district nurses and animals
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District Nurses and Animals--St Francis of Halifax
As as district nurse in Halifax for over 25 years , now retired , during my working life I often came across situations with animals in the homes of the patients I visited . Happily most of my memories are happy ones of people who deeply loved their pets, but there were occasions when I had to intervene in the cause of animal welfare. Of course, let there be no mistake, as a district nurse I was there to do my job and attend first and foremost to my patient, but as a caring person and animal lover , I could not help but see other issues which were a part of the situation I found myself in. No-one, I am sure would cristisize someone who was concerned over any child care issues they came across , indeed, we receive training in this area --surely it is no great sin to observe, and report, any animal cruelty which comes to our notice. To do any less, in my opinion, displays a lack of compassion , responsibility and the proverbial" turning of a blind eye. " It has always been my opinion that sometimes we have to poke our noses into worrying issues and stick out our necks, whatever the consequences might be ! Many district nurses and health visitors until last year, took their dogs to work with them in their cars. Now this has been forbidden on the basis of infection risks and also, on the basis of our "professional image". Fair enough in this day and age ! I don’t intend to get into a dispute over the rights or wrongs of that matter in this letter, but whether our dogs are in our cars or not,district nurse and health visitors will still meet their patients pets on their rounds. Over the question of infection, I might suggest that all nurses change out of uniform following --and prior to their shifts of duty, as I had to do during my training in the 1970’s. To wear uniform outside hospital premises was absolutely forbidden--today we see nurses in uniform in the streets and doing their shopping at Tescoes. During my work as a district nurse I did on occasions report people to the RSPCA. A few years ago I came across two sad little cats who everyone had been talking about as being "mangy". When I saw these two poor creatures I had all on not to take them out of the house there and then, and in fact I wish I had done so . Instead I reported it to the RSPCA but by the time they got there, these two cats had been put to sleep on the orders of a visiting relative. I dont know what the vet who did the deed thought. The owner should have been prosecuted, as despite the fact that she was ill, this was a case of long time neglect. On another occasion I actually took a dog to the vets myself for euthanasia as none of the visiting" carers" had noted its obvious terminal illness . The owner, who I had visited by chance, had been distraught with worry, as he had been in hospital and the dog been in kennels which was, alas, not prosecuted despite the vets complaint. I also used to walk the dog of an elderly women, a patient of mine, who was unable to look after her puppy--foolishly sold to her by an unscrupulous breeder. In the end, I had to take care of this dog and re-home it when she went into care. I could relate many more tales. One day driving up Ovendon way, I rescued a puppy running round abandoned. Happily the student nurse with me at the time took this dog herself--we were both covered in muddy paw prints that day--I am sure she didn’t expect that to be part of her "district nursing experience" !
My most moving experience was of " Reggie" a bedridden gentleman whose great comfort and joy was his dog " Bennie." We used to visit Reggie overnight , let the dog out, give it a chewy dog treat and then lift Bennie onto Reggie’S bed for a cuddle , in the process becoming completely covered in Bennie’s white hairs. Oh dearie , dearie me , germs all over ! Both Reggie and Bennie died within weeks of each other and I like to think they are there together, re-united in the afterlife. Whatever would the Powers that Be had thought , tut tut ! Don’t pick the dog up and give some comfort to the dying I presume !!!!!!! I wonder what our district nurses are supposed to do these days if they meet a dog or cat in the course of their work-- walk out in case they get contaminated?
The following member says Thank You:
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