Samiira Mohamed, Registered Nurse in post partum Labor and delivery
Artist
Jennifer Loomis
MediumDigital Photograph
Dimensions30 x 24 in. (76.2 x 61 cm)
ClassificationsPhotograph
Credit LineSeattle City Light 1% for Art Portable Works Collection
Subject Statement: My job has gotten a lot busier. There is a growing burden on the healthcare system. There is a greater inequality that is only getting worse. As our jobs are getting busier, we have less and less time, and hence, less patient interaction. Many of these patients have special needs. We are so busy to get them out and empty beds, that it is hard to take the time to connect with them. This is hard because it means I have less time to make them feel culturally accepted and I want to become a more culturally competent nurse. I feel so bad that I can’t spend more time to understand their cultural backgrounds and greater understanding of who they are as a person, to have meaningful connection.
Artist Statement: I approached this project with the belief that collaboration with the photo subject is imperative for creating more authentic images. I took this a step further and asked my community to help me define the word “essential workers” and asked them to nominate themselves or others to be photographed. Wanting my images to match the ethnic and cultural demographics of my neighborhood, I used the 2010 Census data to assist me in selecting participants.
