Promises, Promises: Indian Healthcare Needs Unmet

Ta'Shon Rain Little Light

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Little...re_s_forgotten

I'd love to hear from any members here who work for IHS. Is this article accurate? Are the problems as severe and widespread as depicted in this article?

What a beautiful little child.
My heart is so sad to hear of this.

How can an RN gain access to possible work with the First Nations people?
It's been difficult to figure this out.

I just came over here to post this and found it already here....

this ****** me off, we provide better care for prisoners than we do for these people. Don't get sick after June. Really? Is this our country...

This is just aonther example of government run healthcare. God help us all if the government attempts to provide us with a system similar to this.

This Indians already have universal healthcare. Doesn't seem like it is working too well for them right now.

Native Americans have other issues affecting their care with IHS. They are isolated on the reservations. They do not represent a large voting block, so politicians can ignore them without consequences. Most US citizens are ignorant to their plight, and do not know that we are obligated by treaty to provide health care to Native Americans.

If you want to work in Indian Healthcare go to the IHS web page or talk with a travel nurse recruiter they are always looking for people. It is true though I am a pediatric nurse (traveler) I have worked in 2 IHS facilities and their resources are low and they wont hire pediatric travelers anyother time except Respiratory season unless they are low in staff. The technology isnt great here and alot of serious sick kids get "flown out" to bigger cities. But if in Ta'Shon Rain Little Light where a Doc thought it was more behavioral then sadley it might be looked over.

I work in a rural wyoming hospital bordering the wind river indian reservation - i take care of alot of native american pts. Circumstances are different on every reservation and this reservation is somewhat better off than those in the Dakotas as the article describes b/c they have oil and gas resources that bring in revenue.....i don't know the details of their funding but they have a reputation for paying RN's very well at the clinics (they have no openings) and they have great dr.'s I personally have not seen care being rationed for the hospital pts. If a pt. needs to be transferred to a bigger hospital they will be.

However, this population has alot of health issues. Addictions, uncontrolled diabetes, Crazy high teenage pregnancy rate, unimmunized children cause alot of issues on all reservations. It is a problem that they live so far from health care providers as well - reservations in the rocky mtn region are 'out in the boonies.' health care providers have to treat the symptoms but can't treat the cause. In general they are not open to outside white people trying to 'change their culture.'

My heart goes out to the children. Our ER drs. often will admit a sick native american child that probably could be cared for at home b/c they think it wouldn't be. The native americans generally live in very small substandard homes and have many people living in a house. These babies usually have a teenage mother (or in early twenties) who has multiple other children. I took care of a 25 y.o. woman a couple months ago (who was riding a horse while intoxicated and fell off, breaking her ankle) and she tells me she has 5 kids at home! And that is only an example. The article sites a high infant mortality rate - but they also have a very high birth rate. I often wonder 'what kind of life do these kids have and who takes care of them?'

Give up your land and live in "peace". Your great white father in Washington will take care of you "as long as the grass grows and water runs." Or until we think we can safely ignore you. Treaty, what treaty??

This is an exceptionally tragic story. I've worked in Peds Oncology for many years.
While it was quite common to be overlooked on first visits for care, 10 visits are shocking. Often children were misdiagnosed with everything from a "cold/flu" to being reported for "child abuse" with bruising (low platelets) when they actually had leukemia. With the "think horse before zebra, when you hear 4 legged hooves" mentality. But, the real issue is Disparities in Care for minorities. There is hope in this being recognized at the public policy level now though. With the ARRA Recovery.gov.....New hospital funding for Eagle Butte, SD and Norton Sound, Alaska. In Michigan alone $2.2 million funding was provided for 20 localized tribal projects in equipment and facilities. And the National Health Services Corp was created to fund scholarships and loan forgiveness to providers in underserved areas. Plus more money going for Community Health Centers nationally. Check out to see where your money is going in your state.