Nightingales Voices From Across The Country
The following comments were received from Nightingales nurses who attended, and those supporting Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds Shareholder Meetings:
The more I think about this experience, the more I am so very proud of us! We were professional and passionate and I want to tell every nurse I know to join us! Next year we should make this a huge campaign...Thank you for the opportunity to participate…We were experiencing history in the making! --Carol Southard, RN, Smoking Cessation Specialist, Illinois
I am an NP and have been boycotting Phillip Morris and Kraft for years. I read with great interest the article in AJN about Nightingale Nurses. Thank you for caring and making a difference. I am pleased to be associated with the Nightingales! --Kathleen Mahan, ARNP, MSN, Florida
Our community has adopted a smoke-free ordinance for all public buildings. So, soon I can meet my women friends anywhere and not have to fight for air. Keep me in touch in how I can help…I stand beside you. --Janice Ross, RN, BSN, OCN, Indiana
My Father died of Large Oat Cell Carcinoma of the lungs at age 64 as a direct result of smoking. In my nursing career, I have seen many die needlessly and in great distress as a result of guilt for contributing to their own disease through smoking. But individual guilt will not cure this socially contagious epidemic. Only new social responsibility and corporate change can end the suffering. --Patricia Benner, R.N., Ph.D. FAAN, California
My interest in tobacco issues originated from growing up in a smoke-filled home and losing both my parents early, my father died at 59 from COPD and my mother at 64 from cardiac complications; I was in my early 20's when they died. Although I've never smoked, I am sympathetic toward those who do and know what a terrible addiction it is to overcome. And of course in my work with patients in their homes, I often see the ravages of tobacco use/abuse. Your work interested me as a way for nurses to unite around an issue impacting the health and well-being of all of us. --Helena Lee, RN, Oregon
Our effort continues as others learn of the history making event in which we participated! The more we get out our "bearing witness" experiences out there, the better…. Glad to have shared the experience with each and every one of you! --Sharon Pratt Brown, MN, MPH, FNP, PhD(c), Pennsylvania
I am a new graduate nurse and I have just finished reading the article on Nightingales Nurses and your April 29th visit to the Altria Group. Cigarette smoking and the damage caused by it has long been an issue that I have been very passionate about. Reading about your organization was wonderful… Keep me updated! I look forward to working with you. --Nicole DeVito, RN, Pennsylvania
I was SO pleased to see that there are other nurses dedicated to this huge task! --Tracey ODell, RN, Ohio
Congratulations to all of us professional nurses who participated in Yesterday's PM shareholders meeting and demonstration . I have been an anti-tobacco activist for over 20 years and have led/participated in many very successful advocacy/media events. This could not have been much better! --Diana Hackbarth, RN, PhD, FAAN, Illinois
I was very excited to read the article about Nightingales Nurses. I coordinated a tobacco cessation program for many years and have long wanted to get more active in prevention. My father died 3 years ago of an invasive lung tumor caused by smoking. Please let me know how I can join you. --Donna Tassos, RN, MS, West Virginia
Our town passed a smoking ban in the recent past, and there is not any smoking allowed in restaurants, public buildings etc. This is a great thing here in the mid-west, where so many are addicted to tobacco. I would love to be involved! As a young nurse working in critical care I always thought that it would be a lot more simple to prevent heart/lung disease and cancers…than to treat those illnesses. --Julie Bruce, RN, Indiana
I spoke at the stockholder's meeting…I wanted the dignitaries and stockholders to know that Nevada had rational local citizenry who care about people's lives and the real health care cost due to using tobacco products. We are still trying to get smoking out of grocery stores (around the slot machines), and restaurants here in Nevada. The real joy for me, however, was outside the meeting area holding the banner along with my colleagues and reading from the letters of the victims of Big Tobacco! --Colleen C. Hughes, R.N., Ph.D., Nevada
We want to honor those who wrote these courageous letters. All over the country, people are facing the suffering tobacco causes. We want them to know that nurses will stand with them in taking on Big Tobacco. --Gina Intinarelli, R.N. MSN, California