I don’t consider myself Democrat or Republican, I used to have a strong opinion, but both parties have grown so corrupt, I feel it’s time to get rid of both of them and start over again.  I can barely navigate through Facebook anymore without encountering hostile messages, each party condemning the other.

How about working for the common good of our country instead of constantly slandering the other party?  Our country is falling behind fast and unless we take action soon our own nation will be considered a third world nation while other countries will prosper and become the world powers of the world.

I’m not hoping for world domination, a little common sense would do us good.  Our country is failing in every way possible and we need to save it before it is too late.

Point number 1; Obamacare.  You either love it, or you hate it.  I’ve read so many articles about it, most written from the shallow viewpoints of writers who only have access to whatever the AP prints out about it, but have no actual real knowledge of what this means for Americans as a whole.   Yes, it has made healthcare more affordable for a few, but what has it done to actual healthcare?  Well, you have to actually work in healthcare to know the answer to that question.  As a nurse who has worked in the already strained healthcare system for 25 years I can personally tell you it has not caused any giant leaps toward improved patient care.

A healthcare system designed by politicians turns out to be document centered, so of course, doctors and nurses are now spending the majority of their time connected to computers, basically justifying their existence, instead of taking care of their patients, which in Obamacare, seems to be a secondary concern.

I understand that checks and balances are necessary in a system, but it is entirely possible to go overboard.  In an attempt to eliminate mistakes, we have attempted to take away the decision making process and make healthcare automated.  Guess what?  You can’t automate healthcare.  Why?  Because everyone is different, my body may react differently than your body to a drug, a procedure, a stressor.  A dose of medication may have barely any effect on a person who has abused narcotics in the past, but it might be strong enough to kill me.  It is why we train people to be doctors and nurses, it is called the practice of medicine and it should not be taken lightly.

How has the government attempted to automate healthcare?  Case in point, drug administration.  We have gone to a medication administration system so complex it takes literally multiple steps to get a patient their much needed medication.  First, the doctor must put an order into the computer, paper orders and verbal orders are  now  frowned upon.  Then the pharmacist must verify it, only then may the nurse remove the medication from the automated machine.  Seems easy enough right?

Picture this, you’ve just had surgery, you wake up in intense pain.  The doctor orders pain medication for you, it takes a few minutes, the computer program is complex and requires multiple clicks for the doctor to verify that the order is right.   The nurse reads the doctors order on the computer, she goes to get it out of the automated machine.  She can see the order on the computer screen, but she can’t take out the medicine because Pharmacy hasn’t had time to verify it yet.  Your nurse calls Pharmacy “Can you verify Mrs. Smith’s meds, she’s in a lot of pain?”  The Pharmacy, backlogged as they are, verifies the order and finally, many precious minutes later the nurse is able to remove the medication from the machine and  Mrs. Smith gets her pain medicine.  I bet you didn’t realize it was that complicated, did you?

Like I said, I’ve been a nurse for twenty five years and I have worked in all sorts of units.  I’ve taken verbal orders and got the medicine out of a narcotic cabinet in a matter of minutes.  The pain medicine gets to the patient faster, helping them to feel better faster.  Did I need a machine to ask me if I was following the 5 rights of medication administration?  No, I consider myself a professional and I double check everything I do.  Have I had close calls?  Yes, but it only reminds me that I am human, I need to slow down and let my brain have it’s double check.

Have nurses made mistakes?  Yes, and there have been many over the years, but were they bad nurses?  Hardly, most nurses are so overworked they can barely see straight at the end of their shift.  Most work ten to twelve hour shifts taking care of way more patients than they really should, but the hospitals have to keep cutting back, because their reimbursement keeps getting cut back.  Did Obamacare do anything to fix this problem?

Obamacare promises less money to the hospitals, which will feel the need to make further cutbacks.  What does this mean for you?  Less nurses and doctors taking care of more patients in a system that is already stretched thin.  The real question is, do you really want the government making decisions about your healthcare?  Or do you want people qualified advising you, so that you can make your own informed decisions?  The more the government is involved, the more you lose your freedoms.  Stop being part of the herd that is being led blindly to slaughter and stand up for your rights.  Read and be informed.

Speaking of sheep being led blindly to slaughter, next topic on the agenda, public assistance.   I won’t be picking on anybody, merely encouraging you to use the gift that God gave you, your brain!

Curious about what might happen if the government became all powerful?  Check out my book “One World United” my post apocalyptic look at humanity after the destruction of World War III, when one, all powerful government rules the world, and every aspect of it’s citizen’s lives.  Check it out at my website jeanstanberry.com also available on Amazon.com and kindle readers.

Jean Marie Stanberry-Author of Laying Low In Hollywood, One World United, The Illusion Of Order, Blood, Sweat and Fears and Heartless-A Star is Dead.

jeanstanberry.com  @ jeanstanberry    http://amzn.com/0615806457