“An act relating to catastrophic health emergency related to acts of bioterrorism,” states Oklahoma House Bill 12502 as presented by student Keri Atkinson last spring. As part of Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL) at OBU, Keri traveled with student Mariah Stone to present the bill, chosen among other OIL bills debated on the floor of the House of Representatives during the OIL Session for passage into law. The bill won first runner-up for best legislation.

Keri is 31 and a single mom. As an OBU nursing student, she hopes to combine her interest in law with her love for helping people. She is currently working as a student intern in a local hospital’s oncology department. “My patients are ‘real’ people,” she says, “real people dealing with enormous life and death issues. Some may think it depressing to work with patients who are often times dying, but so many of them are Christians. For them, death is life, and they somehow communicate that in their last days. I do not believe as Christians facing death, that we exit this life alone. I know we will be ushered by angels into eternity. I have the privilege of being part of that. An angel holds one hand and I hold the other. I would not trade that for anything.

“I have the opportunity to work with several Christian nurses who see past the life in the bed and into an eternal perspective. Not a day goes by without experiencing some opportunity to give my faith in Jesus Christ to a patient and, at times, to their family members through the simple act of caring. I give and my patients give back to me a thousand-fold by allowing me the privilege of having a brief glimpse into their most personal, core, state of being. In my short time in oncology, I have received little pearls of wisdom from those who have won cancer’s battle and from those who are seeing their last days.

“I will never forget comforting a patient who was in a great deal of pain. After pain medication was administered, I simply sat on the side of the bed and held his hand – just he and I – as he slipped
in and out of consciousness. I was there for about five minutes praying to myself, when he began mumbling, ‘To die is gain... to die is gain...’ He then looked at me and with the clearest of voices said, ‘You are an angel sent from God.’

“I am certainly no angel, but I will be a nurse, and I do believe God sends his Holy Spirit every day to help me accomplish that goal.”

As to the challenges that Keri faces with responsibilities at home and requirements at school, she says, “It’s amazing. God has blessed me with a wonderful son and two incredible parents who do so much to help me. God has been so faithful.” She and Grant, her 4-year-old son, live with her parents in Newalla, Oklahoma. “You just do what you have to do,” she says. “I refuse to study when Grant is awake. It makes for late nights, but it’s worth it to have the extra time with him. It is very hard to leave my son every day. But I know God has a plan for us and my faith and trust are in him. Charles Swindoll says in his book, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life, ‘Take time to be tender. Fragile and delicate are the feelings of most who seek our help. They need to sense we are there because we care – not just because it’s our job.’ I Thessalonians 2:7 says, ‘But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.’ A mother first and then a nurse, two titles I am so proud to bear.”

After working in the nursing profession, Keri hopes to attend law school and work further to help people in need. As for House Bill 12502, it was one of three winning OIL bills to be sent to the desk of Governor Brad Henry for review.

HOUSE BILL 12502
An act relating to catastrophic health emergency related to acts of bioterrorism; providing for short title; providing new laws; providing codifications; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

Section 1: This act shall be known as the “Quarantine Act of 2003.”

Section 2: NEW LAW: A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6101 of Title 63 unless there is created duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

Upon the event of a catastrophic health emergency, related to bioterrorism (i.e., smallpox) the following measures will be instigated. Based on the location of the exposure, a quarantine radius will be established.

Quarantine parameters require resolution of the contagious state of the disease. A person is contagious to others until all of the scabs have resolved. Personnel will be appointed to take care of the basic needs of the exposed individuals. Any quarantine site will have leadership appointed by state/county. Families affected by the lack of an authority figure shall have state care available if no other options are available. Bioterrorism funds will be appropriated as needed. Those exposed will be inoculated.

Section 3: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act shall be repealed upon passage of this act.

Section 4: All parts of this act are severable.

Section 5: This law shall go into effect ninety (90) days after it is passed.