• Po‘ipu Road dust storm • The jewels of Kaua‘i • How can we not leave • Where have all the nurses gone? Po‘ipu Road dust storm Has anyone else noticed the daily dust storm on Po‘ipu Road? The company
• Po‘ipu Road dust storm
• The jewels of Kaua‘i
• How can we not leave
• Where have all the nurses gone?
Po‘ipu Road dust storm
Has anyone else noticed the daily dust storm on Po‘ipu Road? The company that is replacing the water main along Po‘ipu Road is creating a hazard to motorcycles, bicyclists and anyone with their windows down, not to mention sand-blasting everyones’ vehicles. I am suprised they are not required to put up a wind fence to keep the dust from blowing across the road, as the trades blow everything right into the road. They have a water truck, but the only time I’ve seen it used is to wash down the road. I guess they are not held to the same standards as developers when it comes to creating a hazard on the roads.
The jewels of Kaua‘i
Yesterday afternoon, I drove up to do some hiking in Koke‘e State Park. I expected to be able to actually drive up the road to the trails. Unfortunately, the quality of the road leaves a lot to be desired. As soon as the official “state highway” ends, the road immediately inside the park deteriorates into something many Third World countries would not have in their road system. I should know. I have driven in some Third World countries with roads in better shape than what exists leading up to the top of Koke‘e.
Furthermore, without any warning, the road simply ends a mile before the end of what is supposed to be the end of the road. According to people who work at the gift shop a few miles down the road, the closure dates back to “before the hurricane?” Even if they meant ‘Iniki, that is still over 13 years. Hopefully, they were not talking about ‘Iwa. Either way, how long should it take for those responsible to fix the roads?
The point is that in an economy based on tourism, the attractions have to be accessible. The Waimea Canyon and Koke‘e State Park are two of the best things Kaua‘i has going. If they are closed or hard to get to, maybe people won’t want to come and if they don’t, they will keep their money home with them.
How can we not leave
children behind?
To our elected officials, I am quite concerned about the rising costs in Kaua‘i’s pre-school system.
We are always hearing about No Child Left Behind, and how important it is that our pre-kindergarten children attend early education classes. I have a granddaughter who’s attending pre-school right now. Keo’s classes are $425 per month; from what I understand there are others that are a lot higher.
Sure there are applications to fill out for a reduced tuition, but first you have to qualify. My son works while my daughter-in-law stays home to care for their toddler. If she worked, between child care and pre-school tuition, she would be working for nothing.
They have car payments, house payments and utilities, and don’t forget gas, food and insurance. Car tax and property tax too. With one paycheck coming in. Yet they did not qualify for the reduced tuition.
How do you expect honest, hardworking people to get by while trying to get their children educated? Are all these expenses taken into consideration when these applications are looked over? Are single couple applications treated the same as married couples? Something has to be done to make it more affordable for our keiki to be able to get socialized and educated before they start kindergarten.
I’ve heard a lot of political promises made that have been overlooked once elected. I think there should be “no child left behind.”
Where have all the nurses gone?
Where have all the nurses gone? Who will care for me? These are questions we should be asking ourselves. A nurse is a professional. A nurse cares for patients, 24/7. A nurse assesses the physical, mental and emotional needs of her patients, as well as being aware of their spiritual needs, and the needs of their families.
Each patient is a unique individual. A nurse assesses the needs of each patient, then creates a plan of care. Included in this assessment are the physician’s orders and history (brief story of condition/disease), lab values, X-rays and EKGs, medication profile with knowledge of interactions and side effects, as well as a physical assessment. A nurse implements her Care Plan by co-ordinating the members of the medical team: physicians, pharmacists, respiratory therapy, techs (ekg/lab/X-ray) and physical and occupational therapy, as well as the most important member of the team, the patients and their families.
Nurses are patient advocates by providing information and allowing patients and their families to make informed decisions, investigating different avenues of care. A nurse continues to assess the patient’s progress being aware of signs and symptoms of improvement, or complication. Then prepares the patient for discharge by providing instructions in home care, medications and follow-up appointments.
The nurses also assist with end of life care. With dignity and respect nurses help relieve discomfort, support the patient and family through the phases of grief, to acceptance, and then quietly cries inside.
Now multiply that by five … now try six … seven … eight???
If a nurse has five patients, the maximum time spent at the bedside, per patient per hour is approximately 10 minutes. If that ratio is increased to six, seven or eight, the maximum time spent at the bedside per patient per hour decreases exponentially to approximately five minutes. Is this how much care you would want?
One issue that follows the same trend as quality of patient care would be patient mortality rates. Studies show the ideal patient mortality rate is found with a patient-to-nurse ratio of 4 to 1; each additional patient assigned to a nurse after that point increases the mortality rate by 7 percent. When the patient to nurse ratio reaches 7 to 1, the patient mortality rate has already increased by 21 percent over the optimal number. For each patient added onto a nurses’ assignment after 7 to 1, the mortality rate goes up by 10 percent, meaning at 8 to 1 the rate is 31 percent above normal, and at 10 to 1 it is a staggering 51 percent above normal.
Nurses need to be respected for their professional input, not dictated to. There is a nursing shortage throughout the world; nurses need to be recognized and nurtured in their professional development so that they can provide excellent care for their patients, and be proud of that achievement.
We should not be asking, where have all the nurses gone?
- Colten and Donna Moore
Kilauea
