[Pen-l] Bed Sores and the Cultural Revolution

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

More than three decades ago, I read a book by an English doctor, who described his 
positive experiences during the cultural Revolution.  Just today, I got around to 
the New York Times science section from last week in which nursing homes are 
starting to adopt slightly similar practices in which they distribute responsibility 
to all levels of caregivers.  The basic difference, of course, is that in the 
Chinese case all the caregivers were given authority as well as responsibility, 
while something much different occurs in nursing homes.

Horn, Joshua S. 1971. Away with All Pests: An English Surgeon in People's China, 
1954-1969 (New York: Monthly Review Press).

Joshua Horn, a British doctor, depicted the changes that occurred in his hospital at 
the time.  He described how nurses, orderlies, patients, and even patients' friends 
became active in the decision-making process.  Although the typical orderly had no 
formal medical training, she or he would spend far more time with the patient than 
the doctor, who might have only a few minutes to spend with the patient.  As a 
result, the orderly might have a great deal to offer in deciding what course of 
treatment to follow.

Schaffer, Amanda. 2008. "Fighting Bedsores With a Team Approach." New York Times (19 
February).

"Experts estimate that two million Americans suffer from pressure ulcers each year, 
usually through some combination of immobility, poor nutrition, dehydration and 
incontinence.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not keep 
statistics on fatalities, but one prominent victim was the actor Christopher Reeve, 
who died of a bedsore infection in 2004 in the middle of a heroic battle against 
paralysis.  New research is suggesting that the battle against bedsores requires a 
team approach, enlisting everyone from nurses and nursing assistants to laundry 
workers, nutritionists, maintenance workers and even in-house beauticians."

"At the Lutheran Home in Fort Wayne, Ind., for instance, .the laundry workers helped 
us see that some clothes weren.t fitting the residents properly and were restricting 
their skin,. said Jeanie Langschied, a registered nurse there.  The kitchen staff 
began putting protein powders in cookies to boost nutrition.  They added buffet 
dining, so residents would not remain in one position for so long, compressing 
fragile skin.  Even the beauty shop .realized that wait times needed to decrease,. 
Ms. Langschied said, and residents should be repositioned while getting their hair 
done.  .It was all departments looking at everything, and it was just amazing the 
information that flowed through."


-- 
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
michaelperelman.wordpress.com
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