Nina Pham and/or Amber Vinson

Nurses COVID

Published

It occurred to me this morning that Ms. Pham or Ms. Vinson might be members here at AN, and they may be reading some of these threads since most of their communication would be limited to cyberspace at this point. (Some other people may have already noted that - I haven't read all the Ebola threads.)

I just want to say directly to them, if they are reading... you are in my thoughts. I admire your courage in trying to care for a patient without the necessary equipment and training. I'm sorry that you had to become the face of nursing safety issues in this way, but I hope we can take advantage of your unfortunate circumstances to improve conditions for all of us. Regardless of the media coverage, blaming, PR and legal maneuvering, and political spin you may be subjected to, please know that I hold you in the highest regard, and first and foremost wish for your quick and full recovery.

Please get well soon.

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

Am I the only one that finds it curious, that we have nurses condemning nurses, for condemning nurses.

But only one set of condemning nurses is wrong.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Am I the only one that finds it curious, that we have nurses condemning nurses, for condemning nurses.

But only one set of condemning nurses is wrong.

Surely you can see that a thread for get well wishes is not the place to air your opinions about the wisdom of the actions of either nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Get well ASAP Nurse Nina and Nurse Amber!! May you have the best of health and thank you for your bravery!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
If I was Amber, I would have delayed my flight and monitor myself a couple of weeks before getting on a plane.

It just doesn't make sense not to given the scare that I'm having of ebola becoming a pandemic.

If I was Amber...I probably would have done exactly as she did, and it would now be me getting vilified by my peers.

I can't just call my job and say "sorry, just to be safe I am taking a few weeks off even though the CDC says I'm fine." I have bills to pay and probably wouldn't have a job to go back to if I did that. Her only mistake was in listening to the advice of the CDC that cleared her to fly, would you seriously have done different?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Nina and Amber, I keep you in prayer everyday, and I hope that both of you eventually triumph in this ordeal.

This could have easily been any one of us nurses.

No one else knows what you are going through and because of that no one else should judge you. You made good decisions seeking treatments when you did and you both made the best decisions you could under the circumstances. May you both continue achieving a return to full health!

Don't listen to the critics, because they have nothing better to do!! They would likely tell a lung cancer patient that if it were them they would have stopped smoking a long time ago to prevent this, and that they should have known better. It is these nurses who I hold in the LOWEST regard, those who kick you when you are down. Honestly, this here is not the time or place to talk about what you should have done better. Ebola is relatively new to all of us as a national public health threat, we never learned about this in nursing school as a personal community health issue. You did the best you could at the time and under the hysteria. It's easy for other nurses to criticize you after the fact, just ignore them and embrace the ones like me that just want you to get well! THAT is the most important thing right now!

Sending you my prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery, my nursing sisters!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If I was Amber...I probably would have done exactly as she did, and it would now be me getting vilified by my peers.

I can't just call my job and say "sorry, just to be safe I am taking a few weeks off even though the CDC says I'm fine." I have bills to pay and probably wouldn't have a job to go back to if I did that. Her only mistake was in listening to the advice of the CDC that cleared her to fly, would you seriously have done different?

Nope. I wouldn't have done any different. In fact, I would have felt safer with the CDC telling me that I was okay. I probably would have even felt paranoid and stupid for thinking I wasn't since they seemed so unconcerned.

So can you imagine how she feels right now? On top of being sick with this deadly virus, she is very likely beating herself up for something that was in no way her fault (feelings that probably aren't helped by people unfairly blaming her.) And I get it from the non-medical community but when fellow nurses are doing it...I just can't wrap my mind around it.

Whenever I think about it, I hurt for her and Nina Pham. Both these women have been victimized by ineffective medical advice they received and I sincerely hope that their medical bills now (and in the future because this virus can cause long-term health issues for those who survive) are paid for by the responsible parties (looking at you, CDC). Neither of them deserved this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

They both are recovering and being able to go home. Thank you God for answered prayers. I believed in their healings!

Even Nina's fur baby was cleared! Yay!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wish them the best too!! I also think that these two were fortunate to be in the best facilities for their care with top notch teams who have the experience and expertise. I believe having youth on their side, also helped them recover versus someone in their 70's.

I will be waiting for that picture or tv coverage when Nina gets to hold Bentley. For there is nothing like the love of a dog!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nina looked GREAT yesterday! I am amazed that she and Amber have recovered so quickly. Thank GOD!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ONC, M/S.

Also, the mass hysteria brought on by the media has blown this whole thing way out of proportion. If people do their jobs, ask the right questions (also keeping in mind that people lie), use basic Standard Precautions, things are not as bad as they're made out to be by FAR. That being said, now people are freaking out that if they have a temperature, they have ebola, which is ludicrous because it's also a symptom of the flu and countless other maladies which are far more dangerous. The people here who get it and have access to basic antibiotics will be fine (barring other health issues).

If we'd just use our heads and stop scaring the public (as well the poor patients who see storm troopers coming in their rooms when the likelihood they actually have ebola are slim to none), things would be much better handled.

We have brains and we're supposed to use them. Barring the big mistakes made by some healthcare workers (and one of the patient's lying as well as the healthcare workers travelling when they knew they'd had contact with ebola patients), this is nothing more than a blip on the radar and there are far more important things to worry about. Education is key, but it's hard with all the misinformation being fed to the public as well as us as healthcare workers.

This may not be a popular view point as, if the disease goes untreated (mind you it takes two days to show symptoms) is is dreadful, but we have the resources to fight it calmly and rationally and if people showed some common sense in they're practice it would go a long way. People do lie though, and this can't be helped. We can just deal with things the best way we know how at that point and let people know that they're not in trouble for telling the truth and that we're just trying to help them, their families, the public, and ourselves.

Just my two cents (although it went longer than originally anticipated!)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment