As a nurse I am beholden to my oaths to do no harm as a lesser physician, to heal.
Aesop replied:
I took no oath to become a nurse; I simply received a diploma, and passed a licensure exam. I’m about as invested there as I am with a driver’s license.
When I was in school, we were forced to take the Nightingale pledge. I just moved my lips, because I don’t agree with it, specifically these passages:
I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully.
I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.
The problem that I have with this, is what defines taking or giving a product that is harmful to health? I consume alcohol, salt, sugar, all sorts of thing that are harmful. Also, they DO know that this pledge was written for women to pledge celibacy, right? That’s what “pass my life in purity” means.
Even so, I am not such a willing martyr that I will submit to a communist takeover, nor will I fall on my sword when the Civil War begins. I will aid and treat those on the side of liberty, and I will mercilessly eliminate those who would bring violence and communism to my door.
Aesop, again:
I did, however, on three separate occasions for two different military branches, swear a very particular oath of allegiance to the Constitution. I was never informed of any expiration date on it.
I took an oath to the Constitution twice during my military service. I took it again when I became a firefighter, and again when I was promoted. I stand by that oath. I will defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The left has openly derided the Constitution, calling it a piece of paper that, being written by old white men, is no longer applicable. That decides it for me. The left is the enemy of the Constitution, and that is all I need to know.
4 Comments
EN2 SS · February 27, 2024 at 8:20 am
It has surprised me at how fast so many more people, seemingly daily, are facing the fact that this country can not vote its way out of the communist take over that has been ongoing for decades. unCivil War 2 has been real for a long time, hopefully enough people are waking up and we can save America. I, personally, am not that optimistic.
oldvet50 · February 27, 2024 at 8:59 am
I wonder if draftees (VietNam era) were required to take the oath of enlistment? If so, would it mean anything since it was given under duress? Oaths mean nothing to me – look at DC today. All the swamp critters swore an oath to protect the US. Words mean nothing – action means all.
Divemedic · February 27, 2024 at 10:22 am
A man’s only as good as his word
Aesop · February 27, 2024 at 7:10 pm
Fortunately, my school of nursing had no such requirement to recite that obsolete and silly-assed oath, and I wouldn’t have done it even with a gun to my head.
Hence my outlook.
Nursing is my chosen profession, and I go at it like a professional.
While my personal character made it an easy choice, my profession informs my sensibilities, but it neither rules nor overrules my common sense.
I am as happy to take lives as to save them, based on which is indicated, based purely on the circumstances of the moment, and like about 99% of my peers, well-equipped to discern which one is which.
Frankly, my career would be far easier if, like military medics, I was issued with a sidearm to do my job, and the bullshit factor from all quarters would drop commensurately and prodigiously were common sense to break out, and dictate instituting that policy throughout healthcare.
The bill for ammo might rise somewhat, at least at first, but the expenses no longer incurred for mandatorily patronizing total b.s. would more than offset that expense.
Imagine the improvement of hospital morale – patients and staff – if egregiously entitled rude assholes were invited to leave the premises at gunpoint, and no small number of unrepentant ones relieved of their oxygen addiction on the spot.
A consummation devoutly to be wished.
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