Archive for September, 2009
Posted by realityrounds on September 9, 2009
Yes, I listened to the President of the United States speech on healthcare reform. I am a nurse, and this is close to my heart and soul. There are over 30 million human beings without any form of health care insurance in this country. Recent studies have shown that up to 40% of insurance claims are denied by some insurance companies in states such as California. American citizens with paid in to health insurance are dying because they are sick and the insurance companies are refusing them treatment. If nothing is done, healthcare costs will bankrupt this country, all sides agree on this.
It is time for intelligent, truthful, painful conversations and solutions on healthcare. Not scare tactics and fringe antics from either side. That does a disservice to everyone.
During the President of the United States speech in front of the Joint Sessions of Congress, I can honestly say I was ashamed and embarrassed by what I heard. In a speech meant to convey the seriousness of healthcare reform for all American citizens, a speech meant for adults to ponder the pros and cons of how to help our fellow Americans, a Republican congressman from South Carolina, Joe Wilson, yells out to the President of the United States,…..”YOU LIE!”
Joe Wilson, THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING. God forbid you lose your re-election seat in Congress, and lose your primo health insurance. A juvenile, immature, disrespectful response.
RR
Posted in healthcare reform | Tagged: health care reform, joe wilson, obama | 18 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 9, 2009
Washington Update
Health Care ReformThe March of Dimes is deeply engaged with Congress and the Obama Administration to make sure the health needs of women, infants and children are addressed in health care reform deliberations. When women and children have health insurance, their access to health services improves and they are much less likely to go without needed care. The March of Dimes believes that insurance � whether private or public — should cover all medically necessary preventive and treatment services.
Specifically we are working to improve:
- Coverage for all women of childbearing age, infants, and children;
- Coverage for maternity and pediatric care;
- Protection of Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and benefits;
- Smoking cessation benefits for pregnant women; and
- Coverage for preconception and interconception care.
The documents below represent some of our current activity from letters to Congress to advertisements in Capitol Hill publications to the work we did advocating for the passage of the Children�s Health Insurance Program (P.L. 111-3) to ensure that states have the authority and resources needed to enroll all income-eligible children and pregnant women.
For More Information:
Posted in healthcare reform | Comments Off
Posted by realityrounds on September 8, 2009
I found this post from a Family Practice doctor/blogger very intriguing. She argues that patients ultimately have very little control in their own health care decisions. From the blog Musings of a Dinosaur, here are some excerpts of how one doctor feels about the autonomy of patients. I sort of agree with some of her reasoning, but mostly I do not. I wonder if her thoughts are in the majority of doctors minds
“This is why no amount of information — whether obtained from me, the internet, or even those really cool collections of pieces of dead trees called “books” — will ever properly equip a patient to make an actual medical decision. The dirty little secret is that in the final analysis, it will always be doctors who ultimately make decisions about medical treatment.”
“I tell my patients that I only offer them choices when it doesn’t matter.”
“If we are honest with ourselves, we will recognize the extent to which we guide our patients to reach the same conclusions we have already drawn.”
“The bottom line — the dirty little secret — is that no, patients cannot truly be partners in their health care.”
Please read the whole post here: The Dirty Little Secret About Patients as Partners in Health Care.
What do you think?
RR
Posted in health | Tagged: ethics, health, medical decisions, musings of a dinosaur, patient autonomy | 18 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 7, 2009
Happy Labor Day to all my awesome nurse peers. Even those who have to work on Labor Day (like your’s truly). Labor Day is about celebrating the worker, and no one works harder than nurses. Need proof of how hard we work? Here ya go:
- Working 11pm to 7am and then high tailing it back to work at 3pm for a 16 hour (3pm to 7am) shift.
- Working an entire 8 hour shift without the benefit of a potty or food break.
- Staying over your shift to deliver the baby you have been helping to labor all day.
- Working all holidays and weekends while your friends and family are celebrating or relaxing without you.
- Varicose veins.
- Orthopedic shoes.
- Support hose.
- Addictions to caffeine
- Staying over your shift to ease the end of life of your patient you have known for months.
- Coming in on your day off to bring all your old baby clothes to the needy family you are caring for on Pediatrics.
- Answering the phone and coming in to work, even though your caller-ID outed your hospital.
- Coming in to work at 2am four days before your wedding due to a frantic call from the night charge nurse.
- Spending your break listening to the stories of your lonely, elderly patient.
- Touching those who others consider “untouchable.”
- Caring for patients whose diseases could kill you.
- Caring for patients who could kill you.
- Dealing with physical, emotional and psychological abuse on a daily basis.
- Caring for patients who have abused and killed others.
- Caring for other human beings in the their most vulnerably and intimate times.
*There are many more numerous examples of how nurses dedicate their lives to the work of healing others. What examples do you have?
Enjoy your Labor Day!
RR
Posted in health, nursing | 7 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 5, 2009
Here we go again. I woman in Chicago was harassed by a passerby, a woman with two children in tow, for breastfeeding her infant on a public bench in Lincoln Square. The breastfeeding mom was told to cover herself with a blanket (it was 90 degrees outside) or the anti-breastfeeding pedestrian would call the police. Reminder: it is 100% legal in the state of Illinois to nurse your child in public, anywhere, anytime.
So the breastfeeding mom was so pissed she recruited other nursing moms to join her for a “nurse in” in the middle of Lincoln Square by a fountain. Over 30 nursing moms showed up to contribute to their lactation devotion. The harasser was nowhere to be found. *Just for fun, I added some real live comments from cave people on this issue.*
“if she really just wanted to feed her son she would have done it discreetly so not to offend other people.”
“7 months old and still on the teet?
something tells me she will still be doing it when the child is 14 months as well.”
“No wants to see these women breastfeeding. Have some discretion and get a life.”
“How come it is never a hot mom in public breast-feeding?
It is always some hippie,angry at the world so I won’t shave my armpit liberal,that does this kind of thing.”
RR
Posted in health | Tagged: breastfeedin, breastfeeding in public, health, nursing, women's rights | 5 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 4, 2009
“Did all of these children come out of you?”
This question was asked by a pharmacist to a woman in line with her three children and one on the way. The mother was asking about saline nasal spray, and received a diatribe about birth control from her friendly local pharmacist. I came across this absurdity while reading a post from Evil HR Lady (could the name be any better?). Since when do pharmacists have a right to comment on the families or the family planning of any American citizen? Holy crap batman.
This story brought back terrifying memories of the time I thought I was pregnant when my second child was a mere 4 months old. So, I had not had a period since my youngest was born, and I was paranoid beyond belief that I was pregnant again. I had a 24 month old, a 4 month old, and a possible zygote growing in my uterus. My mind was playing tricks on me and I seriously thought I was pregnant again. My boobs were killing me and I had phantom fetal movements (gas) in my abdomen. This could not be happening. I needed confirmation.
So, I dragged my butt to the local pharmacy, dragging my double stroller with the toddler and newborn in tow. I was a hot mess with unwashed hair, dirty tee-shirt, and wearing my husbands sweatpants (sexy). So I grabbed a bottle of wine and a pregnancy test and proceeded to the check out. The cashier looked at me like I was the scum of the earth, breeding like a rabbit and drinking like the Irish (one of these is true). I felt the hot stare of judgment breathing down my back as I proceeded to check out.
The pregnancy test was negative (TG), yet I still felt the judgments of the pharmacy staff bearing down on me. Are they not held to the same standards as other health care professionals? Why are they allowed to comment or hold power over our personal lives and choices? The answer is, they are not.
Evil HR lady will be addressing what to do with a pharmacist who is that unprofessional and tacky. I would fire his ass. Read her site to see what she would do.
RR
Posted in child birth, health, infant health | Tagged: birth control, childbirth, evil HR lady, health, pregnancy, women's rights | 18 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 3, 2009
“Attention Walmart Shoppers: Please refrain from beating stranger’s kids. Thank you. Price cut on School Supplies.”
Ah yes. It’s back to school shopping at Walmart, where there are price cuts on pencils, paper, and child abuse. Hmmmm. So some crazy old dude walks up to a mom who has a crying two year old in tow and allegedly says “If you don’t shut the baby up, I will shut her up for you.” He then precedes to slap the baby, hard, on her face three or four times. I am assuming this man has a mental illness. Or, he may be just some old crotchety child abuser who hates kids and women and thinks he is God’s gift to planet earth. I am not a psychiatrist.
Of course pundits are all over this story, with the majority stating the baby slapper should go to jail, etc. Others can not comprehend how the mother did not rip this man’s jugular out for slapping her baby (maybe she was just a little shell shocked and spent those seconds after a violent crime soothing her just beaten on child? Maybe? Mother blaming, again.)
Some talking heads and bloggers are asking for opinions on just how would you handle a stranger’s screaming or misbehaving child who is out in public? This question is absurd in and of itself. It sounds so judgmental. I will admit that before I had my own kids, I certainly was good at giving a mom the skunk eye if her toddler was throwing a tantrum at Starbucks while I was trying to enjoy my iced Quad Venti Latte. Then, I spawned my own little creatures, and parenting judgments flew out the window. I think of the time I had to call a priest in to perform an exorcism on a flight to Florida because my 15 month old was speaking loudly in tongues and spinning her head around in circles. Like I said, I am not casting any stones on mom’s here.
But, the blogosphere luvs to caste stones. So, here are some stoned comments from threads about this crazy old Walmart shopper child abuser. Enjoy. Happy Thursday.
“All of you talk so much s**t, you probably would have just watched in amazement. Everyone talks like there so big on here, you might have wanted to do something to him, but he probably would have beet your a** too….”.
“The blows should have been for the parent. Not the children. Where the hell do you think they get it from? Spoiled, selfish, pathetic, society.”
“THAT IS VERY VERY WRONG OF HIM. BUT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE WAY HE WAS RAISED.
IT IS SHAMEFUL….” (Justify much?)
“He is my hero! Kids are so spoiled today!”
RR
Posted in child abuse, health | Tagged: child abuse, health, man slaps baby in Walmart, moms, parenting | 12 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 2, 2009
But…..I will get it. I get the flu vaccination every year. Why? I am not in a high risk age group. I do not have a chronic medical condition. But, I do work with highly vulnerable patient populations, pregnant women and sick neonates. Actually all health care workers and staff in hospitals work with high risk populations. All medical workers should be vaccinated against the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus. The last thing we want to do is infect our vulnerable patients with the flu, when we could have prevented it. But many health care professionals, like the rest of the population, do not get vaccinated. I hear many excuses from my nurse peers on why they do not get the vaccination. “It will make me sick.” “One year I caught the flu from the vaccination.” “I hate needles.” I would expect to hear these lame excuses from lay people (sorry for calling you lame, people) but not from my fellow nurses. A recent study showed that less than half of health care workers in Japan choose to be vaccinated for the flu. This mimics attitudes of American health care workers. The World Health Organization recommends that all health care workers become vaccinated against the flu and the H1N1 virus. In the United States the first doses of the flu vaccine is saved for health care workers. Yet still, almost half of these workers will choose not to become vaccinated. Our choices not to vaccinate puts thousands of vulnerable patients who have no choice, at risk.
Some hospitals across the country are taking the choice of vaccination away from health care workers. Receiving the flu vaccine will be mandatory and a condition of employment. Just like other vaccinations and tests that are mandatory for health care workers ( MMR, Varicella, TB, Hepatitis, etc), why shouldn’t the flu vaccine also be mandatory? Some argue that it violates their civil liberties to mandate a vaccination. How can you force someone to get a shot in the arm? Well, no one is forcing you. You choose to be a health care professional and to work in a hospital. You choose to work with the sick and vulnerable. You are getting paid by an organization to do this work, an organization that is responsible for the health and well being of it’s staff and it’s patients. If you choose not to abide by their requirements which include flu vaccinations, it is your choice not to work there. Period
RR
Posted in ethics, health, law, nursing | Tagged: doctors, flu vaccinations, health, mandatory vaccinations, nurses, swine flu | 22 Comments »
Posted by realityrounds on September 1, 2009
Yeehaw! Another Duggar will be in the House known as planet earth, in 2010. That’s right folks, Michelle Duggar announced she is pregnant with lucky baby 19. Oh my! Per usual, she announced the blessed event on the Today Show, with the rest of her 18 kids and one husband perched dangerously on some stairs that were threatening to collapse. The Duggar’s have their first grandchild due in one month, so baby number 19 will be younger than his or her aunt or uncle. Sigh. I am not here to judge, that’s what my commentors are for. At least they can afford their children, and all seem very happy and healthy.
Michelle Duggar is 42 years old, and is what we call in OB land, an advanced maternal aged grand multip. This means she is old (ha) and has been pregnant more than five times. I guess we should start thinking of a term for being pregnant more than 10 times, like a mega multip. Being over the age of 35 has it’s risks mostly due to increasing chances of aneuploidy or chromosomal anomalies in the infant. Michele’s doctor stated she is in great health and was “born to have babies.” Still, she is at a greater risk for complications because of her advanced age (ha) and for her grand multiparity. These risks could include abnormal fetal presentation, precipitous delivery, uterine atony, uterine rupture, increased risk of amniotic fluid embolism and obstetric hemorrhage.
(Good times) To play the devil’s advocate, I know there are studies out there that state there is no increase in risk for a grand multip who is not in a lower socioeconomic status (I would link to them, but I am too lazy, sorry). This would be the case for Michelle Duggar, so more power to her? Again, having 19 kids is her (and I am assuming) her husband’s choice, and they can afford them and they are raising them in a loving way. So there.
But, there is a dark, cynical part of me (shocking, I know), that says enough already! Close the shop lady. There are enough people in the world polluting our planet and eating up all our natural resources. I also think of all the kids who are abandoned who would love the chance to live with the Duggars, so why not be foster parent’s or adopt? Yes I know that sounds very naive and cliche, but whatever.
I will be following Duggar Drop 2010! ™ because I am a loser curiosity seeker and the story fascinates me. Who else will be following?
RR
Posted in child birth, ethics | Tagged: baby number 19, birth control, duggar family, today show | 17 Comments »
