Letters To The Editor
Nursing news
Thank you for the outstanding cover story on UH Manoa Nursing, “Nursing Capital of the Pacific,” in the first issue of MidWeek in 2012. The University of Hawaii at Manoa Nursing School can’t thank MidWeek enough for helping us tell our story. As nurses, we tend to do great in “doing” trying to make a difference every day in providing the best care we can to the people of Hawaii. But sometimes we are not as good at explaining what we do and all of the education, experience, technological skill and hard work that goes into becoming a great nurse.
MidWeek highlighted what not everyone knows: Highquality, cutting-edge, topnotch nursing education is available here in our own backyard at UH-Manoa. Your informative piece also noted the exciting future direction of nursing and how nurses are helping shape new models of health care. The University of Hawaii Translational Health Science Simulation Center will be a tremendous resource to nursing students, practicing nurses and researchers to bring about this momentum of positive change under way in the local health care industry. I would especially like to thank writer Susan Kang Sunderland for the excellent article, which by far is the best coverage we have had in our 80-year school history, and Nathalie Walker, whose photography complemented the piece in a way that words just can’t describe.
On behalf of the University of Hawaii at Manoa Nursing students, faculty and alumni, mahalo nui loa for your support.
Mary G. Boland, DrPH,
RN, FAAN Dean and Professor
Who’s bad for us?
Regarding Jerry Coffee’s column “Counting Ways Obama Hurts U.S.” my brother, a Naval Intelligence officer, served in Vietnam at about the same time as Mr. Coffee. Viewing firsthand the misguided U.S. intervention there, he resigned his commission on completion of his obligation, going on to receive a doctorate, teaching at the university level to enhance compassion and understanding of different cultures/relationships. Mr. Coffee, on the other hand, evidently came home bitter, still fighting an unwinnable war. May I remind Mr. Coffee there were no victories in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan, and that America is a multireligious-cultural nation. The stupid alliance with Israel and another oncecolonial power, England, has led America into a misguided foreign policy, unconstitutional Patriot Act, and unconstitutional continuous wars and occupations that are destroying our nation.
Mr. Coffee’s obvious “unChristian hatred” of Obama, Muslims, affordable health care for all, fair taxes is sad. His column really offers nothing of value for MidWeek readers.
Patricia Blair
Kailua
