Why Blame Anyone?

So ... the World Health Organization is warning us there could be up to 10,000 new cases a week in two months. That's 80,000 new cases in the next two months. And that's just an estimate. The warning is qualified, of course, with the note that the majority of the cases are in West Africa.

Meanwhile, back here in the States, we have some rather well-placed platform seekers announcing to the world that the reason the first patient died was because he was not a middle-to-upper class American; that he was not given the proper treatment because of the color of his skin; that he was not taken care of because of his economic standing.

And those in control at the Centers for Disease Control are busy blaming a nurse who contracted the disease for not following proper protocol when caring for a patient in Dallas; the aforementioned - who ultimately died from the disease.

Evidently, it's hard to find out who to blame for all the trouble this virus is giving mankind. So here's a question: Why don't we just not blame anyone?

Especially nurses.

From my many years spent working in a hospital setting, as well as from years of being married to a nurse, I can honestly say you would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated group of folks anywhere in the national workforce than those called nurses.

From aides and techs to LPNs and RNs, and from BSNs to Advanced Practice Nurses, these people are efficient, professional, and always "on." Nurses are just very important people; health care workers who work with other medical professionals to help those who are ailing feel better. They are, simply, the frontline of care.

School nurses treat kids that get sick, dealing with chickenpox, nosebleeds, bumps and bruises, and a lot of stomachaches. They also perform screenings for such things as vision and hearing, and they teach kids how to be good to their bodies.

At the doctor's office, the nurse has a similar job. They assist doctors by evaluating symptoms, checking the patient's temperature, blood pressure, height and weight, and sometimes giving shots. These all are good things to do, but one of the most important tasks a nurse handles is making sure patients understand what the doctor tells them.

If we get very sick, or have an accident, we get introduced to a hospital nurse. These nurses are in charge of patients 24 hours per day, seven days per week. They make sure patients are ready to see the doctor by helping figure out what's wrong and how to fix it. They also monitor patients' heart rate and blood pressure, give medicine, take blood, and make sure everything is working properly.

Sometimes nurses are out in the community, educating the people directly. They help folks learn how to manage special health conditions like asthma or diabetes. At times, if a person really needs a lot of help, a nurse might visit the home to provide care.

The way I see it, the main job of a nurse is to help people by providing patients with timely, professional medical care and giving them support at a time when they need it most.

So when it comes to placing blame and trying to figure out who is at fault for this mess we're in -- don't ya go blaming nurses. Remember that they are the first line of medical defense against the spread of any disease and they are doing their best to control whatever ailment that might be threatening mankind on any given day.

And besides, someday you just might find yourself on the receiving end of that needle, catheter, or enema bag.