Q&A about 'Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles' and it's Aut

Answer:

 

My book, 'Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles' is a memoir, actually a collage of my life. Part of that holistic collage are my experiences as a RN, and particularly on the open heart/heart transplant team for 26 years at Cleveland Clinic. 

There are so many elements of the book as there are in my life. So many experiences and evolutions comprise me! I chose to authentically and truthfully put myself in my book. I took the chance to make myself completely vulnerable. The book is deeply personal without the stench of voyeurism. 

I thought of the title of my book at the age of eleven or twelve years old. At that time, I had a collage that I created that hung on the wall at the foot of my bed in my small bedroom in our home in Cleveland,Ohio. 

It is incredible to me today that the affirmation (now it is called an 'affirmation') I paste on that collage, essentially a talisman to my future self, has come true! The note I wrote to myself was that I promised myself that one day I would have a book that would be on 'The New York Times' Bestseller list. Of course, at the time, I had no idea of the necessary scarification I would have to go through to author something meaningful, truthful and authentic.

On January 21, 2008, approximately two weeks after my book was published I was terminated from my job of 26 years as a Registered Nurse on the open heart team at Cleveland Clinic. Up to that date, my employee evaluations at work were stellar. I was a resource person. I precepted others on the service. At times I was the charge nurse. I am an excellent cardiothoracic surgical nurse. I could not have survived in that department being anything less...not me!

Until that day, January 21st, I had never been fired from a job in my entire life. I have always worked since the age of eighteen in some capacity or other (college work-study, part-time, in graduate school, etc).

The nursing administrator called me at home on Saturday (01-19-2008) and asked me to come in to 'discuss' my book. We agreed to January 21st. This nursing administrator then called me back that same Saturday and left a message for me that if any nurse or someone from the Saturday weekend shift/open heart team were to call me in to work that weekend, that I was to 'refuse'! 

I thought that was odd because if someone from the team on the weekends calls me it means that they have many emergencies (transplants, bleeders, and emergency open hearts) and need people fast. If they call me on a weekend, those nurses have exhausted the 'scheduled' on call people and really, truly need urgent help. I know this as I have responded before to these emergency calls from nurses on the weekends and throughout the week. So, I thought the comment from the nursing administrator was callous and not well thought out.

When I came to the scheduled meeting on January 21st, a representative from Human Resources was in attendance. At that time, the nursing administrator told me that I was terminated and the reason was the book I published. I asked if either of the two had read the book and they both stated no. I found their answer incredible! I asked about the policy they said I had breached and they could not and did not produce any policy. I breached no policy! I did not reveal any patient names. I did not breach HIPPA. I did not reveal any employee names other than the ones I received permission for.

Answer: 

I think and prefer to think of myself as a 'people advocate' who happens to work with patients. I have an affinity for the vulnerable and those who may be without a voice. As part of who and what I am and have always been I enjoy the opportunity to educate, instruct and advocate for a patient or anyone who is not able to advocate for themselves for whatever reason. 

Advocacy is natural for me. I am the oldest of nine children. As the oldest, and a caregiver to my siblings at times, I have almost always assumed the of mantle using my intelligence, wisdom and ability to 'speak up and speak out' to champion the needs of others, ususally those considered less fortunate. I tend to be the 'big sister' to those that I perceive as vulnerable and in need of what I may be able to provide, be it support, counsel, education or simply the currency of human touch.   

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I have been writing since about the age of ten years old. My present book (I am now working on two other manuscripts) is simply a natural extension of what I do and have always done. I made a commitment to myself to give life to my affirmation made some 40 years ago! 

Why did I write my book...because I could not have lived my life without realizing that aspect of my self-evolution. My book is for me...as selfish as that may sound. It is my gift to myself. As I stated, I thought of the title, 'Notes From the Mothership' when I was eleven or twelve years old. This book, this baby within me essentially begged me for life. How could I refuse? How could I be afraid? How could I question and/or deny that which has always been a part of me?

This book of mine is both a completion and a start if you will of my life. I feel incredibly accomplished in having giving birth to this book!

Answer:

I really can not answer that question for Cleveland Clinic. I can offer this. The Clinic and other hospitals tend to act with impunity towards nurses, the majority which are women and even female doctors. I tend to think that they,meaning the hospital and nursing administration, could not conceive that something I wrote and authored could ever have the ripple effect that this book has. 

I think Cleveland Clinic is very concerned and focused on their 'image' and 'branding' efforts. This concern and focus may be at the expense of experienced and valuable employees, particularly nurses, and generally all. The Clinic has invested large amounts of monies (incredible amounts for a hospital operating under the guise of a nonprofit institution!) to create their brand, not only in Cleveland, but throughout the country and the world (they have a facility now in the Middle East). Recently, this nonprofit paid approximately six million dollars to change their logo on all stationery, all buildings, all communications, and every bit of promotional material! Yet, some experienced RN's, seasoned RN's (over ten years) in my former department received pay raises of three, five & ten cents! NO, not percent, cents!

Those kind of raises are immoral in light of the highly touted 'Magnet Status' designation for nurses and begs investigation. Those amounts of raises are unethical in light of utilizing six million dollars just to change logos!

People are literally talking about this book all over the nation! The incredible thing is that the book is not about Cleveland Clinic! Yet, they had the narcissistic impulse to make it about them. 

Recently, I was a guest on a radio talk show in San Francisco and the host jokingly remarked that I 'breached the code' with my book, much like a police person telling on one of their 'dirty' own (that wouldmake me Serpico Nurse, I guess). 

Nurses almost never let the public know what really happens in their respective workplaces. Nurses almost never talk collectively and effectively about the 'abuse' they encounter on their respective jobs. And yes, it is abuse in some form, manner and by definition.

My book offered only a glimpse behind the scenes and look what happened? My book has provoked discussions and conversations and a sense of unity over the nation. NOW is the time for nurses to speak up and speak out! 

The fact is, being treated as disposable, devalued and demeaned is the norm for nurses in most hospitals throughout our nation. This reality should make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. There is no place, no hospital that is essentially 'safe' and I mean safe and with great pay for nurses!

The verbal, sometimes physical, and demeaning treatment of nurses and others within the Clinic or any institution is an outrage and an affront to us all! Unless we take up the gaunlet and actively work to change the system, which is an 'old boys network' with the complicity and complacency of some nurse management.

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Overwhelming positive! Hopeful! Inspirational! Nurses and other healthcare workers want to be saved. They want their concerns and fears to be heard, taken seriously and addressed. They want to do good work. Many experienced nurses have invested themselves in their careers and many of them are disappointed. Not disgruntled, but disappointed that their efforts and their accumulated experiences and skills are not seriously part of the collaborative dynamic in hospitals with medical staff. Nurses are disappointed and distrustful of marketing efforts that extol a great workplace, even magnet status yet, the magnet status nurses are treated as less than.

  

The outpouring of comments, emails, phone calls, and letters is phenomenal! I received (and continue to receive) support, encouragement and good wishes from a large majority of nurses. People, not only nurses, have shared so much sensitive information with me. They trust me. Nurses, doctors, lawyers, a physicist, patients, and business persons have contacted me in some way, shape or form with support, encouragement and book purchases. 

Nurses tell me that they are grateful that someone 'told the truth.' I hear that over and over again. I have been called a 'hero, brave, courageous' and just about every positive adjective. Nurses want (and need) a champion and a strong truthful voice. 

There are nurses I am sure that are intimidated by what I have said. This is because what I have revealed may force them to defend their inaction, or their sense of just doing their job to retirement, or just having to rethink their positions on a number of issues. I understand that. The prospect of change whether good or not is generally not comfortable. 

Would you have written your book differently based on what has happened to you?

Answer:

NO! The book I have authored is me! Regardless of my employment at Cleveland Clinic, that was only a part of my life. I am not Cleveland Clinic. As I stated before, my memoir is about me and my self-evolution. A job or career may be part of that collage but a job or career does not truly define who and what you are. Fortunately, I have actively taken that journey and my journey of discovery and evolution continues.