Crossroads Hospice stands with #NursesUnite

Last week, Miss Colorado Kelley Jensen eloquently spoke about her profession as "just a nurse" caring for an Alzheimer's patient in the talent portion of the Miss America Competition.

You can watch it here:

A few days later, Michelle Collins and Joy Behar of The View criticized her monologue and asked, "Why does she have a doctor's stethoscope on?"

As the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for Crossroads Hospice, I’m a bit too busy dealing with the unique issues associated with in end-of-life care to watch “TV personalities” on daytime TV.

But due to the instantaneous availability of social media, I, along with millions of others heard the comments that were made about Miss.Colorado’s Kelley Jenson’s talent routine.

At first, I have to admit I was angry.  Now, I’m just saddened to think that in 2015 a group of women, who are supposed to be well educated and informed - and who have a platform that could be used for education - could be so incredibly insensitive and ignorant.  

I have been a Registered Nurse for 26 years and I can say without a doubt that not just anyone can wear a “nurse’s uniform.”  It takes a special woman or man to deal with the unique issues that nursing entails.  We deal with tragedy, disease, and death. We also get to experience the positive side of nursing.  A smile from a frightened child, providing medications to someone that is in extreme pain, holding a glass of water for the gentleman that has tremors from Parkinson’s disease, providing comfort to a terminally ill patient and their family when her life is ebbing away.  The list is endless. 

These things and the overwhelming satisfaction knowing that you actually made a difference, is why we do what we do.  

Families chimed in on our Facebook page sharing these same sentiments:

So, to all those wonderful people that wear those “nurse uniforms” and “doctor stethoscopes,” keep doing what you are doing. WE are needed!  

To those women on the talk show that made the infamous comments: We will still be here to offer you and your loved ones excellent and compassionate nursing care if you ever need it. That’s what we do! #NursesUnite

DeAnna Looper RN, CHPN, CHPCA
Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations

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