Career Nursing Assistants Network of N. Carolina

Subject: Fwd: editorial sent to PBS regarding caregiving documentary Thou Shalt Honor
Posted By: Melinda Wall
Posted On: 10/15/2003 5:05:23 PM

FYI- Visit this web site for information about a PBS documentary on
care-giving: http://www.pbs.org/thoushalthonor/

My editorial follows below:

I have not watched the program yet; I'm working 2 assignments back to back, totaling 15hrs/day. I need the money to pay bills after losing my job to lay-off after the Sept. 11th tragedy.
I love what I do and love the clients/patients, even when some can be quite challenging. I often find it very discouraging however when I get my paycheck or when I go to the County Health clinic, (which is in no way cheap!), because I have no insurance, and wonder should I not go back into the corporate world where things of no direct relevance to human life
have more monetary value than the patients, mostly elders that I serve. It amazes me as to how more value is placed on stocks and bonds; metal and lace, than the difficult circumstances that our elder generation is
faced with. I didn't realize how much reform needs to take place in our system where direct care workers and their patients are concerned until I became one, a direct care worker....soon I will be a patient. Knowing what I know now, I am terrified at what lays ahead for me in my "golden years". As I was
always told, "you get what you pay for", and with that I see one solution at hand; expect the best performance as is expected now, however, pay us what we are worth. I, as a CNA as well as other CNA's hold responsibility
for the lives of our patients while we are there. We are CPR, AED, Heimlich
certified. Continuing education is not an option, but mandantory for us to renew our licsenses, (and that education is not free nor cheap ,nor are the seminars). While other's are working, whether it be in the IT field or
Sales, where our society puts so much monetary value on those skills; we are there holding your loved ones hand, listening to their problems and helping them to hopefully come to a resolution if needed, fixing their dinner,
encouraging them to eat and drink, assisting them with remembering to take their medications, giving them a bath, teaching and assisting them with Range of Motion excersises, changing their briefs if they are incontinent,
taking their blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, vacuuming the floors, washing the dishes and so much more. We are bound to help your loved ones live with peace and dignity for as long as they can, encouraging them through their pain and suffering to smile.....all this and more. Our average pay scale? Guess....we are one of the most impoverished workers in the
United States. We would get paid more to groom, bathe and sit with your
pets....do you see a problem with this story as much as I do? We love what we do and so we stay here, hoping to have our voices heard, for
we speak for those we take care of as well.
My goal? To go back to school and get my degree in nursing...what do I have to do in order to accomplish this? Sell everything I own. Is it worth it to me? YES...I want to make a difference as I hope you do; for as much as
you read this and other's commentaries, as much as you view documentaries, remember that one day it will not be a book nor a movie, it will be your life in the hands of a direct care worker...I hope you get what you pay
for!

Melinda Wall
CNA