Posted on 03/30/2005 5:56:51 PM PST by Chickenhawk Warmonger
Growing up, I knew that I wanted to work in the medical field. The reasoning for my choice sounded like the response of a beauty pageant contestant -- I wanted to help people. Trite as that sounds, that really was my reason. I graduated from nursing school 23 years ago and have only worked in the nursing profession since that time.
I have always been proud to be a nurse - even when some in my family said that I was "too smart" to be "just" a nurse. Nursing has never been just a job that has a great deal of flexibility and is always in demand. Sure I make money working as a nurse, but I also get the profound satisfaction that I made a difference in someone's life.
When we received our nursing pins at our graduation ceremony, we held miniature nursing lanterns in our hands and recited the Nurses' Creed. The Creed begins, "Lord, let me begin today with your blessing to provide care for those who need me." The last line of the Creed calls upon God to "Let your healing light shine through my hands."
Nursing is not just about medicine, it is about ethics. Every day nurses are faced with a myriad of ethical choices. In 1950 the American Nurses Association developed its first Code of Ethics for Nurses. The code was most recently revised in 2001 in part due to the technological advances in medicine and the growing role of the nurse. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics states that "The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes or the nature of health problems." The ANA Code of Ethics also states, "The nurse promotes, advocates for and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient." According to the Code of Ethics, "nurses must act under a code of ethical conduct that is grounded in the principles of fidelity and respect for the dignity, worth and self determination of patients."
Despite the revised Code of Ethics in Nursing, the American Nurses Association issued a statement in support of the removal of Terri Schindler Schiavo's feeding tube. Barbara A. Blakeney, MS, RN, President of the ANA, stated "Terri Schiavo's physicians, over many years, have declared her to be in a persistent vegetative state. Furthermore, there is evidence that Terri Schiavo expressed her wishes not to have her life artificially maintained under such circumstances."
As a strong-willed patient advocate, I resent Mrs. Blakeney's attempt at political correctness and lack of humanity. A profession that espouses respect for the dignity and worth of patients supports death by starvation and dehydration? An organization of health care professionals stands alongside a Judge who ordered that nothing, including ice chips, be given to a patient? A profession that is dominated by females supports a husband's decision to refuse therapy services and other personal care, such as mouth care, to his wife? In this age of technological advances, a nationally recognized nursing organization supports discontinuation of basic nourishment without updated medical tests to determine the patient's true status?
In her press release, Mrs. Blakeney could not resist inserting her political opinion. She wrote, "ANA believes the Congress and the President have acted inappropriately in this case." Unbelievably, she parroted the Democratic talking points when she wrote, "It is unfortunate that Terri Schiavo has now become the symbol of so many political agendas."" Without recognizing her blatant hypocrisy, Mrs. Blakeney claimed that those supporting the continuation of Terri's nourishment were only doing so for political gain. Using her position as President of the ANA, Mrs. Blakeney did the exact same thing that she decried. She used the Terri Schindler Schiavo case as a springboard to espouse her own political viewpoints.
As a member of the sisterhood of Registered Nurses, I resent the national organization of nurses speaking as if they represent the entire nursing profession. As those on the left say, Mrs. Blakeney and the American Nurses Association do not speak in MY name. I prefer to practice nursing based on the Florence Nightingale Pledge and "devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care." Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton would be ashamed
It's a tragedy for ALL involved.
I'm married to a nurse. She has told me she could have no part in the murder of a patient. It disgusts her - and me!
Gee, the nurses in the hospital where I work are overwhelmingly horrified at the removal of Shiavo's feeding tube. And these are people who are generally very pragmatic about end of life issues. They must have missed the ANA talking points.
Speechless. Im dumbfounded really by all the backbiting and nonsense going on while a woman starves like this.
Still haven't been able to find the ANA membership total. If they represent 20% of of licensed nurses, I will be astounded. I've never been a member. Those talking points were something, eh?
One activist tyrant does this and the entire country is paralyzed from the top down.
Lucky for MLK and Rosa Parks that they didn't screw around with the courts. They had the courage to stand up for right and wrong.
Yes, unbelievable talking points. Looks like the ANA has moved basic patient care ethics into the political arena, and will now be choosing who deserves nursing services. I've stayed off the Shiavo threads because there are no words adequate enough to express my disgust and revulsion over the murder of this woman. Wrong is wrong, and I'm amazed how many people don't see this.
Why......indeed. I have been sorely disappointed that the majority of my co-workers feel the same way Mrs. Blakeney does. After much discussion about the Shiavo issue, most agreed Terri should be allowed to die, even if the husband is/was a rat and gov't should stay out of it. Stunning.
This particular (and horrific) event brings out the core of people. You can see exactly how a person is really built. In fact, I'd suggest that if anyone here is considering marriage that this is a perfect way to see if you and someone else are compatible.
The number of people that don't grasp basic right and wrong is just stunning to me. I used to think that the worse thing I run across on rare occasion is someone who's racist. Which is especially bad when it's someone you have known for a long time. You are chatting along and they suddenly turn into someone you have never seen before and they say the "N" word. What? No! No! No! Oh geesh. They are brain dead. Darn! So much for that "friend".
This is worse. When someone says "the courts said so" or "it's a personal thing". Or whatever they can spout to justify starving a person to death. All I can think of is how INSANE that is. Justifying killing that woman when her family, especially her mother, wants to take care of her. Who are these people that think this is "right". Please move them somewhere where they can be all together. Far away from me and my family.
I just expected that in this country if you told 10 people "hey, they are going to starve this woman to death" that all 10 would have a fit. But that's not the case. Scary.
When she dies decent people will never ever look at the people we elect to office or anyone in the judicial branch the same again. Look what America has come to.
Sickening. Appears that the ANA is a mere Democratic liberal front. Union goons that espouse the Democratic talking points.
Another damn good illustration why I never joined up with the ANA.
ANA affiliates. Nope, I'm not a member.
Clicking on that link, I see that one of their affiliates is part of AFL-CIO, which established a working relationship with ANA. It figures. Public service unions ally with Dems and take their walking orders from Dems.
I spent 8 days in the hospital having a knee replaced, and I don't think I say over three nurses in all of that time. They were too busy filling out papers. The Nurses Aides and CNA do most of the patient care.
We're of like mind. Some of us see that this is the first small step towards forced euthanasia. That's how things like this work -- little baby steps until the unthinking sheep accept it as normal to do away with the weak and infirm. They won't wake up until their HMO tells them it's not cost effective to treat their aged parents, or sick child, or chronically ill spouse, and they will be moved to a hospice to be kept comfortable until the end.
What are you, a religious fanatic or something? (/sarcasm)
We'll all be brainwashed to accept infant euthanasia by the next Clint Eastwood movie, "Baby Without a Brain", detailing the loving infanticide practiced by Clint as a concerned grandfather putting his newborn grandbaby out of misery.
Nurses' unions are NOT about welfare of patients or ethics, it's all about MONEY and JOBS. For example, if the euthanasia field blossoms, more jobs will open up for nurses in the killing centers. More jobs equals happy union members paying union dues into the union treasuries.
YES!!! What you said! :)
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