Originally posted on ExpeditionEd: Dear Senator Walsh, I am a Nurse. This morning I was greeted by a headline that read, “Senator states that nurses ‘probably play cards for a considerable amount of the day’ in amending rest breaks bill” Stunned by the headline, I read- and then re-read -the article. I was dumbfounded that…
Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN is a Nationally Certified School Nurse (NCSN), currently in her 21st year as a New Jersey school nurse in the Camden City School District. Robin is the Legislative Co-chair for the New Jersey State School Nurses Association. She is proud to be a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow and past Program Mentor. Robin is the honored recipient of multiple awards for her work in school nursing and population health. These awards include, 2019 and 2020 National Association of School Nurses President’s Award, 2018 NCSN School Nurse of the Year, 2017 Johnson & Johnson School Nurse of the Year, and the New Jersey Department of Health 2017 Population Health Hero Award. Robin serves as faculty in the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing, where she teaches the next generation of school nurses. She was presented the 2018 Rutgers University – Camden Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award for Part-time Faculty. Robin writes a weekly blog called The Relentless School Nurse. She also writes a monthly column in My American Nurse, the official journal of the American Nurses Association. Robin’s work is included as a case study in The Future of Nursing Report 2020-2030. You can follow Robin on Twitter at @RobinCogan.
View all posts by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FAAN
1 thought on “An Open Letter to Senator Maureen Walsh”
This post is a deplorable depiction of Professional Registered Nurses and @SenatorWalsh needs to apologize for her ignorant comments. Nurses of are the backbone of healthcare and not a day goes by have I been dissapointed in the profession I’ve worked so hard in. Had I played cards and taken multiple breaks as the article suggests, I wouldn’t have obtain all three of my degrees and held multiple national certifications.
I challenge any lawmaker, congressman/woman, senator or politician for that matter to walk a mile in the shoes of a Professional Nurse and then tell us that we probably play cards for a considerable amount of the day. It is YOUR nurse who keeps you alive, gives you pain medication, makes sure you are safe in your hospital environment, ensures that you are receiving the right antibiotic, medication, and diagnostic test.
As a Senator, you should be ashamed at your comment and op-ed discussion. You were elected to represent the people of your state/district, and be rest assured madam Senator, there are a lot of Professional Nurses who can vote you out as fast as you were voted in.
This post is a deplorable depiction of Professional Registered Nurses and @SenatorWalsh needs to apologize for her ignorant comments. Nurses of are the backbone of healthcare and not a day goes by have I been dissapointed in the profession I’ve worked so hard in. Had I played cards and taken multiple breaks as the article suggests, I wouldn’t have obtain all three of my degrees and held multiple national certifications.
I challenge any lawmaker, congressman/woman, senator or politician for that matter to walk a mile in the shoes of a Professional Nurse and then tell us that we probably play cards for a considerable amount of the day. It is YOUR nurse who keeps you alive, gives you pain medication, makes sure you are safe in your hospital environment, ensures that you are receiving the right antibiotic, medication, and diagnostic test.
As a Senator, you should be ashamed at your comment and op-ed discussion. You were elected to represent the people of your state/district, and be rest assured madam Senator, there are a lot of Professional Nurses who can vote you out as fast as you were voted in.