In November, there was a story of a young girl, 2 years of age, with major injuries to both of her hands.  She was taken to the local hospital for treatment.  Inadvertently, this young girl had both of her legs amputated, instead of her hands.  This is a headline we have seen too often from hospitals across the United States.  Except, this time, this took place in Africa.   This same story talks of the insensitive approach after the death of a new born baby and the family having to search through baby bodies to find their own child.   See the story here:  http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article213483.ece

Healthcare has its own challenges regardless of where you may live.  All too often we will raise our voice in detest, complaining about the regulations that we have to follow in our profession and as an industry.  But these very same regulations are in place to prevent wrong site amputations, and prevent a parent from searching for their own dead child.  We could continue to complain about what we do and don’t have in our healthcare system, but it is our system and our responsibility to advocate for own care.  Learn to listen, and listen to question what you do not know or don’t understand.  Get involved in what is happening in the Senate and the House of Representatives.  Pick up the phone, send an email, or write a letter, anything, to become a part of a quickly changing industry that has a direct effect on each and every one of us.  Together, we can make sure that we move forward in our healthcare, and not backwards, like what occurs in other nations.

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