Responding to Posts: Attempt for Empathy

[Guest guest]

,

You wrote, > " No Karyn I don't think you do. I don't think you know the

first thing about me. I don't think you know what I face each day, what I feel

each day or what I have to contend with. I don't think you or anybody else

understands in the least how I feel. I was accepted to nursing school at MUSC,

which in itself is a major accomplishment for a 33 year old

pregnant mother of 2, my life has taken a severe downward spiral. That old

adage if something can go wrong it will, has become my unwanted mantra. No,

Karyn you don't know the first thing about me and you have never once

attempted to try. Don't placate me. " <

I would have sent this to you off the board, but since you sent it to the

board for others to see how you felt, I thought it only reasonable that I make

an effort to explain my responding post to you.

In no way did I say that I understood everything that you were going

through, There is no way for anyone to really understand exactly what anyone

else is

going through, There is, by the nature of sharing between these posts, a

true effort to have empathy for one another, to care for what others are going

through. Empathy by definition means: the action of understanding, being

aware of, being sensitive to "

My original post stated, > " I had a question for those members that have

shared that they are returning to work. Since almost every job requires drug

screens prior to hire, how are

you handling this? I know that there is an opportunity to list the

medication that will likely show up on the screen and support those with a

proof of

prescription. However, will jobs allow you to work knowingly on narcotics? " <

You responded saying, > " Not in nursing Karyn. That is the main reason why I

was so adamant about not going back on the Dilaudid. However, my doc

assured me this would be temporary as he feels the adhesions and scar tissue

will

soften up with time. Or get worse. Either way its still only temporary as

far as I am concerned. I have thought about taking Neurontin as that is not

considered a narcotic but the somnolence would be difficult to deal with.<

Having that information, I simply stated that > " , I understand your

dilemma re: being prescribed narcotics, more now. " <

As you can see I stated, " re: being prescribed narcotics.., " I did not say I

understand everything you are going through. I would never say that.

In the future, if you want to bash individuals, please do so directly and

not on the main board. The intent of the board is to offer support, empathy,

and caring; I do not want people to be fearful of trying to be nice only to get

attacked.

Karyn E. , RN

Executive Director, PAI

Indianapolis, Indiana

[Guest guest]

Karyn I was not trying to attack you or bash you in the least. As a

nurse yourself, and the other health care providers on this board,

would understand this dilema in a different light. A tragedy

really. If I were a cashier at Macs, taking pain meds would

not be as great an ethical quandry as it is for someone who is

providing direct patient care.

I could stop all the pain meds and take those vitamins and beverages

used to clean out ones system and pass the required pre-employment

drug screening. Then resume my pain meds as needed. However, that

would be wrong. Maybe its just me, but in all good consciousness I

can not work if I am taking narcotics. I am not trying to undermine

any other profession or professional.

However, would you want a nurse taking narcotics to set up your PCA

pump, administering your conscious sedation, placing your NG tube,

putting in your IV, drawing your blood, placing your Foley or the

countless other things we do. I wouldn't. I have no problem with a

person needing to take narcotic pain meds flipping my burger or

giving me my change or answering my call and countless other

professional roles. I certainly would not want them to put in an 18g

Jelco in my hand.

I was a bit harsh and I apologize for that. An attack was not my

plan at all. I have been very upset by the recent turn of events and

want desperately to return to work. I am terrified of the possibilty

of another surgery. I felt that you being a nurse as well would

understand this ethical conudrum. One should never assume. I went

back and read what I had written and can see how you would feel

attacked. That was not my intention and I do apologize for having

made you feel that way.