Obama assists at St. Louis hospital

Nurses General Nursing

Published

st. louis, june 10 (upi) -- presumptive democratic presidential nominee sen. [color=#224455]barack obama, d-ill., assisted nursing staff tuesday at a st. louis hospital as part of a tour.

obama spent about 90 minutes assisting nurse kate marzluf at barnes-jewish hospital while she cared for five patients in the hospital's cardiology unit. all of the patients had agreed in advance to allow obama to help with their care, the st. louis post-dispatch reported tuesday.

reporters and hospital officials looked on as obama got to work about 7 a.m., taking off his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeves. his work is part of a two-week tour of workplaces entitled "change that works for you."

Specializes in NICU.
I think it was nice of him to see what life is like from a nursing perspective; however Hillary Clinton did the same exact thing. I believe he is following in another person's foot steps. Does anyone know what his policy of universal healthcare he is advocating is all about?? Won't that hurt the medical community??

Yes, Hillary Clinton did the same thing. I don't think that means what he did isn't a good thing. Just because she did it first doesn't mean he shouldn't do it too. Granted, 90 minutes isn't a very long time, but at least he is trying to understand and see what nurses do.

Only 5 patients? I want to work there!!!

that's what i was addressing in my first post:

if that is a typical pt load or did they lighten it a bit?

leslie

Specializes in none.
Yes, Hillary Clinton did the same thing. I don't think that means what he did isn't a good thing. Just because she did it first doesn't mean he shouldn't do it too. Granted, 90 minutes isn't a very long time, but at least he is trying to understand and see what nurses do.

Yes..I agree. It was nice of him to follow in a nurses footsteps. I was only reciting what I kept hearing in the news reel last night about it being done by Hillary first. They kept emphasizing on the ones he was following, rather than showing what a good thing it was of him to do.

that's what i was addressing in my first post:

if that is a typical pt load or did they lighten it a bit?

leslie

I bet she had a light load with world's greatest patients and families. Totally unrealistic. Have him go in at shift change after a brutal shift that was understaffed as usual with tons of complaining patients and family members asking for soda and blankets...for themselves. I'd also like to have him hang out in the ER waiting room. Let him see the abuse that goes on down there.

BTW...This isn't a slam at Obama but what I am sure were ideal nursing conditions on that day. No hospital would want him to see the truth.

Specializes in NICU.
Yes..I agree. It was nice of him to follow in a nurses footsteps. I was only reciting what I kept hearing in the news reel last night about it being done by Hillary first. They kept emphasizing on the ones he was following, rather than showing what a good thing it was of him to do.

I guess I misunderstood.

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
I for one, just want to know what Obama's healthcare plans are?? I have heard many terrible things about universal healthcare. How does this affect those working in hospitals?? Where is the government getting the money to pay for all Americans to have healthcare?? Does that mean less jobs for nurses or more??

LOTS of information and opinions in this forum:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f287/

Yes, Hillary Clinton did the same thing.

Yeah, that's who I was thinking of. Thanks to you and whoever else said that.

I'm not knocking Obama - I'm independent and haven't made a decision yet. I just think they are going to do whatever will get us on their good side. I would be willing to bet that he didn't meet anyone with MRSA or have anyone with q1h meds or see anyone who was dying. I bet there were no codes, everything was clean, and everything went 100% smoothly. I bet nobody complained, nobody put their call light on every 10 minutes, and nobody pooped! Point being, even if he wanted to "really see what nurses do", they would have made it very easy on him - ie, let him give a pt a tray. What I'm saying has nothing to do with him - just that I think it's all just pointless showboating that doesn't really mean anything. He almost has to do it, with all his talk of universal healthcare and stuff. Again, not knocking Obama - I just hate politics!

Specializes in none.
LOTS of information and opinions in this forum:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f287/

I appreciate it!! I found it to be quite insightful.

Yeah, that's who I was thinking of. Thanks to you and whoever else said that.

I'm not knocking Obama - I'm independent and haven't made a decision yet. I just think they are going to do whatever will get us on their good side. I would be willing to bet that he didn't meet anyone with MRSA or have anyone with q1h meds or see anyone who was dying. I bet there were no codes, everything was clean, and everything went 100% smoothly. I bet nobody complained, nobody put their call light on every 10 minutes, and nobody pooped! Point being, even if he wanted to "really see what nurses do", they would have made it very easy on him - ie, let him give a pt a tray. What I'm saying has nothing to do with him - just that I think it's all just pointless showboating that doesn't really mean anything. He almost has to do it, with all his talk of universal healthcare and stuff. Again, not knocking Obama - I just hate politics!

I guess I am just not thinking of it the same... of course he's not going to see what its like to "really" be in a nurse's shoes, or a school teacher's or anyone else's. Nobody is going to air their profession's dirty laundry in front of an official like that, particularly when they only have 90 minutes or whatnot and they are all happy because they are getting to talk to someone who is a "celebrity". But... the next few months are about discussing his ideals as well as meeting people. If he has to go around the country and meet people, what better place to do it than where there are people who are not feeling well and need a pick me up, or are feeling under appreciated and unseen (nurses).

I think that no matter what he or any other political official does, someone is going to think well of it and someone else is going to think negatively of it.

Personally, I would have liked to have 2 minutes of his time and I think that those people who got that short contact with him were hopefully able to share their thoughts with him on healthcare and his campaign.

I doubt Obama would say that he knew now what its like to be in a nurse's shoes, but I do think that he was making a block of time to focus on healthcare with those who it affects the most... nurses and patients.

As for expecting him to show up at 6am and stay a whole shift in an overpopulated ward etc etc... he's not a nurse, so can't actually do a whole lot, if its super busy he and his entourage would seriously be in the way, and he is really very busy what with trying to convince an entire country to make him the president and all~ That he took any time at all for our little neck of the woods speaks volumes about him IMO. Atleast he's not oblivious to the world around him like a certain republican candidate~

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
As for expecting him to show up at 6am and stay a whole shift in an overpopulated ward etc etc... he's not a nurse, so can't actually do a whole lot, if its super busy he and his entourage would seriously be in the way...

You are absolutely right about this. Which is why I find it more than a little amusing that the title is, "Obama Assists at St. Louis Hospital".

He was far more a hindrance than a help. This was a photo op pure and simple. I don't fault him for taking it, but let's be honest enough to call it what it is.

Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.

Obama is in it to win it. With that being said. The demographics of the people, States, regions, ethnicity, gender, economics, and a majority of the vote from latinos and aftrican americans, not to mention the new demographics and the younger aged voters outweighing McCain by a boat load literally.

Specializes in Cardiology/Cath Lab.

I am a nurse on the floor that Obama visited in St. Louis. Just to give you a little inside scoop on what went on during the visit. First the patient load was no different from any other day. The nurse to patient ratio on our floor is at most 6 to 1 and that is rare. All the nurse and techs had the opportunity to meet him and I thought he was a very well spoken and respectful individual. He asked a lot of questions about our profession and it seemed he truly had an interest in our everyday jobs. Senator Obama stood back and watched while Kate showed him what she does. His interest with the patients was just the same. He asked questions to them about their healthcare and what they think it should be. In all our floor was lucky and honored to have him there. I think we should just be honored as nurses that he chose to follow one of us. It was a good spotlight on nurses no matter how long he spent shadowing us.

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