Nursing Articles

		THE ROBERT FLORES IN US: Thoughts on the shooting in Tucson, Arizona By Terrance Ito, RN, BSN, CEN Founder, Nurses-Forum

I was appalled and sadden by the actions of Robert Flores on October 29^th, 2002. A man broken down inside. He shot 3 of his nursing instructors and turned the gun on himself. My heart goes out to the family of the victims of this tragic event, God Speed!

Reading snippets of his suicide note in a local newspaper, a paragraph caught my eye. Robert stated that the nursing instructor were full of arrogance. I’m speculating that he felt the nursing instructors thought of themselves as untouchable superiors and treated him unfairly. What’s tough to admit is that I can relate to how he feels.

Being a male and going through nursing school was tough. Now add the fact I’m of Asian descent caused intense scrutiny. I can remember vividly instructors telling me that I don’t belong here. An particular instructor called me a medical school dropout, probably due to the fact I was a male student. I forget her exact words but she told me in private she was determined to fail me. At that moment, I too was in the same place as Robert Flores. Inside me was bitter, angry, and hating the fact I even started nursing school. I stood at the crossroads weighing all my options. However, I never walked the same path as Robert. I chose to fight, not by violence, but with my mind. I refuse to let people dictate my life. Pressing on day after day I began to study intensely. I was angry, but channeled it into my nursing studies. It definitely was fuel for the fire. By the time I came up for air it was over and I graduated.

The sad event on that day will forever change nursing and its instructors. The stigma of how nursing instructors are untouchable and how experienced nurses eat their young may come to pass. I think his plan was to level the playing field, knocking nursing instructors off their pedestal. Yet, all that was accomplished was another added fear in our hearts. What really scares me is two things. Firstly, I know it wont be the last we hear about an event like this. Secondly, the next time a new nurse is working by your side think about this; did this person really pass or was the instructor to afraid to do what right because of possible retaliation?

In this day and age people are sensitive, willing to do what ever it takes to get back at anyone. Morality and responsibility crumbling with each new generation. No action is considered unreasonable. In a high stress field as in nursing and its schooling it will cause numerous of breakdowns. It’s the nature of beast. I just hope no one follows Robert, it doesn’t prove anything. We falter and fail. Its was never designed to be a perfect world. We must be flexible and adjust to setbacks for it happens in this cruel game. Admit that we are not perfect and have feelings like Robert is all part of being human. Its what you do next with those feelings that can change nursing, for better or for worse?

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Terrance Ito is the founder of Nurses Forum and has over 10 years of experience in the medical field. His credentials include RN, BSN, CEN: experienced in emergency and critical care transport nursing in Los Angeles. Nurses Forum provides resources for nursing jobs, travel nursing, nursing information, articles and forums.