Transcript
The Red, Unfortunate, and Blue: Part II 9/7/20 For those of you who read my essay "The Red, Unfortunate, and Blue," thank you so much! This essay will be part two of such, in which I will report the results of a survey I conducted here at the prison about the medical care that we receive: The Red Team vs. The Blue Team. I will begin by listing the comments that a few women made. All chose to remain anonymous except one person, Mrs. Andrea, a patient of the Blue Team who stated: "I do find some medical staff helpful, but their hands are tied. There's only so much they can do!" Others stated: "Ms. Cason shouldn't have a 2 job. She has lack of concern or compassion for you but she's in the medical field." "There are some providers who really care and try to help but they are extremely limited by the Department of Corrections. If I were taken care of properly, I may not be in a wheelchair today. I used to visit medical frequently, but not now." "The only comment I have is the treatment team needs to be more efficient and concerned about what they do." Okay, let me clarify; the treatment team is the team of medical personnel who treats us for our everyday medical needs. For example, if an offender has undergone a surgery in which a bandage has been 3 applied to a wound and must be changed daily, the treatment team would manage such an issue. The preceding comments are all from patients of the Blue Team. Now for the Red Team's comments: "I believe that people on the Blue Team receive the medications they need and the Red Team is treated poorly. I am told one thing and then forgotten. My allergies are also downplayed." "I feel that the medical staff (some not all) don't give the professional care to us because we are incarcerated. I can't imagine that they do their job that way in the free world." "Just because I'm incarcerated, I should not be treated any different that I was on the 4 outside. It's cruel and unusual punishment and still deserve medical care." "I feel medical is poor at helping us sometimes." "All these questions depend on the nurses and doctors who help you." Yes, this last comment was very true. The survey consisted of the following questions: 1. - How much interaction do you have with the medical department? 2. - Are you a patient of the Red Team or Blue Team? 3. - What is your nationality? 4. - Do you feel that you are 5 treated fairly by the medical department? 5. - Do you feel that they listen, care, and do their best to help you? 6. - Do you feel that others receive more help than you? 7. - Do you get the medications you need or request? 8. - Do you feel that medical staff is knowledgeable about your condition or concerns? 9.- Do you feel that you would be treated differently if you were not incarcerated? I, myself, am in total agreement with each of the comments because we all pretty much feel the same way. Only one person on the Red 6 Team, when asked if they feel they are treated fairly, answered yes. One person. Four people on the Blue Team answered yes to this question. There was a total of eighteen surveys taken. When asked question number five, eight offenders on the Red Team answered no and three on the Blue Team answered with a no as well. Question number six, there were eight on the Red Team that answered yes, and four on the Blue Team with a yes. As for question number seven, on the Red Team, six people replied with a no, while on the Blue Team, eight answered with a no. So, no help there. And question number eight, of the Red Team, there were seven who answered no and four who answered yes. Lastly, question number nine, I feel that we are all in agreement with our treatment as offenders 7 whether we are on the Red Team or the Blue Team because all that these providers see is our uniform. A uniform which, to the majority of them, signifies that we are nobodies; no longer human beings who deserve the very same healthcare as they do. They no longer see us as people, but problems. Pests to rid themselves of as quickly as possible. So whether we're Red Team or Blue Team, it's still equal opportunity mistreatment.
