NursingLink

Al: I can't find the first post I started. So here it is again
Officials did not act on behalf of poor, ill

Your views
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LETTER
Bill Shipp surely has touched some nerves. If not, we have some true nonhumans in this state government of ours. I believe most of the country is disgusted with the ineptness of the management of the evacuation before and the aftermath of Katrina.
Who had the ignorant idea to place so many people in that Superdome to begin with? That just was not using common sense! What if the Superdome had been completely destroyed and thousands more lives lost? Anyone with any sense would know the risks of placing that many people in one area even under the best of conditions for only a few days.
Many who were forced into that Dome were alcoholics and addicts who were probably suffering severe, life-threatening withdrawals. No one needs to think that only the poor are drug addicts and alcoholics.
Many of those who were able to leave in their beautiful automobiles and SUVs will also suffer alcohol and drug withdrawal. The big difference is that they were able to get the medical attention that all people deserve.
Those who were in need of dialysis were often mentioned as well as the diabetics going without food. It is a miracle that the babies in that Superdome did not die from dehydration. Babies and the elderly can become dehydrated quickly.
I hope that all of those who are screaming to make panhandling illegal realize that they could be left with nothing. Look at those in New Orleans who were able to get out. Most have only the clothes they were wearing or the little that they were able to pack into their cars. They now have no job, no place to live, nothing. They, too, could have to resort to panhandling perhaps after enjoying so many luxuries. The SUV will probably have to go.
With a mandatory evacuation order it is obvious that the hurricane was going to be severe. Were those with no transportation and no money to go on foot?
Did anyone consider the homeless or the mentally ill? Maybe this is a lesson to those in charge. I hope the next time such a catastrophe is known to be on its way that preparations are made. There is no reason why that in the event of a needed evacuation that buses or trains cannot be brought in to help the weakest get out. All should know the Bible verse that refers to what is done to the weakest is done to God.
It is also obvious to all that no one knows how to handle the aftermath. It is disgusting the mistakes that have been made such as sending a plane full of medically fragile people to Charleston, W. Va., and calling Charleston, S.C., to prepare for them. The tales of ineptness go on and on, including the DMAT team from Georgia that was shuffled from city to city helping no one.
There is an answer to all of this; next time put nurses in charge. Nurses know how to prioritize and delegate as well as to treat everyone with compassion and caring.
Virginia Singer
Gainesville
Originally published Sunday, September 11, 2005

Just whatever anyone does, please don't wish for a physician to run the country !

al, my comment was not about whether or not a doc was any good or not. they don't have the skills nurses do and for the most part are pretty much out for themselves and generally have little to no business sense.

dm, i stand corrected.

I think this is an old topic, but I'll pipe in anyhow. Who else, but a nurse, has the skills, the talents to teach the American people, to provide care: WITHOUT THE GREED, inherent in pharmaceutical, insurance, governmental, lobby industries?

The bottom line to health care, I believe, is disease PREVENTION. Who is better prepared to TEACH the public about how to PREVENT disease before the catastrophic physical, financial devastation of a chronic illness, like diabetes, strikes?

It is for this reason, I support the National Nurse Initiative, HR 4903, which was introduced in 2006 109th Congress by Lois Capps. The full text of the bill and information about it can be found at www.nationalnurse.org

I don't feel that the ANA is representative of all nurses and when I wrote an article on the National Nurse initiative, I contacted them for a comment. They did NOT feel that an Office of the National Nurse was needed, because we have the ANA to advocate for nurses.

Problem is, the National Nurse initiative is NOT a plan primarily to advocate for nurses; rather a plan to advocate for patient's and improve the general overall health of ALL Americans. It would work to assist in solving our healthcare 'crisis' by empowering patients to focus on disease prevention and physicians to focus on the same; as opposed to treating the disease once it has been diagnosed and financial ruin is in the process.

Years ago, when I attempted to speak with a rep from the ANA about something-don't remember what-they wouldn't speak with me, because I wasn't a member of the ANA.

I agree with teamrn that the National Nurse Initiative is about advocating for patients. Three years ago, my son was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and recently opted for a surgical intervention. The most important aspect of his care was in understanding his condition and all of the possible treatments. Prevention is not just about warding off disease, but it's also about preventing complications when you're dealing with chronic illness. Education empowers patients and since nurses have been the key educators in healthcare, it only makes sense to have a nurse at the national level.

In dealing with any situation, nurses know how to get things done...get them done right and fast. That is the difference between nurses and politicians. We are proactive while they are reactive.

cdnurse says ...

Annie and Shelle, I too had contacted ANA in the past. I sent a letter to ANA, every nursing journal, and the specialty nursing organizations that I belonged to. ANA basically gave the impression that they were not very interested and felt they could do nothing. I sent a letter to them about the horrible commercial that Clairol ran with a "nurse" and there organic shampoo. The "nurse" had an organic experience while her patient flat lined. I sent a letter to Clairol as well. The ad was pulled. Without the help of the high and mighty ANA.

  

"CDNURSE FOR PRESIDENT"  You go girl!!!!