[SmilingBluEyes]

I saw it in my AJN. Taken TOTALLY OUT OF CONTEXT. This angers me greatly. I plan to write a letter expressing my disappointment. Funny thing is, I am up for renewal. I plan to cancel it, if I don't see some satisfaction when I write. The off-the-cuff remarks used there were taken completely out of context, used to make nurses seem callous regarding this issue.

For those that wonder, It's in the March, 2005 issue. I won't quote the article for copyright reasons, but the aforementioned thread IS the one mentioned in a context that served the author's desire to make a point, wrongly, I believe. I am not happy.

[unknown99]

Originally Posted by 3rdShiftGuy

So there are some nurses who believe in the death penalty. Well duh.....

I think there are a great number of people who favor the death penalty and would willing partake in executions especially people like Timothy McVeigh or child molestor/murderers. What's so unflattering about that? Personally as a nurse, I wouldn't work in a jail as it's not my thing. But if I were working in a jail and they needed a nurse to help put someone like that death with lethal in injection, I certainly would think about it, if I were not against the death penalty.

To put it in your words Tweety....WOOT!!!!

[Blackcat99]

I'm so glad I turned down that subscription offer from AJN. For crying out loud, I was just goofing around when I said those things. I would never ever take part in giving any inmate a lethal injection.

[begalli]

Originally Posted by SmilingBluEyes

I saw it in my AJN.

Can you tell me which issue? I'm a bit behind with my journals as well.

Thanks!

[mercyteapot]

Oh well, they say any attention is good attention! We'll probably get some new members. I imagine the readers of AJN have opinions roughly representative of the variety of opinions expressed in the thread.

[CHATSDALE]

i didn't read the article and i must have missed the thread. or else i have forgotten it
i did read an article where the of gove of [maybe kentucky] is a licensed md and that he was being threatened with the loss of his license because an md cannot do anything to end a human life..this is the reason that the IVs are usually started by a nurse or a tech in the death chamber...
i don't know if push came to shove if i could participate in an execution even as a witness
you see so many being sentenced to death and the next guy [probably with more money] serving time in prison.. maybe though the guy in death row is luckier than that other guy..he is not in the general prison population and he has automatic appeals w/o charge

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by begalli

Can you tell me which issue? I'm a bit behind with my journals as well.

Thanks!

March 2005

[begalli]

Thanks Tweety!!

[NRSKarenRN]

Just opened AJN while computer warming up

AJN - March 2005, Volume 105, Issue 3 Pg 19+ 20
'First, Do No Harm'-Unless It's Your Job?: A question
of ethics. Kennedy, Maureen Shawn MA, RN. ...
www.ajnonline.com/pt/re/ajn/currenttoc

Must be subscriber to access article online.

Focus of the article is that there is an ethical conflict some physicians and nurses are being placed in when working in prision system or as state employee:governor, legislator etc... Our professional associations: ANA and AMA have stated opposion to nurses and doctors involement in executions; yet their job role has requirement for participation in execution.

ANA's Code for Ethics states:

The Code for Nurses, nursing's ethical code of conduct, stipulates that "the nurse does not act deliberately to terminate the life of any person." The obligation to refrain from causing death is longstanding and should not be breached even when legally sanctioned.

Ethics and Human Rights Position Statements: Nurses' Participation in Capital Punishment

Additionaly this policy states:

Nurses should refrain from participation in capital punishment and not take part in assessment, supervision or monitoring of the procedure or the prisoner; procuring, prescribing or preparing medications or solutions; inserting the intravenous catheter; injecting the lethal solution; and attending or witnessing the execution as a nurse. The fact that capital punishment is currently supported in many segments of society does not override the obligation of nurses to uphold the ethical mandates of the profession. The ANA recognizes that the endorsement of the death penalty remains a personal decision and that individual nurses may have views that are different from the official position of the profession. Regardless of the personal opinion of the nurse on the appropriateness of capital punishment, it is a breach of the ethical traditions of nursing, and the Code for Nurses to participate in taking life of any person.

AMA's Ethics Council has similar language: "A physician ...should not be a participant in a legally authorized execution" Problems with Lethal Injection

Author posted out that this violation of ethics isn't apparent to many nurses and included allnurses.com comment as an example. Exact post not cited.
Thought Maureen Kennedy's point well taken. See that she is AJN's News Director (listed at top of column).

I've spoken with Diana Mason AJN Editor in Chief at ANA conventions, may have met Maureen at last convention attended with Brian but am glad they are visting here.

Email your concerns to: ajn@lww.com

3/4/05 Correction:

Author of article is Dalia Sofer.
News Director is Maureen Kennedy.

[BRANDY LPN]

I found a link to the article::

http://cms.nursingcenter.com/dev/lib...icle_ID=573335