American nurses apprehensive, but fulfilling medical oath

[thedrifter]

OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
U.S. hospital ship aids Iraqi POWs
American nurses apprehensive, but fulfilling medical oath

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Posted: April 3, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern



? 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

Amid concern over the treatment of American POW Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was rescued from an Iraqi hospital, Arab News reports Iraqi POWs are being treated with dignity and receiving 24-hour medical care aboard the massive, state-of-the-art floating hospital, USNS Comfort.

The Baltimore-based Navy hospital ship, which contains 12 operating rooms, an intensive care unit, 1,000 beds and decontamination facilities, is floating off the coast of Bahrain.

It was deployed to handle massive coalition battlefield injuries or casualties from a biological or chemical attack. But so far, the majority of patients being treated by the 62 doctors aboard are Iraqi males in their teens and early twenties who fought against coalition troops.

A correspondent with Arab News allowed to observe the POWs described 20 prisoners residing in a ward near another filled with about 20 injured Iraqi civilians. The POWs have presented with typical wartime injuries, mostly trauma or gunshot wounds to the extremities.

The wards were stripped of anything that could be used as a weapon and unarmed security personnel keep watch in both rooms. But the POWs are not handcuffed or restrained in any way. Only "soft restraints" have been used with "unruly" patients.

Cmdr. Tommy Stewart, the senior nurse director explained the absence of weapons in the wards: "A weapon creates a security breach, and weapons can also be used against you."

Armed security personnel throughout the ship can be summoned easily, if needed.

Chief Petty Officer Caesar Salicrup, who runs the POW wards, told Arab News the POWs have not been restrained because they are cooperative. He said even though the men don?t speak English, they have started to learn words like "thank you," "OK," "USA," and "cigarette."

"I think most of them are happy to be here and we've heard that they want Saddam Hussein gone. They don?t want to fight," he said.

Still, the presence of the POWs unnerves some. Many told Arab News they fear the soldiers are Fedayeen fighters known for committing the worst atrocities against their own people on the battlefield.

"They are healing fast and are starting to make demands. Some seem to be very disciplined, strong-willed individuals. The security situation is worrisome to me because a hospital ward is not a good location for POWs," said one nurse.

"I have staff members who are frightened and concerned. All we hear is the bad stuff on TV. But we are fighting a war, and we do need to be careful. These are the bad guys," said Stewart.

As a precaution, nurses and staff working with the POWs cover their names and ranks with tape.

"We've had some American injuries, but the majority have been POWs. We give them the same level of quality that we give our coalition forces. But it's a different mindset when you remember that these guys were killing our men," operating room nurse Lt. Kathleen Hinz told the paper.

Cmdr. Agnes Bradley-Wright said she never imagined she would end up nursing POWs.

"Most of us had a lot of mixed feelings about this. The health professional side of us knew we need to take care of them, but then the personal side of us saw what they had done to our Marines. But when they arrived the professional side of us kicked in," she said, reporting that the medical staff saw fear in most of the POWs' faces.

Despite the qualms that exist, Stewart assures the POWs are being treated as patients.

"We're professionals and we all took a medical oath to do no harm. Wars are brought about by politicians; As soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, we are here simply to do the job we?re told to do," he said.

The POWs will be transferred to facilities ashore within 10 days to make way for more POWs expected to come aboard. Twenty-four military police will reportedly join them to provide extra security.



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Sempers,

Roger