The Sacramento Bee
Friday, July 7, 2006

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Amputation as Jail Punishment

Re "Jury assails jail's health care," July 1: In August 2005, the California Nurses for Ethical Standards (CNES) assisted in pursuing a grand jury investigation. Here is an excerpt from a CNES letter to the grand jury: CNES "is very concerned with the ethical treatment of all patients. This especially includes those who are not in a strong position to advocate for themselves. Professional Registered Nurses have a duty to protect their patients, and an ethical obligation to act in any instance in which patients may be at risk. Here in California, RNs have a statutory and regulatory duty to act as patient advocates. Carolyn Buonauro ... attempted to advocate corrective action regarding serious ethical issues relating to the ill treatment and medical neglect of prisoners in the Sacramento County Jail. She cites numerous examples of unethical practices and neglect that would be deemed criminal in other health care settings."

Simple, adequate, no-frills medical attention could have saved one inmate's finger. We don't sentence people to amputation in our society. I applaud Buonauro for her courage and the grand jury for its fair judgment in this matter.

Jennifer M. Le, RN, Citrus Heights
Executive director, California Nurses for Ethical Standards

Relighting the Lamp