Utregentsscalpel Nurses, the University of Texas Nurses and Nursing Students Doctors
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•.. Vol. 1, No.4 April 1976 50 cents UTregentsscalpel nurses, The University of Texas Nurses and nursing students doctors. doctor to cut an IV-cord,grabbed System Schoolof Nursing, unique charged that the action taken A state-wide nurses' .support a pair of scissors and 'cut it. ,I in the nation in its autonomous March 26 was the resul t of a meeting was called in San An- organization as a six-campus power struggle between mem- tonio in early April to discuss a Regent Nelson advocated a network of nursing schools, was bers ofthe nursing profession and course of action to be taken to return to traditional "bed-side" dissolved by a 7-2 vote of the physicians at UT's medical force the Regents to rescind their nursing care. "We are not giving University of Texas Board of schools--a struggle in which decision. The course will center enough attention to direct patient Regents. nurses say regents sided with the on the office of Governor Dolph care" he observed from his Briscoe since he appoints having been a patient himself members to the Board of recently. Regents. He also charged that UTnurses Regent Joe Nelson, a . in their progressive approach Weatherford physician and were neglecting clinical training chairman of the Medical Affairs that necessitated graduates to Committee, was the most out- take special additional' training mt. JOE NELSON' spoken proponent of the System's at UT hospitals. dissolutionwhich will subordinate tl f Luci Johnson Nugent, a former the Six nursing school branches Ne~SOtwO.uldno~gr~~~;. TO~ nursing student and chairperson under UTpresidents ofcampuses an m erview 0 'of the UT Development Board, at Austin, EI Paso, Arlington, the H~uston reporter Jan ?arso~. lent her personal support and Health Science Centers at Carson was able to interview political clout to the UT System's ":» Houstonand San Antonio,and the Dr. Marilyn Willman who ex- cause by calling for the creation Medical Branch in Galveston. pressed her concern that "some ofa:publiccommittee to study the UTSSNPresident, Dr. Marilyn physicians feel that ~urses a~e reorganization proposal and Willman, the only nursing school ge.ttmg. ou~ of hne. 'PhIS report back to the Board of president in the country, and the .(di~solutlOn)I,~one way to extend Regents within a six-month 30 employees in the System's their control. period. Austin office will lose their jobs "Is Dr. Nelson one of those "What I was lobbying for," ( sometime before September 1) p~!sicia!ls?" ask~d" Cars?n. Nugent said after the vote, "was after the System is reorganized . I believe he IS, replied simply the chance to have ~e into six separate institutions. WIllman. System's schoolproposal studied In testimony before the .The.dissolutionwas billed as an further.."· ! r-Jl"<"'''''''''''". DI tIIe'country, and the (W~S01UtlOnJ 1,~one way to extend R';-gents withb; 'a Six_m"~:,2 4:a$ $ $ i 30 employees in the System's their control. period. Austin office will lose their jobs "Is Dr. Nelson one of those "What I I bbvi f " . h .. ?" .k d C was 0 ymg or, ( sometime before September 1) p ,rslcla!ls . as ~"ars~>n. Nugent said after the vote, "was after the System is reorganized . I believe he IS, replied simply the chance to have the into six separate institutions. Willman. System's schoolproposal studied In testimony before the The dissolutionwas billed as an further." . regents, Nelson was highly economy move aimed at saving critical and uncomplimentary $300,000annually. (The UTSSN's In Houston, nursing ad- towards nurses and the nursing Development Board annually ministrators shared great con- profession. At one point in the raises more than $300,000for the cern over the decision. open session he told a joke about school. If the System is dissolved, . "If reorganization is necessary, let's put it all out on DR. MARILYNWILLMAN a nurse' who, when told by a the Development Board will no longer have reason to function). the table and discuss it" responded Hope Session's "We're in a money crunch," Director ofNursing for the City of Nelson said, to which Dr. Bonnie Houston Health Department. Caucus backs coalitions Rickleman, a nursing ad- "We need to have a voice. I am Women activists assembled at .Be it resolved that the Harris The resolutions received the ministrator, replied, "Being very concerned because the the 5-th Annual Harris County County Women's Political support of the majority of the principally .a women's nursing community here was not Women's Political Caucus Caucus establish as a priority women present at the HCWPC profession, confrontations over informed. We are consumers of ConventionSaturday.March Tl to for 1976the establishment of a Convention. who will control nursing-labeled those (UT) graduates." talk not only about the permanent coalition of feminist The individual charged with as an economic problem-are not Caroline Blass, Chief of the necessity to use the political clout groups in Harris County. implementing the resolutions and new to us." Nursing Section of the Harris seeing that the goals of the possessed by women in Houston, In response Nelson said, "I've County Health Department, felt caucus reach fruition is Donna j but also to steer more feminists .Be it resolved that $1500be got a real grave concern that you nursing professionals had into the political arena. Duerk, the newly-electedchair' of issued by the Harris County (nurses) are getting a little bit "victimized themselves agaiq." ,-:-. The resolutions adopted.by the Women's Political Caucus for the the organization. uptight about your respon- by not organizing politically caucus indicated the direction in candidates it endorses for the "What I am personally com- sibilities and the possible con- when rumors of the . which women attending the May ist primary; mitted to is broadening the frontations with physician s ' reorganization surfaced several convention intend to see that And, that the distribution of membership of the caucus to assistants. months ago. body headed. funds be recommended by the include all races, ages and FOllowing the vote one high- "Nurses could have gotten Candidate Rating Committee and political parties," Duerk said in level nursing administrator said, together in concert and had a an interview with Breakthrough. •Be it resolved that the Harris givenfinal approval bythe Policy "Nelson cut us to ribbons. He plan of action," Blass stated. "We are still mostly Democrat, County Women's Political .Council at the April 7th en- made snide remarks. He made us "The profession must get still mostly white, still most Caucus actively seek out dorsement meeting. looklike wewere worth nothing." together. Some doctors would qual;fied feminist candidates to .Be it resolved that the Harris professional and still mostly mid- like to think of nurses as hand- nm for local governmenl County Women's Political 30~". Most disturbing to nurses was maidens serving them and some Caucus -- the organization that the lack of their input into the nurses view themselves as task- According to Duerx me tit;- decision. President Willmanwas spearheaded the creation of the WPC has much to offer its oriented hand maidens. We have the first to learn of the proposal- Office of Women's Advocate for membership. to get over that image." the city of Houston prior to the onMonday,March 22.The vote to Dixie Brown, Executive first term ofoffice ofMayor Fred "We screen candidates on the dissolve the System took place .Director of the Texas Nurses Hofheinz -- go on record today important issues facing the four days later. Association; District No.9, saw requesting and demanding that society and act as a voter in- the conflict between the regents this office be filled immediately formation service," she says. "They even defeated a motion and the UTSSNin the System's in order that the women in "We offer our expertise by our to present more evidence, to self-directed and innovative Houston have a direct voice in active participation in political study it further," Willman said. curriculum program. "Nursing city government. campaigns. We not only work in At the meeting Regent Thomas education here was moving from Be it further resolved that the campaign offices, but we also Law of Fort Worth affirmed that tasks to technicians.· The UT Harris CountyWomen's Political know how to manage candidates he needed more information and curriculum was exploring not Caucus support and endorse and run ourselves." motioned to delay consideration only how-to but how and why." feminist and caucus member until the May meeting. Lady Bird johnson seconded the motion. It Gertrude Barnstone for this Continued on page 14 J)ONNADUERK office. Continued on page 14 failed. • "VO' prima Vote ferrrirrist May 1 single Leagu. Once upon a time only fifty-or-so years ago women were not even 614 III allowed to vote in a country where" all men are crea ted equal." cents Today women and minorities are not only voting but running for velop a office as well. The nerve! "I s~spectthat George Washington wasn't qualified to be President essen incluc because he was the first one," said Janis Pool, a Democrat who had distric the nerve this year to announce her candidacy for Commissioners repres Court, Position 3, a district that was carved-out Republican. "We as women can't wait for some pie-in-the-sky to help us out. I'm and ~ NOT gonna wait for George to do it 'cause I'm convinced that he's state, I gonna do it to me! We've all been sitting here letting them do it to us ticul and I'm not gonna do that any more.