My dad often said, “You do not bite the hand that feeds you.” As a diabetic, I’ve tweaked that to read, “You do not bite the hand that heals you.”
Anyone who lives in a correctional facility for long will likely cross paths with a nurse or three before going home. Knowing which hands not to bite could mean the difference between good health care and, I don’t want to frighten anyone, but death. Being objective hasn’t always been easy, but objectivity has kept me from harm for twenty-five years.
The health care system in the world is stressed, and I’m not going to debate universal health care. I merely want to weigh in on the people that have – literally – kept me alive and upright all these years.
Nurses are the backbone, the foundation of a prison unit like mine, and they are overworked, understaffed, underpaid, underappreciated, overlooked and finally – abused too often by the very clients that they are sworn and paid to protect, treat and keep healthy.
As a diabetic, I get to see the prison nursing staff at least twice a day, every day, and have for nearly half my life. I get to see the details, and I get to see both sides of the coin. I’ve been locked away for twenty-five years, and I know who is on my side.
Prison isn’t easy on a good day, but inmates tend to take medical for granted. Many feel medical care is a given if they get a scrape or a cold. It is their ‘right’ to fill out a sick call request, have someone wave a magic wand over their head and presto – problem solved. I want it now – no, I want it yesterday.
But, for a small measure of patience…
Inmates parade in front of the infirmary all day long, and what they see are nurses and doctors. Some are sitting drinking coffee, some are eating lunch, some are typing on their computers. An impatient inmate only sees the surface, “All they do is sit around and talk, eat and play on the computers.”
Wrong.
What most are doing is taking a break from changing IV’s, filing nurses notes, answering sick call requests, and dealing with unruly inmates who actually believe that nurses are overpaid.
During my stay here, I’ve spent time receiving treatment from nurses, requiring antibiotics and IV’s for hours at a time. In those long hours of treatment, I’ve seen them constantly moving and constantly vigilant, trying to figure out who’s sick and who’s crying wolf – trying to deal with the constant mental process of taking care of over a thousand inmates, some really sick, some dying and some just craving attention.
Most of them probably don’t get paid near enough for that.
In the 25 years I’ve been treated, I’ve never cried wolf. I want these warriors to take me seriously when I call 911, I want them there to help me. I don’t want anyone doubting I need their help. I’ve taken the doubt out of the equation.
The double standard that often drives inmates to insanity – also goes the other way. Nurses are people too. Not all good, and certainly not all bad. They suffer from the same problems we all do. They have ups and downs and families to support, bills to pay, relationship to nurture. They’re human. And, thank God, some of them have chosen to work in a prison infirmary. Who among us would choose to talk to, medically review, and treat inmates – many of whom are assholes – for twelve hour shifts and not develop an attitude?
Are there bad nurses?
Yes. And there are also nurses who used to be a lot kinder and compassionate before coming to work in a prison. We as inmates have a way of grinding down the very people responsible for our well being, objectivity be damned.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR. John is currently doing a two-year set off, after 25 years of incarceration. He is a frequent contributor as well as author of Life Between The Bars, a unique and heartwarming memoir. His book has been recognized by Terry LeClerc who said, “This book is so good because each chapter is short, has a point, doesn’t whine. It’s an excellent book.” John can be contacted at:
John Green #671771
C.T. Terrell Unit A150
1300 FM655
Rosharon, TX 77583
