"Hard Lessons from a Long Hospital Stay" (April) reveals the effect of inadequate health care staffing in hospitals. Patients don't want special spa treatments. They want basic activities of daily living fulfilled-grooming, oral care, and simple toileting.

As a student nurse, I enjoy giving patients bed baths and back massages. I listen to their stories without hurrying. Yet they often apologize to us, telling nursing students they're sorry for taking up too much of our time.

Eunsook Switzer

Hayward, CA