The letter below invites those who could “tarnish the rest” to come and observe corrections health workers at the Multnomah County jail.
We’ve written to Lillian Shirley, head of the Multnomah County Health Department and Bernie Guisto, Sheriff of the Multnomah County jail asking for permission to follow the jail nurses for a day or two to accurately show how they provide services to their exclusive community.
Two jail nurses tarnish rest
letter to the Oregonian, March 21, 2008
I have been a nurse at the detention center for 10 years and have been a practicing nurse for 30 years. The day-shift nursing staff at the detention center collectively has more than 200 years of varied nursing experience. We work at the jail because we care about providing health care to those whom most don’t care anything about. I can honestly say that health care at the jail is not a “catastrophe.”Yes, two (out of a staff of 70 or so) made egregious errors in judgment. They are now suffering the consequences of their behavior.
The nurses and doctors I work with are some of the brightest, kindest, most caring professionals I have ever had the privilege of working with.
Point the finger at the people who make the horrendous mistakes if you must, but please don’t point the finger at the rest of us.
If you would like to see just what we as nurses do at the detention center, I’m sure we could arrange for you to spend a day or two with us. Then you could see for yourself that what we do is not a “catastrophe that masquerades as health care at the county jail.”
CHRISTINE OLSON Southeast Portland
