Nursing of Prisoners

The following story shows both the most cruel side of human nature and the special heart of a nurse.



Green Eyes

"He lay there looking that hazy vacant look of the "trying to die but the my system will not cooperate".
Not only his physiological system, but this system behind bars in a so called "infirmary".
He and four other men were being consumed by various end of life body shut downs, HIV, end stage cirrhosis, advanced Alzheimers, and one diagnosis that really meant nothing to me. What is the point? Any first year novice could figure out that he was dying and in pain.
Just look into their eyes. Nothing else matters.
Not one of these "offenders" of past societal misdeeds had had a bath or eaten in I am not sure how long. No one had water. No one had been "cleaned up" for how long?
One very disgruntled male nurse was behind a locked door struggling with a new EMR system for 2 hours.
Absolutely no other medical staff was there except an officer down the hall, half asleep outside of an isolation area housing "a dangerous offender" The dangerous one was asking for water.
Someone from custody dropped a tray of mashed beans and chocolate pudding at "Green Eyes" bedside table.
He stared into the distance as I approached him.
I might as well try to do something. It was that or leave screaming with rage from that cage of human suffering.
He actually ate the pudding (4 bites) and then a surly healthcare worker entered with some Ensure that I had requested earlier. He drank it all. There was a flicker of sweet relief on those eyes.
What for? To continue to breathe and live in his own excrement alone and staring. Waiting for what? The religious theory that his suffering is an example for me to do good is pure BS!
Yes, the whole thing dropped me to my knees in prayer, but only that he would die very soon.


No, this is not made up or embellished. This is what happened in my Nursing career less than 1 month ago.
This is a contracted corporation, turning blind eyes to human beings that would receive better care in an animal shelter.
I do not need to go to a third world country, or New Orleans, or Africa to minister to deserving poor patients. Even some of those may have committed a crime against society and we care for them without judgement.
The "Blind Eyes" of greedy, egocentric executives will meet my green eyed fellow someday in the same place and be judged as you and I will be.
"HE" will say I was watching YOU!