Nurses’ Group Asks Council to Avoid ‘Unfair Comments’

The association of nurses in Cebu City had asked the local officials to refrain from making “unfair” comments against its members, and instead look into their situations.

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) has requested the Cebu City Council to look into the “sad plight” of its members rather than issue harsh statements that may hurt and destroy their image to the public.

PNA President Edith Rose R. Santos was reacting to the resolution passed by the City Council asking their association to look into the incident where a nurse of the Cebu Maternity House allegedly place a tape in the mouth of a child under her care to prevent him from crying.

Santos claimed that she and her members felt bad because of the wordings of the council’s resolution, which states that: “the inhumane act of taping the baby’s mouth is a “reflection on the current crop of nurses that we have today.”

The resolution, sponsored Councilor Lea Japson,had asked the Philippine Nurse’s Association to look into the said case. The City Council passed Japson’s proposed resolution, which also asked the management of the Cebu Puericulture and Maternity House to cooperate in the investigation.

Santos said their group is looking after the best interest and welfare of its members, but it has not been remiss also on its duty to look into the case. She clarified that the Philippine Nurses Association is not a regulatory body.

In her two-page letter sent to the City Council, Santos said it is not only unfair, but it is highly unjust to tarnish the reputation of the entire organization by “unfounded and baseless motherhood statements and sweeping generalization.”

“It does not bode well for the honorable members of the City’s Legislative Body to add insult to injury, not wanting to put flesh on the idiom, kicking a man when he is down,” she added.

The public condemned the acts of those nurses who were responsible of placing plasters or tapes on the mouth of babies at the private maternity house because such acts is no longer allowed under the policy of the Department of Health.

“our entire membership is sick with overbearing and appalling attacks against the nurses dulled by repetition in a whole host of issues. The approach shows ludicrous presumptions and speculations that does not bode well for both the distressed nurses and theatrical accusers.” Santos said.

The nurses’ head appealed to the city legislators for fairness and had asked the City Council to look into the “sad plight” of nurses.

“for fairness and everything should be carried out strictly within the legal framework. We take this opportunity to request the city government to look into the sad plight of our nurses under your watch.” The City Council did not make further comments of Santos’ letter.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is conducting an investigation into the actuation of the nurse who placed a tape on the baby’s mouth and it is expected to release its findings days from now.

The board of trustees of Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House had earlier apologized to the incident that transpired on May 9 at their nursery.

Aside from the photograph of baby Yohannes Noval that was published in the internet, several similar pictures of babies whose mouth has been taped also appeared in the social media.

The management of the maternity house clarified that they strictly prohibited the practice of placing tape on the mouth of babies. They added that its board of trustees welcomes the investigation and will abide by the outcome and decision of the investigating body.