Pubdate: Sat, 19 Dec 2009
Source: Hi-Desert Star (Yucca Valley, CA)
Copyright: 2009 Hi Desert Star
Contact:  http://www.hidesertstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3921
Author: Paul Martin

NURSE SHOULD SHOW MORE COMPASSION

On Dec. 12, Guest Soapbox author Mark Cain lamented the  use of 
medical marijuana as if there is no condition  serious enough to 
warrant taking this drug. He then  refers to a young woman who 
approached the podium at a  recent Town Council meeting, with a smile 
on her face,  that by his R.N. "trained observation" did not appear 
sick enough for medical marijuana, suggesting that  because she was 
in medical scrubs she was unsafe at  work. I can tell you, though, 
what is more scary than a  assuming a medical person may be on 
medical marijuana  and that is a registered nurse with no compassion 
or empathy for the sick and dying.

During the height of the AIDS crisis, I worked at  Desert Regional 
Medical Center on the AIDS unit and  personally witnessed the suffering.

I had a 29-year-old man gasp his last breath in front  of me, in 
mid-sentence. I saw patients covered in sores  from head to toe and I 
would never have the audacity to  question their pain. Even now, 
working as a prison  R.N., I still would rather side on the patients' 
behalf  than potentially subject another human being to suffer,  and 
inmates are often less than truthful.

So as one medical professional to another, I would  implore Mr. Cain 
to rethink his position and thank God  that the majority of 
Californians had more compassion.

Paul Martin, R.N.  Joshua Tree
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom