National Nurses United

Nurse Essay_1 10/5/10 2:38 PM Page 25 waiting for me wherever I wanted to work. Money and chemistry almost kept me from it, but somehow, I was able to qualify for another loan and I came up with enough algebra skills to get me through organic chemistry. I wasn't raised in a religious home, but my grandmother would take me to a local church from time to time. I went to church with friends on occasion, and we had a family doctor and his RN wife who invited us to the vacation bible school hosted by his church during the summer. I've explored and studied a lot of religious philosophies and I only mention this because I believe that my work and practice as a nurse and as a participant in a healthcare and social justice advocacy movement encompasses the best part of any religion that I know. It gives hope in times of despair, and provides community and companionship in times of sorrow and uncertainty. I believe that social justice and social service is doing what's best for a person or group of people, based on their needs. It's worthy work and I feel blessed that I'm able to make a living doing what I enjoy. What would seem like stressful or hard work to others gives me plenty of opportunity to be creative and use my education and experience. The most stress has come from hospital industry restructuring and the commodification of healthcare and the devaluing of human life by an imposed industrial-manufacturing model of care. I live now to fight it, to deal with it, and to overcome it. I'd have left the profession long ago except for the need, the tremendous need, that keeps calling me back. It's there – the need for the human touch, the healing presence at our most vulnerable time. No one should be alone in their time of need, and nurses know there's so little time left to waste on the minutia and barriers that would rob us of our spirit (if we let it) at the hour of that need. Without the collective of nurses who fight with me with an almost-religious zeal to protect that which is so precious to us, this life wouldn't be survivable. Others have endured and fought these battles and have succeeded in passing the baton. Far be it for us to drop it. Our mission, our responsibility, and our duty becomes one of paying it forward to preserve our profession for ourselves and others who will need compas"If an RN believes in the premise that sionate care and service in the future. all persons have the right to access I believe in a fundamental principle that human beings have inalienable rights. If an RN believes in the premise that all perbasic healthcare, and to be treated with sons have the right to access basic healthcare, and to be treated respect and dignity, then his or her with respect and dignity, then his or her behavior will be more behavior will be more likely to be likely to be congruent with this belief. The belief that human congruent with this belief." beings are essentially interdependent and are entitled to the same fundamental rights creates the basis for advocacy for these rights, not only for one's self, but also for others. Patients who need medical care are among the most vulnerable of human It was during that time when Reagan was governor in California beings; they deserve our protection and depend on our advocacy. that there was a so-called declared "glut" of teachers and I began What I hate most is seeing nursing care being limited and done wondering how I would pay off my loans and whether or not I could poorly, or when patients have to go without it and are denied access get a job as a teacher. There were resident assistants in the dorms who had earned their credentials and couldn't find work, so my fears to it. Fighting to save our right to care for one another is the best part of any religion I know. seemed well founded. I had done well in high school and liked literature and the life sciences equally well. Although I'd never considered being a profesDeAnn McEwen is an ICU RN at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, a member sional nurse, I made a decision to switch my major and try nursing. of the CNA/NNU Council of Presidents, and chair of CNA's Joint Nursing PracThere was a known need for nurses and I knew there would be a job tice Commission. SEPTEMBER 2010 W W W. N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N AT I O N A L N U R S E 25

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