When I first became a nurse in 1982, the world of medicine still had some humanity in it. The book, “Prescriptions For Nurse Healers”, reflects the humanity still existing at that time. I would like to see hospitals and clinics get back to that model of emotional intelligence. The model that exists now reflects Corporate Personhood, a 2010 Supreme Court decision originally meant to regulate election contributions. Now it has trickled out to affect everything in American society, including medicine.
The Supreme Court voted in favor of Citizens United, which means the corporations are people now according to the description of the decision. The patriarchy and the oligarchy have never been stronger. But the times are also a-changing.
In my own life, since the publication of Prayer Prescriptions For Nurse Healers, I no longer fit into the corporate model, if I ever did. Suddenly, my life as a nurse in the corporate arena was over. The universe has a way of blessing every step along the way. Believe it. Honor it. Celebrate the beautiful gift of life. Don’t fight it. Let go in order to make room for the new.
Hospital births are surrounded with high frequency panic, sometimes low frequency panic, but panic nonetheless. I could not walk back into that environment because I outgrew it. What have you outgrown in your life? Is it easy or difficult to Let go and Let God?
A young woman who purchased my e-book for nurses at Click Bank several years ago, wrote to me, describing the culture of hostility where she worked. Synchronistically, at the time, I bought the book by Kathleen Bartholomew RN MSN called “Ending Nurse To Nurse Hostility: Why Nurses Eat Their Young And Each Other.” I consider myself blessed because I worked in a supportive environment with my colleagues.
As time went on, our problems in the workplace stemmed from a lack of respect for nurses and what our profession contributed to healthcare in America. The problems described in Kathleen‘s book, and by my new friend, outline patterns of behavior that nurses have developed in recent years due to the idiosyncrasies of the profession that point to the subjugation of women and nurses by proxy. As much as I don’t want to look, I see this every place I ever worked as a nurse.
For instance, the following observations and statistics were eye-opening: the United States justice department reported 429,100 violent crimes against nurses on duty 1993-1999. No recent statistics are available.
Given that nurses are an oppressed group, as characterized by infighting, backbiting and the inability to honestly communicate with one another; and that nurses are a subordinate group, as characterized by the fact that doctors and administrators devalue the caring aspects of nursing responsibilities, this devaluing directly results in burnout and what is called horizontal hostility, overwork and alienation, as well as the corporate takeover of medicine. Add CV19 and burnout is exponentially accelerated.
What are the solutions to this dilemma?
Nurse heal thyself. Love thyself. Get yourself a spiritual practice. Meditate. Lighten Up.
Get a dog-or a flock of chickens- and don’t work so much. OM
