The sick need spiritual Dear Editor: I wish te thank “TLnethy Renshaw (jan. 16 Ripping Yarns) and Michael Edwards for alerting North Shore resi dents to the alarming dis gard for the spiritual needs of the patients at Lions Gate Hospital by the unthinking health region's eagerness to bow to multiculturalism. I have personally found far more respect, uncerstanding and tolerance for the faith of ethers in the North Shore interfaith community, which | have been involved with, than by those who seem to think some sort of problem. focus of all the world’s main religions is a belief in a supreme being who calls us to love our fellow man and do good for others. MAIL Bo Humans are unique in that they are both ph 1 and spiritual beings. The sick from the beginning of time, have been best served when both of these needs are cared for. As stated in the World Book — Encyclopedia, fong before recorded history, let alone public hospitals, the sick were cared for by the tual members of a com- Of quacks and other calculations Dear Editor: Re: Learning to count eggs, Rafe Mair’s letter to edi- tor, Dec. 31. The old proverb “shot duck quacks” is obviously valid. While I pointed my shotgun just generally in the direction of the pond, Mr. Mair aimed his big calibre right between my eyes. How can !, a man of straight simple logic, whose errors would have caused damages, injuries, losses or deaths (in the practice of engi- neering), stand against your power of words, Mr. Mair, which you have exercised in the long practice of law, poli- tics and broadcasting. Your letter demonstrates the mias- tery. By using my own argu- ments, and switching posi- tions with me, hoping that the readers who understood or even read my fetter are in minority, you created the effect, that it is I whose tape measure has the first inch missing (the one that starts with zero) and who goes to maternity ward with one-can- dled cake. This procedure, often used by successful politi- cians, must even have its own name. So, this “pen match” has nothing to do with truth, bur with saving your face, Mr. Mair, and naturally, you win. If it helps, I retracts the word simpleton I used in my first letter. It sneaked in after an attempt, by another impas- sioned man, to “convert me” trom celebrating my millenni- um when I want. For the sake of other read- ers: Mr. Mair has contused the “quanta” with “markers.” Markers separate the quanta like eggs, kilometres and years. Markers are the thin line in between them. Mr. Mair places his quanta on the marker lines. And [ do not mind to be known as the one who gave 1} eggs for 10. Rudolf Marek North Vancouver ‘Snowboarding risks encouraged Dear Editor: Every time we have some skier or snowboarder lost, particularly at Cypress Bowl, the question of rescue costs and out-of-bounds riding "gets raised. How is the good boarder to react when a recent Vancouver Sun features a full .. page about the adventure and " thrill of free riding. The free riding is specifically che riding beyond the boundaries of the 4 ae ski areas. There is where it’s at, this is what you’ve got to do, every ski movie says so, ski areas like Whistler/Blackcomb _ indi- rectly advertise it. Cypress Bowl does actually likewise, particulariy since their employees tend to ski there first and with their fresh tracks showing the way to the eager boarder even in bad weather and white-out condi- The ski areas maintain a liability towards its patrons through their action. One more word: the soft snowboarding boots are dan- gerous when the rider steps off the edge to hold a foot- ing. The person will slip out, career down the mountain and slam into a tree with pos- sibly fatal results, as we have seen already. Rolf Kullak North Vancouver “The Academy for Math & Science has helped my grade go 7 from 50% in grade 9, to 74% In grade 11. tam much more confident in Math and | participate a lot “more in class than | ever did. . - grade 9 Argyle Student Give your Child a Powerful Advantage FREE EVALUATION Call for details Located in Capilano Mall (3rd floor above Fabriclanc) = Nouts of eperation ia Mon, Tues, Thuss, Fri Sam - = Wed 9am - 6pm - Sat 9am - 8pm oe Sun 10am - 7pm m WO hits - $4.50 LET US PICK $80-2E33 - grade 17 Handsworth Student Re ann AND DELIVER PCE c Suil/Dress - $8, Dress - $8. UR LAUNDRY 985-9503 See munity. Our hospitals are in’ se enough state without remiov- ing such important and com- forting spiritual terms as “chapel, chaplain and pastoral care” which have been such an important part of the cul- ture of Canada. It seems that the prisoners in our penal systems have more rights than the sick at healing ta Lions Gate Hospital. C n religious symbols are an integral part of many comnion faiths, It is impor- tant to those using the chapel, that they be respected and allowed to remain in a desig- nated place for prayer and meditation. Mary Foster North Vancouver dfoster@portal.ca Nurse workload comparison wrong Dear Editor: 1am responding to the Dec. 26 article on the front page of the North Shore News regarding the comparison of registered nurse workload between acute care Lions Gate Hospital and Evergreen House. As a nurse who has worked in both acute care and long-term care, I disagree with Marlene Knight and her false accusation of comparison workloads. Registered nurses in long-term care usually have a ratio of patients. They are responsible and accountable tor all non-profession- al staff who work under them. With the increased acuity of patients in long-term care now, the registered nurse workload has increased dramatically. [ have been responsible for 70 clients at one rime, passing medications for 40 to 50 of them —- which can take anywhere from one to two hours at a time. The RNs are responsible for dealing with il clients, IV ther- apy treatments, assessments, patients who are dying, most fam- ily issues, tube feedings, ete. Many days I never took a break. The workload is different, but equally important in both areas. If Evergreen House has a higher nurse/patient ratio, this is what gerontological nurses have been fighting for years. No one besides a nurse who has worked both areas can judge what the registered nurse’s accountability and responsi- bilities are. Maureen Murphy, R.N. 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