Lack of Healthcare Accessibility Affects Every Patient, Every Nurse, Every Hospital.

Nurses Activism

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Hello!

I've started the petition "Governor Rick Perry: Stop Limiting Access to Healthcare for Low-Income Women" and need your help to get it off the ground.

Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-rick-perry-stop-limiting-access-to-healthcare-for-low-income-women

Here's why it's important:

Governor Rick Perry is using women as political pawns. His fight to exclude Planned Parenthood from the Women's Health Program is placing women's health at risk. Planned Parenthood has provided life-saving healthcare interventions, such as cancer screenings and HIV testing, and preventive care including well woman exams and prenatal care for nearly half of Texas' low-income and uninsured woman. Hundreds of thousands of Texan woman will go without the crucial healthcare that they need because of Governor Perry's war against Planned Parenthood. Texas was already in a health crisis before Governor Perry launched his assault against Planned Parenthood and women's health due to a widespread physician shortage. Now as a result of his actions low-income women and families will have even less access to healthcare providers. Furthermore, limiting access further affects everyone's healthcare by creating an even larger burden on already overcrowded emergency rooms and charitable clinics.

Governor Perry has instead increased funding to faith-based "clinics" which do not actually provide any healthcare at all. Women's health affects everyone. Without healthy women there are no healthy children, no healthy families. Texas women need to stand together to let Governor Perry and other Texas officials know that we are capable of choosing our own healthcare providers and we will not allow their own personal beliefs and politics jeopardize our health. Please join me in the fight to keep the government out the patient-provider relationship.

You can sign my petition by clicking here.

Thanks!

Jessica Goldmeier

Specializes in ER, ICU, Administration (briefly).

ANd, since we are supposed to be advocates for our patients, communities, and country, exactly what are we as nurses doing about this?

I am just trying to look at the facts. The governor was elected by people with similar beliefs and his job is to govern in a way that reflects and supports those beliefs. The governor, based on his belief system, has cut funding to PP because of their stance on abortion, basically doing the will of those who elected him. PP is then given a choice, either continue to support abortion and accept that their funding will be cut, or stop supporting abortion and receive funding. PP has chosen to continue to support abortion and as a consequence they have chosen to accept that their funding will be cut, which results in their inability to provide healthcare to low income women. The bottom line is that the final decision on funding is up to PP, and they have made their choice. It dosn't matter how you feel about abortion, the facts are the facts, you play by the rules.

We must remember though that the country was founded on Christian values and that the constitution gives no provision for seperating religious beliefs from legislation. It only says that the government may not establish a religion that it requires others to follow.

I think that well meaning people of faith sometimes forget that this is not a Christian nation, it is a secular democratic republic which may not legislate within the concept of a state supported religious belief system.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
We must remember though that the country was founded on Christian values and that the constitution gives no provision for seperating religious beliefs from legislation. It only says that the government may not establish a religion that it requires others to follow.

^The country was found on Deism...not necessarily Christian values....the purpose was to NOT have a predominant religious value, because of MANY people's sour taste on how Christianity ostracized and hailed people who disagreed with Churches practices in Europe.

Deism is more if an ethical standpoint, NOT tied to ANY religion.

LadyFree28, your comment basically rephrases what I said about the constitution with the exception of deism. Deism and Christianity share similar values. You are correct that some of the founding fathers were influenced by deism, as well as Christianity and other beliefs that were popular at the time. I was incorrect to imply that the country was founded on strictly Christian values.

ANd, since we are supposed to be advocates for our patients, communities, and country, exactly what are we as nurses doing about this?

What we as nurses should be doing about this is to get involved in the political process and support politicians who share your values. If you are pro abortion then work to get those who share your beliefs into office. If you live in Texas you have the choice of either getting the governor to change his mind, or get PP to change their minds. In the mean time what you could do is volunteer somewhere, raise money, donate to charity, start your own free clinic, etc. Thats the great thing about this country, you have the freedom to accomplish anything as long as you follow the rules.

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

We should advocate that people have access to the medical services that are legally allowed in this country.

Specializes in Critical-care RN.

Shermm, you are anti-union,abortion and pro-life except when the death penalty comes into play ! :angrybird1:

Shermm, you are anti-union,abortion and pro-life except when the death penalty comes into play ! :angrybird1:

I don't see how attacking me adds anything intelligent to this discussion. But, I am anti-union, and anti-abortion. I also am against the death penalty, so you are wrong on that count.

One thing I am for though is personal responsibility. Interesting concept that few people seem to support, as evidenced by many of the responses to this discussion. Face it people, those of you who support abortion are not content with the fact that it is legal, you also expect the government to pay for it. Where is the personal responsibility in that?

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.
I don't see how attacking me adds anything intelligent to this discussion. But, I am anti-union, and anti-abortion. I also am against the death penalty, so you are wrong on that count.

One thing I am for though is personal responsibility. Interesting concept that few people seem to support, as evidenced by many of the responses to this discussion. Face it people, those of you who support abortion are not content with the fact that it is legal, you also expect the government to pay for it. Where is the personal responsibility in that?

That was a broad generalization about those who support the law of the land regarding abortion, something that you really don't know about us.

If it comes down to it, I would rather the government paid for abortions than provided huge tax incentives for gas and oil companies. At least then our tax dollars are actually being used for a citizen, whether or not I agree with their choice to abort.

We should advocate that people have access to the medical services that are legally allowed in this country.

Abortion is legal in this country, where are people not allowed to have abortions in this country?

That was a broad generalization about those who support the law of the land regarding abortion, something that you really don't know about us.

If it comes down to it, I would rather the government paid for abortions than provided huge tax incentives for gas and oil companies. At least then our tax dollars are actually being used for a citizen, whether or not I agree with their choice to abort.

Regarding tax incentives for oil and gas companies, these are not the only companies that receive tax incentives, most all corporations do. Sometimes the incentives are kickbacks for supporting one political party or another, other times they are there to promote business and grow the economy. Growing the economy helps every American, not just the so called 1%. So tax breaks are helping individual citizens. Also many Americans who invest or have any kind of retirement plan have their money in these corporations.

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