Dear Pres. Aquino,
I congratulate you for killing the “ act providing for a Comprehensive Nursing Law towards Quality Healthcare System and Appropriating Funds Therefor”. This signifies your compassion, love and understanding to us—nurses.
Being the outgoing President of the Philippines, I will give all my respect to you, His Excellency. Your administration is always proclaiming that you successfully improved the conditions of our public healthcare institutions in our poor country, in support, the Department of Health also boastfully said that we are very near to achieving the goal of universal healthcare, yet, ironically, 8 out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a single healthcare professional, that includes not seeing us— nurses.
I will not ask you to override your decision or to explain yourself; I want to give you a glimpse of our life which you belittled and disregarded. It is better than convincing your already close mind.
Mr President, this is not only about the salary grade that we are fighting for, this is about the work dignity that the nurses only deserve. We don’t ask for too much, we only beg for the exact, livable amount. We are not corrupt, we care, we love, we understand and we only deserve it.
Early in the morning when no one is around, we take care of 30-40 patients in one hospital ward; your administration permitted your hospitals to hire 2-3 staff nurses/ward. Mathematically, one nurse is for 10 patients. We don’t only look at our patients, we cannot afford to sit, to wait for the bell to ring, eat our breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner. Infact Mr. President, while you are taking your break, we assess, diagnose, set outcome criteria, plan, intervene and evaluate.
We are not low lying animals, we are human beings.
We administer high alert medications. We see to it that we give the correct drug with right dose and observing another kilometer of rights. If we are cruel enough, if we are idle, if we are corrupt, if we are stupid, we can easily administer these drugs and watch your voters die.
We don’t get enough sleep, we have straight duties, we need to comply and compensate because most of your hospitals are understaffed. We report despite there is a typhoon, an earthquake, even in special occasions, we care for your voters. While others are having their vacation, while you are having your siesta time, we are selflessly present at the patients’s bedside.
Don’t lecture us about training and seminars because, I tell you Mr. President, it’s useless. We are paying for private training because the free seminars and training that you are very proud of, are as old as the Malacanan palace. If we want to learn more, to improve our competency, You give us no choice but to seek, to train and sadly, to pay using our own meager salary because when we will not do this, we will remain empty in your empty healthcare institutions. Supposedly, you are the one ensuring the implementation of these training. Your advisers did not do their research right?
Now, when your voters poop and urinate on their bed, we wipe it and make them clean. Our hands are dirty because you gave us no choice but to recycle our gloves. We don’t have mask in the hospital, to protect ourselves; we buy using our own salary. Providing workplace safety, as far as I know, is your responsibility. No amount of money can pay to suffice the hazards that we are facing every day.
Lastly, you don’t ever compare us to other professions. We are your health allies. We are the lifeblood of the healthcare industry. When we leave the bedside, many will die, and you will not like it. We don’t leave our posts just to attend rallies in the street. In fact, we are not only nurses, we are also teachers, because health education is one of our many core competency. Our teachings can save a life.
We are also pharmacist, we don’t only administer drugs, we check it, and we protect your voters from medication error. We don’t simply follow orders, like you, we discern, we investigate if this is safe and beneficial for your voters. Unlike you, we fight for what is right and just.
No job is small or big. Every job is unique. There is simple a reason why nurses receive high salary outside of this country. It is no brainier Mr. President. It is common sense that other countries, sane and compassionate countries, acknowledge the kind of work that we do. Only in this country that we are treated as animals, not to mention, some doctors who verbally torture nurses in the clinical area.
With due all respect Mr President, you are under an illusion and a delusion that this country has a strong health workforce. In Psychiatric nursing, we confront you with reality, that’s why I’m writing this for you to see the bitter realities of the nursing industry in our country. If you are still in doubt, try to have yourself admitted in a public hospital, and you will see how cruel your government to nurses is.
Earlier when I read the news that you vetoed the bill, I cried because of disbelief. In fact, I am a supporter of your yellow army. I supported you, but that support and admiration ends today, like how you vetoed our life, the CNL.
Nurses are trained to become caring, understanding and enduring. We always listen; we never judge or give advice to influence a decision. However, I can’t be a nurse with this.
Tonight, I am speaking not as a nurse but as a human being. This is more than business Mr. President. At the end, you will know that the last man or woman standing beside your bed is a nurse and not your (kumpare and companeros,) the {nurse} will insert your intravenous catheter, she will tuck your bed, she will wipe your poop, she will give your medications, will clean your wounds, will provide you food, will fight for your rights, will protect you from falls and accidents, even you failed them.
Mr. President, I want to close this letter by saying; you have no heart . You have no soul.
-Mutya
ask atty mikee 