(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
Dear Editor,
I am a 32-year-old teacher and mom from Somerville. My health history is complicated by severe Crohn’s disease that I have struggled with since I was 21. I have had three surgeries at MGH. Recovering from abdominal surgery is difficult, and I relied on nurses for everything including sitting up, pain management, using the bathroom, bathing, and caring for my pre-term baby after a difficult Caesarean section.
The competent and attentive care I received was not only due to the talent and experience of the nurses, but also due to the nurse to patient ratios that MGH voluntarily uses. I remember my partner and I repeatedly saying to each other that we felt like I was the only patient on the floor, only to find out that the floors were at capacity each time.
As a person with a chronic illness, a mother, and someone who works with children every day, I want this type of nursing care to be available to everyone who needs it – not just those people with all of the privileges (insurance, location, transportation, etc.) that I benefited from to seek care at a facility with such ratios.
I teach my seventh-graders about social contract theory. Even as young adolescents, they understand that we have to look beyond ourselves when thinking about social/legal issues. It seems naive to me to rely on the goodwill of hospital executives to put these common sense ratios into place – I certainly won’t assume that goodwill when it comes to my own healthcare and that of my family and students.
As a teacher, I am all too familiar with the difficulty of serving in a women-dominated profession and trying to pursue necessary changes in conditions to be an effective professional, to put my talents and expertise to use.
I ask you to vote yes on ballot question one. Every person deserves competent and attentive hospital care, not just those fortunate enough to go to MGH.
Please vote yes on ballot question one.
Sara Marx
Somerville
Letter to the Editor on Ballot Question 1
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
Dear Editor,
I am a 32-year-old teacher and mom from Somerville. My health history is complicated by severe Crohn’s disease that I have struggled with since I was 21. I have had three surgeries at MGH. Recovering from abdominal surgery is difficult, and I relied on nurses for everything including sitting up, pain management, using the bathroom, bathing, and caring for my pre-term baby after a difficult Caesarean section.
The competent and attentive care I received was not only due to the talent and experience of the nurses, but also due to the nurse to patient ratios that MGH voluntarily uses. I remember my partner and I repeatedly saying to each other that we felt like I was the only patient on the floor, only to find out that the floors were at capacity each time.
As a person with a chronic illness, a mother, and someone who works with children every day, I want this type of nursing care to be available to everyone who needs it – not just those people with all of the privileges (insurance, location, transportation, etc.) that I benefited from to seek care at a facility with such ratios.
I teach my seventh-graders about social contract theory. Even as young adolescents, they understand that we have to look beyond ourselves when thinking about social/legal issues. It seems naive to me to rely on the goodwill of hospital executives to put these common sense ratios into place – I certainly won’t assume that goodwill when it comes to my own healthcare and that of my family and students.
As a teacher, I am all too familiar with the difficulty of serving in a women-dominated profession and trying to pursue necessary changes in conditions to be an effective professional, to put my talents and expertise to use.
I ask you to vote yes on ballot question one. Every person deserves competent and attentive hospital care, not just those fortunate enough to go to MGH.
Please vote yes on ballot question one.
Sara Marx
Somerville