August 15, 2022
Registered Nurse speaks out
I am writing this letter to the editor of the newspaper in hopes it will be published. As a registered nurse who will not take the covid vaccine, I seem to be in the minority. However, I know there are physicians, physician assistants, APRN’s, nurses, and other healthcare staff who refuse to take it as well. I know that I am joined by patients as well in my beliefs and concerns. My purpose in writing this letter is to let the general public know that healthcare right now is in turmoil. You have two sides, one who is fighting for medical autonomy and one who has a very socialistic view of how things should go.
As a nurse, I am not allowed to coerce, force, trick, threaten, or otherwise go against any patient who is unwilling to take medication. If I were to do so, I am subject to fines, I could have my license revoked, and be subject to being fired from my job. By my employer giving me the choice of take or be fired, that seems like coercion or force to me. Unless I wanted to bring my religious beliefs into my workplace and submit a religious exemption, that would be the only way I could keep my job. I don’t have an issue with standing up with my religion for something I believe in, but I don’t feel that my employer needs to be involved in my religious views. In filing this religious exemption, employers must place this in the employees file.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the state survey process is who enforces this unlawful infringement by visiting facilities to make sure the proper documentation is on file. The mandate goes on to say that the enforcement agency may choose to investigate the employees sincerity of their religious beliefs by speaking with the employee or clergy as mentioned in their exemption. Oh yes, and by the way, this mandate includes any volunteers, any students, and any persons regularly involved in a facilities operation. This means that it makes it harder for students to be involved in healthcare. It could very well decrease the already small amount of nurses and doctors that are involved in rural healthcare.
What really stands out to be is the complacency of the current majority of the healthcare staff. Everyone from office staff to doctors, who may not have wanted to be vaccinated, but did so to “keep their job”. I feel that speaks volumes of the lengths people will go to just to keep their jobs, or not make waves. It is disturbing that people will not stand up for their beliefs and let others make decisions for themselves. I know first hand of several situations where a person was told they must get the vaccination or not be treated for their cancer. I ask you all, how is that right? When people ask me what I do for a living, I am ashamed to say I am a nurse. Healthcare is nothing more than a business right now. There is little regard to facilities employees and individuals choices. Time and time again, I hear of physicians berating their patients for their individual choices.
I have heard several times from colleagues who feel I need to take the vaccine or test asymptomatically to better their spot in life. Those individuals feel their needs come before my pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Apparently the constitution doesn’t mean much to certain individuals as well as the current federal administration.
What greatly concerns me is that employers are willing to persecute and harass their employees into doing something they don’t want to do, whether it is a religious conviction or not, that potentially can have a big impact on their health. Requiring employees who are asymptomatic to regularly test for illness based solely on their religious exemption is unbelievable. Yet, so many employees have gone along with it. The complacency is outstanding. Additionally, the rules have changed so many times over the course of the last two years. Supposing we are standing on the basis of science, unfortunately there seems to be a lack of consistency and things change at the whim of the CDC, federal government, or medical staff's recommendations. I have yet to see solid, un-refuted research and documentation to uphold masking, or immunity status. It is almost as if no one wants to research it because the data would likely refute the hypothesis.
Thank you for your time. I appreciate everyone who has the ability to open their eyes and see things in a different light.
Sincerely,
Kim Stuhmer, RN
I would stand for you in any situation and I respect and admire you and thank you for your courage and faith. You are one of those nurses who love what you do for humanity. Thank you for loving our country and for all the love in your heart ❤️🧡💜