American Nurses Association Statement on the Terri Schiavo Case

American Nurses Association press release ^ | March 23, 2005 | Barbara B. Blakeney

[monkeywrench]

"raises the public's awareness of the importance of discussing end-of-life issues"

"End of life issues". The new name of the hemlock society. Why do I smell a rat? Is there any group in society today untainted by the political left?

[Wallace T.]

Any members of the medical profession, from the chief executive of the hospice to the guy who cleans the bedpans, who are participating in the judicially sanctioned execution of Terri Schiavo are as dishonorable as the police and sheriff's deputies who guard the death chamber.

[avile]

plus they have a much higher rate of fmg's

[SteveMcKing]

Today's nurses are not all angels that Barry Sadler sang about in 1965. Some are simply bitter they're not doctors, or they entered the nursing field with misguided intentions.

Not all, of course...

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Well my sister is an RN and she absolutely disagrees with this statement as it pertains to Terri. So do her all her nurse friends. I'm not sure who actually votes on these sorts of statements but they do not represent all nurses.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Food and water do not constitute "medical treatment." If they do, I'm going to start writing off every cent I spend on groceries and restaurants.

[LisaMalia]

My daughter is a teacher, however she finds most everything that the teacher's union stand for repugnant.

As do lots of her peers.

[mommadooo3]

Your wisdom will be appreciated!

[AFreeBird]

The "evidence" is where the problem is. I think most people would agree that if Terri had left a living will, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Indeed we wouldn't, but even in the absense of such an instrument; if she had disscussed the issue with her husband, and others, they know her wishes. It's a family matter, not a state and certainally not a federal one.

After 15 years I don't see it as rush to pull the plug as it were.

[secret garden]

Where on earth did you work that forced you to pay dues to an organization you didn't support? That's ridiculous. There are plenty of other places to work.

[SelmaLee]

"The ANA has been an embarrasement to nursing for more than twenty years

Yes, and for more than 20 years I have refused to join. Here's to 20 more.

[LibFreeOrDie]

No surprise from this bunch. The ANA is also very, very concerned about the possible mistreatment of detainees at Gitmo:

"ANA Supports Further Investigation Into Prisoner Abuse
ANA has sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld supporting further investigation into possible actions of health care professionals in the abuse of detainees at U.S. detention and interrogation facilities. ANA is not aware of any specific situations that have involved registered nurses (RNs); however, it is concerned about the possible role that RNs or other health care professionals may have played in this abuse. The ANA's Code of Ethics for Nurses and other ANA policies condemn violations concerning issues of health and human rights and guide the role of U.S. registered nurses in providing services."

Text of their letter available from link on this page:

http://www.nursingworld.org/ethics/

[verity]

More S.D.

[armymarinemom]

"End of life issues". The new name of the hemlock society.

You wouldn't believe the pressure that I took from some fellow Nurses over life support for my hubbies uncle. One nurse in a really ugly tone told me "You have to make the family understand that he should be taken off the vent and just be allowed to go". The family member who they were pressuring everyone to pull the plug on went home. He ended up talking, joking, walking with a walker and enjoyed his family for several more years before passing away from an illness unrelated to the one that put him in a coma.

[Velveeta]

Furthermore, there is evidence that Terri Schiavo expressed her wishes not to have her life artificially maintained under such circumstances.

Memo to ANA: At the time Terri came under "such circumstances", pulling nutrition and hydration was not considered being "artificially maintained".

Would Terri have expressed her wish to do something in 1990 that was yet unheard of?

Signed,

Nurse Vel

[armymarinemom]

Where on earth did you work that forced you to pay dues to an organization you didn't support? That's ridiculous. There are plenty of other places to work.

I live in a Blue Nanny state. I understand there are quite a few closed shops in New England.

[pitinkie]

I have never been a member thank god.

[northernlightsII]

People are clamoring about judicial tyranny we should all revolt against medical tyranny, under the guise of medical science they want to tell everyone what to eat ,what to drink.take pills for this take pills for that.Viox Prozac.
Don't take pills for this or that, antibiotics vitamins.
We know better we will tell you if you have pain or not, we will tell you if you are deserving of life.
The medical profession is as arrogant as the legal profession.

[Aliska]

Yeah, I don't like to judge people by pictures, but it made me think of something.

I've noticed how locally our hospitals have become not big business, but HUGE enterprises like industrial complexes and are buying up land as fast as they can to expand. It seems to be at a rate that does not fit the increase in population for my area, although we are a regional trauma center for heart cases.

I would write it off to the little towns around us don't have their own hospitals, but one just built a huge new one.

And most things are done on an out-patient basis.

They have saved three young lives in my family, but the others were there to die. Otherwise, best to stay out of them as long as you can.

[CedarDave]

PING!