I’ve been watching all this unfold with the Texas Presbyterian
hospital like everyone else. In total
disbelief how it had been handled by those in authoritative positions. Does this only fall on those in-charge? My objective is not to point fingers, but to
objectively look at what unfolded and make it a learning experience.
This leads into one of my professional pet peeves, and that’s
acknowledging what YOU could have done to make things better. It’s very easy to say “you made me do it” or “this
was orchestrated by everyone else,” but how often are you genuinely
powerless? As health professionals we
require a little more of something than in other professions…a backbone. When we do not speak out, it can affect a
patient or client’s life, or the health of a community. I do not understand why health professionals
within this hospital did not speak out.
I give the one and only voice I’ve heard so far, a nurse by the name of
Briana Aguirre, kudos beyond all belief.
She expressed concern during her interview with the Today Show, she may
be fired and even risks future employment with other hospitals in the area by
coming forward. She’s right, she is
risking current and future employment.
But it should not be this way. She
deserves a raise if she stay’s where she is at, and if not, to be whisked up
and paid well by a future employer.
Aren’t we suppose to speak up for our patient/client? Should we not be more concerned about the welfare
of our patient/client versus rubbing our superiors the wrong way? As a veterinary professional, I would not
want to surround myself with mindless drones.
Instead, I would want people around me that would speak out if I seem to
be doing something to the contrary for the betterment of my patient, client
and/or community. So the learning
experience…
Don’t let what others may think of you stop you from
speaking out. Although most of us need a
paycheck, I hope you came into this profession for something greater than the
almighty dollar. And if you did, keep
that in prospective. For any health
professionals reading this, or those that have friends or relatives in a health
field (human and veterinary), use this situation to remind us how important it
is for us to have a voice. Keep yelling
until someone hears you.
If at any point you have felt compelled to help with this
Ebola crisis, I have some news for you on how you can help…check out Fighting Ebola on Open Ideo (https://openideo.com/content/fighting-ebola). This is a collaborative effort to look at
ways to stop Ebola from spreading. Have
you watched news content or read an article online and thought “I have an idea
on how to help?” You can become part of
this think-tank, giving ideas and participating with others from around the
world. Registering and creating a
profile is simply (I’ve done it). After
the few minutes it takes to get things started, your off and running! Ideas are currently being sought for the
following missions: strengthening health
care capacities, promote care seeking, boost tracking and communication, and “surprise
us.” Maybe you had an idea on improving
personal protective equipment (PPE), or a new reporting plan for health care
professionals, you can use this tool to submit your ideas! This platform allows you to actually help,
from the safety of your home!
So, the moral to the story, YOU can make a difference. Everyone has the capacity to help in this
crisis. Let’s not sit back and say “It’s
up to someone else.” Your ideas, your
initiative and your capacity for concern can show you the way.
