April 08, 2008
Tuesday PM

I completely agree with the overall direction that Eileen Stated in the "Quality of Care for Elders". Being a Care provider myself, and having worked with the elderly for over a year, I think that it is not only important for Care providers to being competent of the job they are hired to do, but also compassionate and caring for the person/people they work with. This is what most people who enter the Health Care Field are aware of when they make the decision to become whichever profession they choose.

But I KNOW that there are several care givers out there that enter the field for not the great feeling of accomplishment they get at the end of the day, but more for the paycheck. These people are the care providers who do the minimum of their job expected and then roll their eyes when an elder says "I'm Cold" or "I'm Hungry". These are also the people that have no desire to give, what the Ketchikan General Hospital strives to achieve, "Compassionate Care".

I have witnessed some situations in my time as a Care provider in which other Care providers deliver aggressive care towards patients, then have their behavior fall into "not doing something wrong" category. As for defending the Health Care workers that will sit and talk to the elderly about issues and for us that do Delivery Quality Care, Great Job Folks! your all one of a kind! Whether they have Alzheimer's and chat about being twenty one years of age again, and not remember being married with their husband sitting next to them, or they are just lonely and need someone to come to about feelings of sadness and frustration. This is what I personally strive to do in my profession, and I know several others who try to do the same. We strive to make a difference in someone's life.

Think of it like your shopping for a carton of eggs. If you don't check them before you buy it, you may get home and find out that a few are cracked but not have noticed by their outside appearance. Be the best health Care provider you can be, even if it means you aren't the fastest brief changer around, make that extra effort to take your time, talk, and be gentle with the people who most deserve it. Our families. Deliver what you think you will deserve when you need it.

Shannon Guthrie
Ketchikan, AK

About: "Health Care Provider for almost 3 years, Ketchikan Resident for about 21 years."

Received April 04, 2008 - Published April 08, 2008

Related Viewpoint:

Quality of Care for Elders By Eileen Small

Viewpoints - Opinion Letters:

Webmail Your Opinion Letter to the Editor

SitNews ©2008
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska