In a time when abortion care is becoming increasingly less accessible, and attacks on the legal right to healthcare are seemingly never-ending, NSRH is doubling down on our commitment to creating a world where all people have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH). NSRH's Training in Abortion Care Residency (TAC) is a part of that commitment. The TAC residency is the only clinical training opportunity for registered nurses in abortion care in the nation!
TAC’s first cohort was established in honor of Helen Pearl Lay Watson, a registered nurse and pro-choice supporter who practiced for 54 years, mainly in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. Helen’s granddaughters, Julie Watson and Katie Watson, are honoring her legacy by supporting the development of the TAC residency. Check out Helen’s amazing nursing legacy.
About
As the nation's only hands-on abortion training residency for registered nurses, this residency aims to develop robust cohorts of nurses who are equipped to provide comprehensive SRH healthcare and advocate for expanded access in their communities. The TAC Residency accomplishes this through a combination of hands-on clinical experience, advocacy-building workshops, and individual, self-paced education. This program also aims to build local advocates, which is why residents must already live in the states of our clinical partners. See the FAQ section for more details.
Clinical Experience
Residents will be paired with a partner clinic that specializes in abortion care. The clinical experience will be hands-on learning where the nurse will be expected to assist in the daily routines of the clinic. Each resident will complete a minimum of 80 hours of clinical experience over 6 months. NSRH is committed to developing community-based, region SRH providers, therefore, only nurses living in the states of our partner clinics will be eligible to apply.
Participants will recieve a $1,000 stipend to help offset the costs incurred from participating.
Group Learning
In addition to the clinical experience, TAC educates residents on broader issues surrounding abortion care, SRH and reproductive justice. Every month, residents meet as a group with content-area experts to delve deeper into their local abortion access landscape, learn more about a specific aspect of person-centered care, and build advocacy skills.
Independent Study
Each month residents will complete a unique package of education to enhance their ability to advocate and provide abortion care from an evidence-based lens. This is a combination of webinars, academic journals, and interactive modules that residents will complete, self-paced, on our Online Institute.
Apply
Applications for the 2026 cohort will be open from March 30 until April 26. Applications will open early for NSRH members on March 23.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2026 cohort will run from June 2026 until December 2026. The hands-on clinical training will be determined by the nursing scope of practice as defined by state law where the training takes place. Clinical training topics may include:
- Patient assessment
- Options counseling
- Preparation and intraprocedural care
- Post-operation abortion care
- Maintenance of patient confidentiality
- Ultrasound
- Sedation administration
- Products of conception evaluation
- Dilation & Evacuation (D&E) care
- Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) care
- Medication abortion (MAB) care
Some training sites may have specific requirements for trainees. These requirements will be communicated to applicants by NSRH during the application process. This is not an employment program, and participants will not receive compensation from either the training sites or NSRH. NSRH is not a health center or clinical site and does not provide direct patient care. Instead, NSRH works with providers to coordinate and facilitate training opportunities.
In addition to clinical experience, learners will commit to 3-4 hours per week of non-clinical education, including participation in monthly group workshops and networking sessions, self-guided learning through NSRH and our partners, and local community engagement.
To support an accessible training experience, NSRH will provide trainees with a modest stipend to offset costs associated with participating in the residency program.
The TAC Residency is 6 months. Residents are expected to complete 80 hours of clinical training within that time as well as 3-4 hours per week of non-clinical education. The 2026 cohort will run from June 2026 - December 2026. Participants are responsible for coordinating their clinical schedules directly with our partner clinics.
In addition to clinical training, residents will receive a one-year NSRH membership (with an additional free year for current NSRH members); a one-year membership to Clinicians in Abortion Care (CIAC), a program of the National Abortion Federation (NAF); advocacy skill-building opportunities with local community partners; and exclusive access to tailored online education.
Our 2026 clinical partners include:
- Planned Parenthood of Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley in Pasadena, CA
- Hope Clinic in Granite City, IL and Chicago, IL
- Partners in Abortion Care in College Park, Maryland
- Lilith Clinic in Portland, OR
This program aims to build SRH advocates and providers within their local communities; therefore, applicants must live in the state or region of our clinical partners. These regions include:
- California
- Illinois
- DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia)
- Oregon
Applicants must be LVNs/LPNs or RNs licensed to practice in the states of our clinical partners.
Applicants must be BLS certified, have reliable transportation to the clinic, and be self-motivated. Some clinics require ACLS certification. NSRH prioritizes NSRH members.
We will accept 6-8 residents for the 2026 cohort.
There is no cost to apply for the residency. However, participants may incur some expenses related to travel or clinic-specific onboarding requirements. NSRH provides participants with a modest stipend to offset these possible costs.
Applications for the 2026 cohort will be open from March 30 to April 26. Applications will open early for NSRH members on March 23.
For the 2026 TAC Residency, we will only accept RNs and LVNs/LPNs who are licensed to practice in California, Maryland, Illinois, or Oregon.