This first chapter is packed with critical information that everyone should be aware of. The reality is stark—misdiagnosis, medication errors, and patient safety gaps impact millions every year, and many of these harms are preventable.
Why does this matter? Because knowledge is power. When patients understand the risks, they can advocate for themselves, ask better questions, and push for safer care. And when healthcare professionals recognize these systemic issues, we can work together to change them.
Grateful for conversations like this that shine a light on what’s broken—and even more, for those willing to build something better. Let’s keep this discussion going!
# An OR RN, CNOR for decades, years of employment/awarded "endeavors" at the "University of Virginia Health System" operating room arena as a "Circulator and Scrub" in ALL operating room specialties/ ancillary units; on many UVA hospital committees as well as on the UVA HAZMAT Committee.
# The "Founder & Coordinator" of the no-cost "UVA MERCI Program" (Medical Equipment Recovery of Clean Inventory), awarded a Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly/House Joint Resolution /MERCI (MERCI still exists in 2024); *Bins of data, templates, memorabilia, names of NGOs, MDs, RNs, ETC., I.E., recipients of medical supplies/equipment for missions, etc., in the USA and internationally, as well as names of donors of "supplies", are now housed in the “UVA Claude Moore Health Science Library”; an active part of a national GREEN MOU endeavor.
# Recipient of the "UVA Health System Community Service Award" & "UVA Distinguished Nurse Award / Beta Kappa Chapter / Sigma Theta Tau" Award, EPA AWARDS etc.; "Member of Sigma Theta Tau International" to the present; Helen assisted the "Virginia School Nurses Association" in passing legislation for "NURSES" to be placed into Virginia Schools.
# An active member of "ANA /AORN” (Association of Operating Room RNs); appointed twice by AORN as "AORN Legislative Coordinator of Virginia".....LOL, DISMISSED AFTER I WHISTLE-BLEW ABOUT A CRITICAL AORN CHANGE IN STANDARDS.
# Presently a "volunteer" at a VA facility, where staffers & volunteers have to be finger-printed.
Valuable ... and sobering ... information, Helene. Thanks for putting it in one place so that it's a reference for us. I'll share this with my wife, a physician here in Colombia. We need this kind of awareness about the system here too. Charles McNair
Helene, thank you for publishing this important book and making it free for all to read. Your first chapter is right on the money and I can't wait to read the next one
Hello again, Helene. We have written to each other several times regarding my medical nightmare that has be going on since July of 2023. I have been to every major hospital in my city, I have seen 20+ doctors, and they have all given up.
As of yesterday, October 22nd, I might have finally found a doctor that actually listens, actually cares about my health and recovery, and has possibly found out why I am in pain every day, all day, for more than two years now.
It is very important to be an advocate for yourself, as you mention in your book, as many doctors are just on the medical treadmill, going through the motions and getting no results, then quitting on you. You have to keep digging, keep researching, keep making as many appointments as you can make it to, to get these doctors to do their job.
The doctor I saw yesterday is a spine surgeon with his own group, and he looked at my last MRI's from June and found what no one has seen in multiple images (X-rays, CT scans, Ultrasounds, MRIs) since July of 2023. He told me what is wrong, ordered a CT scan for himself, and I have both appointments (CT scan and follow-up appointment) next week to discuss my treatment options.
This is amazing news!! I'm in tears reading this. Please reach out to me here or via my website as you have before by Direct Message when he confirms the diagnosis. 🤞🤞🤞
I had my follow-up appointment yesterday, and we have agreed surgery is necessary to fix my problem. The doctor showed me in my imaging where the disc has collapsed on the right side at the L5/S1 (very bottom disc in the spine), causing me to be bone-on-bone in that area.
It is unbelievable that so many supposed experts have looked at all of my imaging over the past two years and saw nothing. Every one of them said they do not see anything that would cause the pain I am in.
We are currently setting up the soonest surgery date they can do, hopefully in November, because my pain is worse than it's ever been.
It is unbelievable! I'm happy you have an answer even though it's an answer that leads to surgery. I hope you have the opportunity to close the loop for those doctors who missed it in your imaging. After the surgery, after you are more mobile and in less pain, perhaps send them a note to let them know what they had missed, what surgery you have and how well you're doing. Maybe you will help someone else avoid all the missed opportunities to fix this that you experienced. It won't be a kindness to the doctors as much as it would be a kindness to their future patients
Thank you, Helene. I had the same thought about notifying the previous doctors who told me they didn't see anything in my imaging. Both to let them know they might not be doing their job correctly, to, as you stated, helping future patients avoid going through this. As soon as I'm up and around and doing fine, I will definitely reach out to them.
Great article and useful. I look forward to the next in the series, keep them coming!
Thank you, Helene, for sharing this!
This first chapter is packed with critical information that everyone should be aware of. The reality is stark—misdiagnosis, medication errors, and patient safety gaps impact millions every year, and many of these harms are preventable.
Why does this matter? Because knowledge is power. When patients understand the risks, they can advocate for themselves, ask better questions, and push for safer care. And when healthcare professionals recognize these systemic issues, we can work together to change them.
Grateful for conversations like this that shine a light on what’s broken—and even more, for those willing to build something better. Let’s keep this discussion going!
Thank you Denise! I couldn't have said it better.
# An OR RN, CNOR for decades, years of employment/awarded "endeavors" at the "University of Virginia Health System" operating room arena as a "Circulator and Scrub" in ALL operating room specialties/ ancillary units; on many UVA hospital committees as well as on the UVA HAZMAT Committee.
# The "Founder & Coordinator" of the no-cost "UVA MERCI Program" (Medical Equipment Recovery of Clean Inventory), awarded a Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly/House Joint Resolution /MERCI (MERCI still exists in 2024); *Bins of data, templates, memorabilia, names of NGOs, MDs, RNs, ETC., I.E., recipients of medical supplies/equipment for missions, etc., in the USA and internationally, as well as names of donors of "supplies", are now housed in the “UVA Claude Moore Health Science Library”; an active part of a national GREEN MOU endeavor.
# Recipient of the "UVA Health System Community Service Award" & "UVA Distinguished Nurse Award / Beta Kappa Chapter / Sigma Theta Tau" Award, EPA AWARDS etc.; "Member of Sigma Theta Tau International" to the present; Helen assisted the "Virginia School Nurses Association" in passing legislation for "NURSES" to be placed into Virginia Schools.
# An active member of "ANA /AORN” (Association of Operating Room RNs); appointed twice by AORN as "AORN Legislative Coordinator of Virginia".....LOL, DISMISSED AFTER I WHISTLE-BLEW ABOUT A CRITICAL AORN CHANGE IN STANDARDS.
# Presently a "volunteer" at a VA facility, where staffers & volunteers have to be finger-printed.
Hi Helen. Nice to see you here.
Valuable ... and sobering ... information, Helene. Thanks for putting it in one place so that it's a reference for us. I'll share this with my wife, a physician here in Colombia. We need this kind of awareness about the system here too. Charles McNair
Thank you Charles!
This is a remarkably valuable piece, as disturbing as it is crucial to understand and save for reference. Thank you, Helene.
Thanks Roger! ❤️
Helene, thank you for publishing this important book and making it free for all to read. Your first chapter is right on the money and I can't wait to read the next one
Hello again, Helene. We have written to each other several times regarding my medical nightmare that has be going on since July of 2023. I have been to every major hospital in my city, I have seen 20+ doctors, and they have all given up.
As of yesterday, October 22nd, I might have finally found a doctor that actually listens, actually cares about my health and recovery, and has possibly found out why I am in pain every day, all day, for more than two years now.
It is very important to be an advocate for yourself, as you mention in your book, as many doctors are just on the medical treadmill, going through the motions and getting no results, then quitting on you. You have to keep digging, keep researching, keep making as many appointments as you can make it to, to get these doctors to do their job.
The doctor I saw yesterday is a spine surgeon with his own group, and he looked at my last MRI's from June and found what no one has seen in multiple images (X-rays, CT scans, Ultrasounds, MRIs) since July of 2023. He told me what is wrong, ordered a CT scan for himself, and I have both appointments (CT scan and follow-up appointment) next week to discuss my treatment options.
This is amazing news!! I'm in tears reading this. Please reach out to me here or via my website as you have before by Direct Message when he confirms the diagnosis. 🤞🤞🤞
I will, thank you.
Hello again, Helene,
I had my follow-up appointment yesterday, and we have agreed surgery is necessary to fix my problem. The doctor showed me in my imaging where the disc has collapsed on the right side at the L5/S1 (very bottom disc in the spine), causing me to be bone-on-bone in that area.
It is unbelievable that so many supposed experts have looked at all of my imaging over the past two years and saw nothing. Every one of them said they do not see anything that would cause the pain I am in.
We are currently setting up the soonest surgery date they can do, hopefully in November, because my pain is worse than it's ever been.
It is unbelievable! I'm happy you have an answer even though it's an answer that leads to surgery. I hope you have the opportunity to close the loop for those doctors who missed it in your imaging. After the surgery, after you are more mobile and in less pain, perhaps send them a note to let them know what they had missed, what surgery you have and how well you're doing. Maybe you will help someone else avoid all the missed opportunities to fix this that you experienced. It won't be a kindness to the doctors as much as it would be a kindness to their future patients
Thank you, Helene. I had the same thought about notifying the previous doctors who told me they didn't see anything in my imaging. Both to let them know they might not be doing their job correctly, to, as you stated, helping future patients avoid going through this. As soon as I'm up and around and doing fine, I will definitely reach out to them.