Life is bare bones on the Lakota reservation

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

He also pulls bunches of long weeds in the prairie grass, to dry for use as a firestarter.

"I have to be careful," Hale says matter-of-factly as he pulls a few fistfuls. "Sometimes there are some snakes. Rattlesnakes. Nothing to mess around with."

He is 54 years old, aveteran of two Army combat tours in Vietnam, a member of the Lakota tribe and part of two stunning statistics, even as communities across America deal with the pain and challenges of recession:

The unemployment rate on his reservation runs higher than 80 percent;

Ziebach County, where he lives, is the nation's poorest, with just shy of 56 percent of its residents below the poverty line. Poverty among children in the county eclipses a staggering 70 percent.

After the Army, Hale worked 16 years as a firefighter. But he began having some back problems in the early 1980s and then, "cancer caught up with me. I have a brain tumor."

He says he gets a check for just shy of $17 every week from a tribal welfare fund, and tries to find odd jobs to pay for his food and to help out a diabetic sister.

But there's a catch: Tiny Cherry Creek has no such jobs. There are one or two one-room homes like Hale's, but it is mostly a collection of a couple dozen simple modular homes provided by a federal and tribal housing program. It doesn't even have a gas station or general store.

So Hale heads out most days toward Eagle Butte -- 17 miles up one road and then 21 miles more up the next. A few more twists and, "It's about 42 to 43 miles, someplace around there."

Read more about him and Res life:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/13/king.sotu.economy/index.html

[zephyr9]

And corporations sending all their work overseas, it burns me up!

[globalRN]

as a vet wouldnt this person be entitled to more than this miserable subsistence?

[RaineyRN]

Life if bare bones on many reservations. And vets have to fill out a ton of paperwork and be able to substantiate their history and their eligibilty for benefits. If you don't have the correct papers, or the desire to fight the system to get what you deserve, and know the ins and outs, apply, and reapply, and contest denials, you don't get what you should have been given automatically. Elders on reservations, especially remote reservations, don't have advocates that can help them navigate the system. Unfair? Yes. But it's reality.

[goodneighbor]

RaineyRN, that is so sad. Tell me, is there a lack of necessary supplies at clinics on Reservations? On another post I believe you mentioned that alcoholism and violence are "a way of life". This sounds like it is very dangerous to work on a Reservation, is that so? Are nurses appreciated (meaning welcome) in general, or regarded as a part of an alien lifestyle? The Lakota must be very strong tough people to thrive with such limited resources, yet this gentleman sounds so matter-of-fact about the harsh conditions. The article talked about a hospital being built by Obama's stimulus plan, but it is interesting that Mr Brings Plenty stated that what they need is water! Shows that Maslow's Heirarchy (which states that basic physiological needs must be met before...say..poetry) is not in play here! How 'bout they have water, food, and shelter so they don't get so sick! BTW is the res "safe"? This is interesting. Thanks for letting us know.

[RaineyRN]

Good neighbor, I've only posted 6 posts on this site, and didn't use those words in any of them...

The lack of supplies is common at many facilities. Tribes have treaties with the government from many years ago, agreeing that the government will supply Doctors and medical care. There is no specification as to what level of care that will be, as far as I know. Often these federally run hospitals have to do with older equiptment, etc... It depends on the clinic. Tribes that have partial or complete governance of their own facilities may supplement with grants and other funding, making them great, progressive facilities.

Nurses and Doctors are appreciated, and respected. Sometimes there is an element of distrust for outsiders, that can take time, and patience to get past. Many Natives have dealt with a LOT of crap and stereotypes, and that is difficult to get past for newcomers.

Reservations differ in the degree of violence that is present, but it can often be likened to the inner city. Would you go walking down the street by yourself at midnight in a strange city? Probably not. The same degree of caution applies.

[goodneighbor]

Thank you RaineyRN, I'm afraid I had you confused with another poster (it was late at night!!) I read the article and was shocked about the conditions our fellow Americans are living in, and then did some further research, and was further shocked. Thanks for your response.

[julieanneb]

Good neighbor, I've only posted 6 posts on this site, and didn't use those words in any of them...

The lack of supplies is common at many facilities. Tribes have treaties with the government from many years ago, agreeing that the government will supply Doctors and medical care. There is no specification as to what level of care that will be, as far as I know. Often these federally run hospitals have to do with older equiptment, etc... It depends on the clinic. Tribes that have partial or complete governance of their own facilities may supplement with grants and other funding, making them great, progressive facilities.

Nurses and Doctors are appreciated, and respected. Sometimes there is an element of distrust for outsiders, that can take time, and patience to get past. Many Natives have dealt with a LOT of crap and stereotypes, and that is difficult to get past for newcomers.

Reservations differ in the degree of violence that is present, but it can often be likened to the inner city. Would you go walking down the street by yourself at midnight in a strange city? Probably not. The same degree of caution applies.

Hi Rainey,my name is julie brush...part Cherokee. I am not very good with the computer,so I am just gonna ask you. How would someone go about working for a spell on one of these reservations? I've always wanted 2 do that,and am in a good position to do so. P.s.

[RaineyRN]

Julie, I'd say go and visit a few places before you apply. Talk to the nursing managers there, shadow or volunteer if you can. It puts you in a good place to have them consider you if an opening does come up, even if they aren't hiring right now. IHS facilities are probably going to be experiencing cut backs with the economy, so they may not be hiring right now... but volunteering somewhere might give you a leg up. :-) And give you a better idea of exactly what you'd be getting into in any particular site.

[julieanneb]

Julie, I'd say go and visit a few places before you apply. Talk to the nursing managers there, shadow or volunteer if you can. It puts you in a good place to have them consider you if an opening does come up, even if they aren't hiring right now. IHS facilities are probably going to be experiencing cut backs with the economy, so they may not be hiring right now... but volunteering somewhere might give you a leg up. :-) And give you a better idea of exactly what you'd be getting into in any particular site.

Where would I do this at? I live in jacksonville beach florida. I know we have seminole reservations here,but not sure xxxxxxxxxxxactly how to go about this,and I dont think,I may be wrong,the seminole reservation I am speaking of,located in the Ocala National Forest is as the one's out west? Your thoughts?

[RaineyRN]

http://www.semtribe.com/Services/Health.aspx

Make friends w/ Google, hon. :-) Also, You might look into Non-rez hospitals that serve large NA populations. Higher acuity hospitals near the reservation often handle more critical cases that are transferred from tribal facilities. This might be a good way to get some practice in w/ the population. It can also be very eye opening to see the way natives are treated in hospitals off of the rez. You would quickly understand why many native americans don't like to go to facilities off rez if they have a choice. If you really have a passion for native american nursing, you could have the opportunity to give quality care to people that are often treated like crap at many mainstream, "high quality" hospitals.

[goodneighbor]

I have been to he Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and met wonderful people there. I have since been reading about the Pine Ridge Res in South Dakota and there seems to be great need there, but it seems almost overwhelming. I imagine the hardship of detoxing ETOH dependent persons and then returning them to their home--or how difficult to deal with Diabetes management --or persons with tuberculosis. There is a dearth of basic necessities such as housing, water, lighting, sanitation. RaineyRN, I wonder how you do it. God, I wish I had the strength to do this. It is said that the infant mortality rate is extremely high and teen suicide is too common. What is it that you would say that the NA themselves want most? I imagine the worst problems are neuropathy, blindness, amputations, liver failure, renal failure from chronic disorders, dehydration. Bad treatment at a high acuity facility sounds like a nursing failure and cultural insensitivity and perhaps lack of common sense. What has happened to a sense of the dignity of the patient? Why become a nurse then? Well, I am sure you agree with me. I applaud your practice of nursing in an area of great need. How can we help?