An Open Letter to Senator Walsh

Senator Walsh - I, along with thousands of other nurses, find your comment indefensibly offensive. I extend an open invitation for you to shadow me and see what nurses really do. Nurses Announcements Archive

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  • Columnist
    Specializes in Clinical Leadership, Staff Development, Education.

Senator Walsh,

I am writing in response to your statement regarding nurses and the perceived time availability to “play cards during most of a shift”. I have been a registered nurse for 23 years. Over the course of my career, I have worked in open heart, home care, hospice, leadership, management, education and obtained my master’s degree. I can say with 100% certainty- I have never once had the opportunity to play cards most of the day while working. I find your comment indefensibly offensive. I thought about the probable outcomes if I had played cards instead of working during my recent shifts. I would not have called the doctor when a patient had a 102.5 temperature, carried out the doctor’s orders for bloodwork, diagnostic testing and intravenous antibiotics. I would also been delayed in transferring a patient to a higher level of care when diagnostics revealed a severe complication. I was confident the nurse receiving report on the transferring patient would be attentive and competent in the delivery of continued care. Playing cards would have prevented me from sitting at the bedside of a 91-year-old patient until she fell asleep because of the fear of being alone. I would have missed administering medications to prevent blood clots, treat infections, high blood sugar, heart failure and pain. It is hard to imagine the cruelty I would inflict by playing cards instead of caring for incontinent patients I was assigned. I am unable to ethically reason how card playing provides a logical reason for allowing any individual to not have basic needs met or to suffer needlessly.

I am certain you have received sincere offers to ghost a nurse during a shift (4, 8 or 12 hours) to experience first hand what happens in the day in the life of a nurse. If not, I would like to extend an invitation to shadow any of my scheduled shifts in Birmingham, Alabama. In fact, I am sure my colleagues working in other departments and settings would extend the same invitation.

If you are unable to arrange ghosting a nurse for a shift, no need for concern. It is unavoidable that you or a loved one will need the care of a nurse. You could then have the opportunity to experience first hand the true work ethic and intent of the nursing profession. I have no doubt nurses will extend the same healing hand in your situation as they do others every day.

I would also like to provide reassurance that I am unable to make assumptions about your day to day job role and responsibilities. I can appreciate your desire to represent and advocate for those you serve in public office. Nurses reacting to your comments are seeking the same acknowledgement as I am extending to you.

I am a nurse, but I am not perfect. I have days when I am sick or have stressors outside of work. During these times, I provide safe care but struggle to make it through the workday. Escaping through a card game is appealing on hard days, but I would be satisfied with an uninterrupted 15-30 minute break.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Collier, RN

(a.k.a J.Adderton)

Ponymom2

41 Posts

Meh, just tell the pig to knock the **** off and get her lazy *** to the nearest hospital/ltc/what have you and see for herself. And try a little research before pottying out such a stupid remark...

Dumbass... Just one more example of why neither one of those two parties is worth a crap in the corner.

What kind of cave have you ma'am been living in? At your age I would think that you at some point have been in hospitals or nursing facilities to see first hand what nurses actually do,while caring for your loved ones. Out of all the things I could think of to have fun (while I was supposed to be caring for and seeing to the needs of your loved ones ) I assure YOU playing cards wouldn't be one of them. This is the most asinine statement I have ever come across. To actually think a nurse, who has dreamed her whole life dreaming of the day she walks across the stage, in her new white uniform her new cap on, gets that pin placed on her right chest, only to clock in for duty and play cards.? First I was mad, then I cryed.I mean real crocodile tears. That someone could actually think that. I'm retired after 40 plus years of nursing in all fields. I've always been proud of what I do. I became a nurse against all odds.married, 3 children, worked full time to pay for my education. It was a true struggle and many sacrifices had to be made. So hearing this absolutely cut me to my soul. I gave 150% of myself to every patient I was assigned to. My body suffers to this day at age 73 of the demands over the years I placed on it. But I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. That was my calling,and praise God I believe I made a difference in many people's lives, some are actually walking around, living life BC of me and ability to respond quickly, if I had been playing cards, would be a sad story to tell. So, I hope you have it in your to genuinely give all the nurses like myself a sincere apology, and please, think before passing judgement.

raemcclain

10 Posts

Let's see - what if I ignored the ICU teen who was 'fine' at report only for
ME to take the time to discover he was bleeding out! Or- the head trauma patient that had surgery in the morning. I came on in the afternoon to hear
from the day nurse that the patient was 'fine' - had been sleeping all day??
Red alarms in my head as I RAN to her room to find her disoriented and drooling... had to send her back to OR.
Or the kidney transplant pt who was screaming with severe headaches and
the dr. ordered a unit of blood without specifying how my ml's? I had to
call my supervisor to check about this and she agreed that this involved
a blood volume concern. Dr. didn't like it, but I was right!
Uh - let's see (queen of hearts about now?) Or the night I admitted a
newly diagnosed Diabetes child who got sick at a party from too much
sugar ( king of spades? - probably not)! Had to monitor blood glucose
all night long.

OH - then the FRESH liver transplant who came to a private room on my unit because the ICU was full! ( Gin Rummy!) Stayed in his room ALL NIGHT
LONG TAKING V/S, monitoring status, IV's, etc. EIGHT DARK HOURS!

GET THE PICTURE, LADY.. SENATOR????

Forest2

625 Posts

I was also unhappy with how Walsh talked, that is her manner. AND just because critical access hospitals treat fewer patients doesn't mean that they are less important! OR that the nurses work less hard. That woman really ticked me off. What an ignoramus.!

mobaby

35 Posts

Forgive her - she was 'tired'.

lumbarpain56

21 Posts

Maybe she had nurse Ratchet while she was in a hospital one time and then she condemns them all....but her comments are disrespectful, and downright disturbing. one day this woman will find herself in a hospital bed again and when she rings that call bell for something she is concerned about...............guess who will come to her rescue.

Columnist

J.Adderton, BSN, MSN

121 Articles; 502 Posts

Specializes in Clinical Leadership, Staff Development, Education.
6 hours ago, Forest2 said:

I was also unhappy with how Walsh talked, that is her manner. AND just because critical access hospitals treat fewer patients doesn't mean that they are less important! OR that the nurses work less hard. That woman really ticked me off. What an ignoramus.! 

I worked at a critical access hospital in rural Alabama. The nurse to patient ratio was always high, pay was significantly lower and retention was a continual problem.

amusedRN750

15 Posts

Who has time for cards when you can't even carve out time to empty your bladder!

LaJeune

2 Posts

Supporting nurses from Oklahoma, I love the comment about nurses don't even have time to empty our bladders let alone playing cards...I would love for Ms Walsh to walk a mile in any nurses shoes for a 12 hour shift. Then let's see what her response would be. I work the night shift and we are just as busy as the day shift if not more. Go figure lady...

NutmeggeRN, BSN

2 Articles; 4,621 Posts

Specializes in kids.
On 4/24/2019 at 3:35 PM, mobaby said:

Forgive her - she was 'tired'.

Nope

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