Physicians and receptionists at abortion clinics have been shot and killed in the past. The RN sustained extensive abdominal, leg, and face injuries, including the loss of her left eye, said a spokesperson at the University of Alabama Hospital. Nurse practitioners and RNs serve in a variety of roles at abortion clinics, from monitoring vital signs after an abortion to counseling patients, Wysocki said. Many nurses who work at women's clinics that provide abortions work in capacities completely unrelated to abortion, prenatal and gynecological care, Wysocki said.
Security is a particular concern at abortion clinics.
Employees often wear bulletproof vests, and many clinics rely on metal detector systems, Wysocki said. Most anti-abortion organizations condemn violence as a means of ending abortion.