care community, filed a complaint to the Board of Nursing expressing concern that the NP was acting outside of her scope of nursing practice. Once the complaint was made, the Board is obligated to investigate the situation. In this specific case, the NP began providing abortion services in 2001 to meet the needs of women in the area. The NP has an excellent safety record and provides abortion skills training to residents from a nearby medical school.