Another look at grandmother's shoes
Considering myself an old nurse but a youngish grandmom, I decided to respond to Linda Laskowski-Jones's editorial, "My Grandmother Has Those Shoes" (June 2010).* While she was giving a talk to Girl Scouts about a career in nursing, one girl abruptly remarked that her grandmother had shoes just like hers. She wondered whether the girls considered nursing as "old-fashioned" as her shoes.
Now I'm wondering about those shoes. Could it be that they belong to a savvy grandmother? Grandmoms of today are "with it" women. Perhaps the remark was a compliment, not a put-down. So look at your shoes again and reconsider your attitude-is it ageism?
-EILEEN STREIGHT, BSN
Trenton, N.J.
Editor's note: The shoes in question are shown above.
I read your June editorial with interest. I believe nursing is among the most noble, challenging, and gratifying of professions, blending the science of healthcare with the beautiful art of caring. But until we have legislation requiring hospitals to implement safe patient-handling programs, with a national mandate for modern patient-lift equipment instead of using the backs of nurses, I can't recommend bedside nursing as a career choice for anyone.
-ANNE HUDSON, BSN, RN
Founder, Work Injured Nurses' Group USA (WING USA)
Coos Bay, Ore.
Smoking out the danger
In May 2010, I joined a group of nurses representing Ruth Malone's Nightingales (see http://www.nightingalesnurses.org) at the annual Philip Morris International (PMI) shareholders' meeting. Our mission: to confront and oppose Big Tobacco in its efforts to obtain new and often underage smokers in developing nations. Wearing lab coats to demonstrate our nursing status, we each used our 2 minutes of the question-and-answer period to challenge PMI's chairman and CEO Louis C. Camilleri.
Please help prevent tobacco companies from inflicting nicotine addiction on the rest of the world. We have health education, patient advocacy, and dedication on our side. With nearly 3 million nurses in this country, we can make a difference. Consider joining us next year.
-CHRISTINE CONTILLO, BS, BSN, RN-C
Haworth, N.J.
* Individual subscribers can also access these articles free online at http://www.nursing2010.com. [Context Link]