On September 18, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a warning on their website saying that evidence indicated that the SAR-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 could be spread through small airborne particles, not just larger droplets. This was a significant statement since the smaller particles can remain in the air longer than the droplets, increasing the risk of respiratory spread of the virus. On September 20, the CDC removed the warning, raising more fears of the politicization of the agency that the world has relied upon for evidence-based information and recommendations.
Why is this important for the public and for those caring for people who may be infected with SAR-CoV-2 and have COVID-19? Are nurses, other healthcare workers and essential workers being protected with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators or are we still having a problem producing enough PPE?
Diana Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN, host of HealthCetera in the Catskills on WIOX Radio, discussed these issues with Tener Veenema, PhD, RN, FAAN, a Professor of Nursing at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Listen here:
The Trump administration’s actions and policies are antithetical to a healthy society—and our code of ethics.
For almost 20 years, the public has rated nurses as the most trusted profession in the nation. We are a diverse, bipartisan group of clinical, academic, research, policy and organizational nurse leaders who take that trust seriously. We have a moral obligation to speak out about the Trump administration’s actions that are undermining the health of individuals, families, communities, the nation and our planet. We urge the American people to carefully consider our concerns as they decide for whom to vote in the November elections. We will be voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, but we are writing this as individuals, not on behalf of a campaign.
Here are a few examples of the Trump Administration’s actions and policies that are antithetical to a healthy society and to nursing’s values and code of ethics:
President Donald Trump has grossly mismanaged the nation’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. That more than 200,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19 in just seven months, with many more suffering its long-term effects, is stunning and unacceptable. This includes our nursing and health care colleagues who became infected because of a persistent lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) that could have been ameliorated by an early federal role in stimulating the production and distribution of PPE.
The president lied and continues to lie about the seriousness of the pandemic, saying “it will disappear,” even though he told journalist Bob Woodward that he knew otherwise. He has repeatedly ignored—and sometimes ridiculed— science-informed recommendations from public health officials. His statements about hydroxycholoroquine and ingesting antiseptics have had serious, adverse health consequences. He continues to flout the mask and social-distancing guidelines put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when he should be modeling the precautions designed to protect us all. Without a vaccine, his claims of allowing people to get infected to build “herd immunity” will result in millions more dying.
Trump has worked to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA), knowing that it will make health care inaccessible to millions, worsening their health, and leading to premature deaths.
Racism is a public health issue. Trump’s continued sanctioning of racist and white supremacist groups have led to an escalation of race-based violence and deaths. Many health professionals of color have experienced trauma from the sanctioning of racism and bigotry by this administration.
Trump’s anti-immigrant policies, including his efforts to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), affect an estimated 14,000 Dreamers who work in healthcare positions. We need more, not fewer, bilingual and culturally diverse nurses who can advance health equity.
Trump’s persistence in ignoring science extends to his recent comments about the wildfires on the West Coast that are devastating whole communities, claiming “It’ll start getting cooler.” Climate change has already led to premature deaths and exacerbated illness from excessive heat, air pollution, flooding, and other climate disasters.
Forcing the replacement of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court during an election, the politicization of the Department of Justice, the shunning of longstanding norms in presidential behavior and practices, and the undermining of efforts to encourage and enable all Americans to vote are examples of how Trump is a threat to the foundations of our democracy. We fear for our rights as nurses and as Americans. and as Americans.
These are but a few of our concerns about the Trump presidency.
Joe Biden has demonstrated that he embraces evidence-informed policy, access to health care, safeguarding human rights, and other positions that align with nursing’s values. While we may not all agree with his positions on all issues, we believe that he will restore a sense of humanity in our nation, strive to promote the health and well-being of all people and our planet using the best of science, and do so while once again restoring the nation’s economic viability, as he did with President Obama after the 2008 recession.
We urge Americans to vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The health and wellbeing of our nation is at stake.
On behalf of over 700 registered nurses from 49 states and the District of Columbia:
Jane Barnsteiner, Ph.D., R.N. FAAN, is a registered nurse living in Miramar Beach, Florida.
Joanne Disch, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, is a registered nurse living in Miramar Beach, Florida.
Barbara Glickstein, MPH, M.S., R.N., is a public health nurse in New York City.
David Keepnews, Ph.D., J.D., R.N. FAAN, is a registered nurse, attorney and nursing professor in Washington, D.C.
Katheren Koehn, M.A., R.N., FAAN, is the executive director of the Minnesota Organization of Registered Nurses, and lives in St Paul, Minnesota.
Mary Jo Kreitzer, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, is a professor in Minneapolis.
Diana J. Mason, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, is a public health nurse, educator and consultant in Denver, New York.
Adriana Perez, Ph.D., ANP-BC, FAAN, is an educator and adult nurse practitioner in Philadelphia.
The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own.
Alabama
Norma Cuellar PhD, RN, FAAN Anne M. Williams PhD, RN Anne Turner-Henson PhD, RN, FAAN Pao-Feng Tsai PhD, RN, FAAN
Alaska
Donna Phillips RN Ann Lovejoy RNC, BSN, BA
Arizona
Anne McNamara RN, PhD Arlette Stevens Castano MSN, NP-C Amy Ledesma MSN, RN Bonnie Westra PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI Carol Baldwin PhD, RN, CHTP, CT, AHN-BC, FAAN Colleen Hallberg RN MSN Corina Chick RN, BSN Dalisa Barquero DNP, MPH, WHNP-BC Deidre Walton. JD MSN BSN RN Esther Ibarra RN, BSN Heather Ross PhD, DNP, ANP-BC, FAANP Hilda Luna RN, BSN, MBA Jasmine Bhatti PhD(c), MS, BSN Josepha Castro MSN-Ed, RN Katherine Kenny, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN Kim Armstrong RN-retired Laura Richard RN BSN LeAnne Prenovost DNP, MBA, RN, CNE Linda Moskowitz M.Ed, BSN, RN, NCSN, AzCSN Lisa Blue MHI, BSN, RN Lorraine Cuesta DNP, ANP-C Mare Feral RN, MSN, Ed Mary de Chesnay PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN Nancy Gomez RN, BSN, MHA Nikita Garrett BSN, RN, CCRN Pamela Lusk DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC Patricia J Kelly PhD, MPH, RN Paulette Compton RN, MSN, MC Rev. Rudy Valenzuela PhD, RN, FNP-C, FAAN, FGSA Robin Schaeffer MSN, RN, CAE Ruth Taylor-Piliae PhD,RN, FAHA,FAAN Sheila Kelly CCRN Sherry Ray Ed.D, MSN, RN Silbia Sanchez RN Silvia Gallardo RN Sylvia Pelroy RN, BSN
Arkansas
Claudia Beverly PhD, RN, FAAN Cornelia Beck PhD, RN Donna Guilette PhD, AGACNP-BC, FAANP Jean McSweeney RN, PhD, FAHA, FAAN Leanne L. Lefler PhD, ACNS-BC, APRN, FAHA, FAAN Laura Hays PhD, APRN, FAHA Patricia Wright PhD, RN
Carman Timmerman EdD, RN Christina Plemmons PhD, RN-BC, CNE Jacquie Kelley MPH, DNP, APRN Kay Foland PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC Michele Smith Registered Nurse Thomas Stenvig PhD, MPH, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Tennessee
Allyson Neal DNP, PMHNP-BC, Child & Adolescent Psychiatric CNS-BC, CPNP Angela Tant RN Belinda Fleming PhD FNP-BC Brad Harrell DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC Carole Myers PhD, RN, APRN Catherine Ivory PhD, RN-BC, RNC-OB, FAAN Erin Borum PMHNP-BC Florence Weierbach PhD, MSN, MPH, RN Frances E. Likis DrPH, NP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN Frances Edwards RN, MSN Jody Smith DNP, AG-ACNP, APRN Katherine Thomas DNP, RN, ACM Lin Zhan PhD Lois Stewart PhD, CRNA Nancy Wells DNSc, RN, FAAN Patricia Scott DNP, RN, PNP, NCSN-E Sadie Hutson PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAANP Susan M. Scott MSN RN WOC Nurse Terrica Durbin DNP, PhD, CRNA
Texas
Adelita Cantu PhD, RN Adijat Salami BSN, RN Alicia De Jong Davis Gerontologist/RN Carol Howe PhD, RN, CDCES, FAAN Christi Fanning RN Donna Rolin PhD, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC Elnora Mendiaa PhD, RN Gayle Acton RN, PhD Hannah Rabin MSN, RN, IBCLC Karen Johnson RN, PhD, FSAHM, FAAN Kathryn Osborne RN, CNM, PhD Lisa Campbell DNP, RN, PHNA-BC M K Murphy DNP, RN, FAAN Marge Benham-Hutchins RN, PHD Maria Perez MA, BSN, RN Marianne F Moore PhD, RN, APRN, CNM Mary Pomeroy MSN Melissa Sherrod PhD, APRN, AGCNS-BC Michelle Wright PhD, RN Monica Hughes MSN, RN, NE-BC, CNE Nora Montalvo-Liendo RN, Phd, FAAN Pamela Haylock PhD, RN Patricia Burns DNP, APRN, FNP-C Patricia Wright PHD, CRNP Poldi Tschirch PhD, RN, CNE Rasheem Wynn RN, BSN Rob Patton MSN, RN, RN-BC Sharon Canclini RN MS CNE FCN PHNA-BC Sharon Denham Phd, RN, CNE Shelley Mitchell RN, MS Whitney Thurman PhD, RN
Utah
Herman Mackay BSN Jan Jones-Schenk DHSc, RN, NE-BC, FAADN, FAAN Lee Moss MS, APRN, FNP-BC, ANP-C, FAANP Lori Mead RN, BSN Sara Hart PhD, RN Toni Smolka RN, BSN
One in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives. Once an unspeakable experience, women and men are speaking out about their experiences of sexual assault; however, only a fraction (about 23%) of sexual assaults are reported to police and only 0.5% of the assaults result in a conviction of the perpetrator. Young people may not seek out health care after an assault for a variety of reasons, including not knowing why it’s important or what to expect. But being assessed and treated by a qualified health professional is key to preventing additional complications from the assault, obtaining evidence of the assault that could be used in a trial, and obtaining the physical care and emotional support that may help in recovery.
Jocelyn Anderson, PhD, RN, is a forensic and sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) who has been working to ensure that people who are sexually assaulted can trust that they will be protected and respected when they go to an ER. She’s an assistant professor at the Penn State University School of Nursing and the author of a recent article on sexual assault for Scarleteen, an independent, grassroots sexuality and relationships education and support organization and website founded in 1998. The article is titled “Sexual Assault Exam: An Insider’s Guide.”
I talked with Dr. Anderson on HealthCetera in the Catskills recently to learn more about the role of appropriate, trauma-informed care after a sexual assault. You can listen to the interview here:
