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
# 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.
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!
This is a remarkably valuable piece, as disturbing as it is crucial to understand and save for reference. Thank you, Helene.
Thanks Roger! ❤️
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!
# 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.
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.
Great article and useful. I look forward to the next in the series, keep them coming!