Letter: Treat nursing as a profession

I've always loved nursing. Since I was 13 years old, I've worked in a hospital. The Catholic nuns took me under their wings and I never let go.

The work I did -- passing trays, helping feed, walking the patients -- you name it, we did it. When World War II came, it was more demanding for nurses' aides to work. So I was born to be a nurse, always under RNs, the nuns. So learning was good and we knew our position. Then I decided for an LPN position, now I'm happy.

Each position has its place and, believe me, nursing is not like yesterday. It has grown in knowledge beyond the kindergarten.

I became an instructor for nurses' aides to be certified. Nurses' aides are certified, not licensed. We pay for our license. We are liable for all actions done by unlicensed persons. They can walk away. Can we? I don't think so.

I believe the Nevada State Board of Nursing better think twice about unlicensed people. Why did I go to school, why did I take so many classes to upgrade my license? And then people come in off the street, off from other professions, to start tending to a job they know nothing about. Believe me, I've seen it and the results are not good.

Fifty years of nursing; I do believe I know what I'm talking about. So the debate of unlicensed people is something to really think about.

Patricia P. Brown LPN

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