Can nurses support nurses in a professional impasse?

For ages District One's primary purpose was to provide scholarships for the 3-schools in Northern Nevada and with the help of the raffle we are still able to provide them. Since I've been on the board (early 90s), there was an attempt to give shoe-box Christmas gifts to homeless children, then to children of alcoholics/drug addicts in recovery, then that project died. Not enough volunteers to make it happen.

At the spring meeting I volunteered to write an article about the summer activities of District 1 NNA. I suppose because I was the one who noticed a plea for sunscreen for homeless men from Reno Police Officer Patrick O'Bryan, who also works with the mentally ill. There wasn't a great turnout of sunscreen from the membership, so we skipped the photos. Pat said the donations of wide-brimmed, straw hats, sun screen lip balm and skin protection would be appreciated by those who received it and that every little bit helps.

On the cover of the July 2008 issue of AMERICAN NURSE TODAY "Bouncing back after you lose your job" caught my eye. (Article. page 24). The topic dealt with coping with unexpected job loss and I was astounded that it did not mention getting fired. Doesn't anyone read the list of names from the NVSBN of licenses that have been suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered? Speaking of unexpected job loss; a two-page article on job loss and not one mention of getting fired, or "terminated," or "released from a contract" because of no nursing license!

I wonder, once again, if instead of trying to do good deeds for the community, if the Nurses Association could be an additional support or resource for nurses who suddenly find themselves in trouble and don't know where to turn? The licensing board is supposed to protect the public, why can't the Association focus on supporting nurses caught in a professional dilemma?

I believe the Licensing board does an awesome job of supporting nurses, but their primary job is to protect the public, so I am not suggesting an adversarial stance, but in the beginning, when the license has first been turned over, that is when a nurse can feel as if she will never ever be worthy of a license again and when the association may be of valuable.

If we took an active role--mentor; cheer leaders, prayer team, or perhaps just directing them to the wonderful article that Tracy Singh wrote in the RNFormation on when to get a lawyer. I am taking this opportunity to ask if anyone else has any thoughts on this concept and how to instigate such a program?

Susanne Byrne RN, MSN, LADC

Vice President--NNA District One

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