Posted on 03/28/2005 3:52:07 PM PST by LauraJean
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2005
CONTACT: Joan Hurwitz, 301-628-5020 Cindy Price, 301-628-5038 Carol Cooke, 301-628-5027
American Nurses Association Statement on the Terri Schiavo Case Statement Attributed to Barbara A. Blakeney, MS, RN, President The Terri Schiavo case raises complex and emotional issues about the end of life. The American Nurses Association (ANA) recognizes the difficulty of the situation, however, ANA has consistently upheld the right of patients, or if the patient is incapacitated, the right of the designated surrogate, to decide whether to submit to or continue medical treatment.
As nurses, we are ethically bound to assist our patients in maintaining control over their lives and to help them preserve their dignity. The ANA believes that it is the responsibility of nurses to facilitate informed decision-making for patients and families who are making choices about end-of-life care. The Code of Ethics for Nurses specifically outlines the nurse's obligation to protect the patient's right to self-determination and the role of a designated surrogate in situations where the patient lacks capacity. In this case, 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. ANA believes the Congress and the president have acted inappropriately in this case. It is unfortunate that Terri Schiavo has now become the symbol of so many political agendas.
The positive outcome from this case is that it raises the public's awareness of the importance of discussing end-of-life issues with family members and underscores how an advance directive, a living will and/or durable power of attorney for health care, clarifies and provides evidence of the wishes of an individual regarding end-of-life decisions. ANA encourages everyone to have an advance directive in place. Advance directives are controlled by state law and vary by state. A federal law, The Patient Self Determination Act of 1990, requires that most health care facilities provide patients with information about advance directives and ask patients about the existence of advance directives. Physicians, nurses, social workers and attorneys are often resource persons in the community who can provide information and guidance concerning advance directives.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Terri Schiavo. I recognize that this is an extremely difficult situation. I wish Terri Schiavo the dignity and peace she so deserves and that we would all wish for ourselves and our own loved ones at the end of life.
Sources: Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretative Statements, 2001 http://nursingworld.org/ethics/chcode.htm Ethics and Human Rights Position Statement: Nursing and the Patient Self-Determination Act, 1991 http://www.nursingworld.org/readroom/position/ethics/etsdet.htm
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The ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.7 million registered nurses through its 54 constituent member nurses associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. # # #
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If this ignorant person represents the quality of nurses out there, be very afraid folks, very afraid.
Actually, it's been a lot longer than twenty years. Back in 1960, when I graduated from nursing school, I was already aware of their bias--although at the time, I don't think the word "liberal" was so much in use then. I certainly never joined them!
Ditto's. All the liturature that comes to my house goes in the trash.
I've been a nurse for 18 years and have never been a member of this group. It does not speak for me.
MSNBC Countdown will have a special now on all that are using this for their agenda, including insurance companies.
This is why I do not belong. Their own organization says nothing about the contradictory reports of the nurses. This is why I am content ot be a floor monkey-that is nursing.
I call them "heeled nurses." Once they get out of the scrubs with a desk job, wear street clothes and heels, they become butt sniffers like everyone else.
You can pick the heeled-wanna-be's out of every group of student nurses...they are they ones who think being up to their elbows in poop are beneath them and try to call the "lowly" LPN's or CNA's. They are the ones that never last.
But in the interest of honesty, there have been a few heeled nurses in my career that will go to the mat for us floor monkeys. But they are also the ones who miss being knee deep in poop.
I think I read where the president of the AMA came out against the discontinuation of tube feedings. I may be wrong.
Whenever a liberal wants to do something evil, he always prefaces his action by saying that the situation is "complex" and "difficult." Alternatively, "there are no simple answers," or "there's no black and white."
Sorry, there is some pretty basic black and white here. Nurses are meant to care for people, not kill them.
I am ready to move.
I don't agree with this at all. If Nursing is going to turn into Euthanasia, I want no part of it. I will bet you some nurses will leave the profession over this.
I can't imagine what it would be like to watch Terri's mom and family in the room watching her starve and dehydrate and not be even be able to put ice chips on her mouth and have a cop in the room watching their every move.
I've heard that the cop in the room will get right in their face and lean over Terri and gawk to make sure that they can't put one drop of moisture on her dry cracked lips. I also heard that the cop had his hands on the priest's hands while he gave her wine, just to make sure she didn't get more than one drop of wine.
This whole thing makes me sick. I guess Felos is going around threatening all the nurses that had contact with Terri in the past, not to talk about MS or they'll be sued/ lose their jobs. Nice. It's not like nursing isn't a tough enough job anyway. Nurses are not lining up around to block to work in Convalescent hospitals or Hospice care either. This is just going to add to the problem.
HERE (post 4366) is a description of how patients and their families are to be cared for.
PING to Cherry
lol I have never been a nurse, but I have worked as a psych tech, drug rehab tech and nurses aid.
I have sure been knee deep in poop many times.
I have many friends in the nursing profession and I know how hard they work.
I remember one time after a very hard day at the nursing home I turned to my husband and said I expected just to collapse one day and they could just put me out of my misery by rolling a wheel chair over me.
I guess according to the ANA he would have a right to deprive me of food and drink since he heard me say I didn't want to live.
They have already unionized California.
People are already starting to make comments about Nurses on the right like the Govenator.
This is unfortunate because most nurses I know don't want this.
Wouldn't that be swell to have the left devour our Nurses like they did the Teachers?
This is a HUGE attempt by the left and the left leaning (stink'in) ANA to make the public think that nurses are lefties.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
"It is unfortunate that Terri Schiavo has now become the symbol of so many political agendas."
It's unfortunate that Terri Schiavo has become the symbol of the ANA's political agenda. Glad to know this is where they stand, so when I graduate from nursing school I'll be sure to NOT join.
I was going to ask you to thank your wife for her opinion that you had posted further up in this thread, and then thought - no, that's too personal - not in the spirit of the thread - but since you just "tooted her horn" let me add a "ditto." She sounds like the real deal. I have been so disheartened to hear some "nurses" call talk shows who have no problem with what is being done to Terri.
I want everyone who uses insulin, or a nebulizer or home oxygen or a wheelchair or needs dialysis three times a week, etc to consider that they are now existing in a world where those items are considered extraordinary, and can be withheld.
Nurses are not lining up around to block to work in Convalescent hospitals or Hospice care either. This is just going to add to the problem.
####
For such a long time I wondered why we never heard of a single nurse complaining about the whole Schiavo situation in their hospice, and finally realized that those nurses who are still there have come to terms with the orders and approach of MS and his lawyers. Those who could not tolerate the care being given to Terri have probably moved to other jobs.
It is so unnatural for nurses or an institution to a) let a family member call the shots to the extent that MS has done and b) stand by and watch cruelty being condoned. The whole scene inside that hospice must be rotten. And the responsibility for the poisonous air has been transferred to Terri - as in "we wouldn't be working in this terrible environment if she wasn't here."
I can only imagine the complex emotions
I was shocked to see the position that you have taken in the Terri Schiavo case.
Michael Schiavo has a common law wife with two children. He also inherits hundreds of thousands of dollars if Terri dies. These two key facts alone should have been sufficient for the ANA at a minimum to take a neutral position in the case or to err on the side of life for Terri.
I also note the cheap political shot taken at President Bush. While I can understand that you're upset that Sen. Kerry lost last year, this is not an issue for cheap political theater.
My sister, my mother, and my stepmother are all nurses. I will be asking them to terminate all association with your group.
Sincerely,
XXXXXX
Dallas, Texas
You're right to be proud. My RN wife - now at two decades of giving geriatric care - would blow a fuse too. They may not all be angels, but most of the nurses we know (and all the ones we would associate with) are far, far better than this ANA statement would make them out to be.
I know a VP of Nursing. I was told a number of stories about this particular nurses organization....and their unionization and contract negotiation strategies. Go to their website and check it out.
They are a liberal activist group with strong ties to organized labor and miscellaneous left causes.
I wouldn't expect any different from this group.
One man with a courage is a majority.
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