I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Centers => Topic started by: kin2pt on February 01, 2009, 02:36:15 AM

Title: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: kin2pt on February 01, 2009, 02:36:15 AM
Moderators, this is my first post here so if this is the wrong place please move it where it will be read and digested and hopefully contemplated - every word is true.

I would like to thank whoever it was at Davita that finally got rid of the worst FA that ever walked through the front door.  It took long enough - about 1 1/2 years but you finally did it.  Did you happen to hear the rejoicing coming from the patients, the staff, the doc's, the doc's staff, the transport folks, hospital security, even the delivery guys!!!!   This was a one woman wrecking crew that you hired.  :urcrazy;  Nobody on your staff checked into her background because if they had they would we wouldn't have been put through pure helll.  Her right hand moron - lets call her PeppyLaPue (hint hint) she is of the same mentality and needs to go next.  PeppyLaPue never stood up for what is right - was overheard saying "I don't give a 'F....' about these people, they are not my family!!!" to another nurse, real nice!   Peppy is burnt out and cares nothing for the patients and every one of them knows it.  She is rude, she is miserable and has a boat load of personal problems we all know about, yup even patients and their families.  She joyfully did whatever this FA told her to do and it was obvious she loved doing it - making other people miserable!!!   Please reassign her so she has no authority over others, give her paperwork and get her out of the unit.

My hope has been somewhat restored in Davita ... you did take action, you did finally listen to the complaints - but it took masses of them to many different people, it should never have taken so long.   I imagine it has something to do with the size of the company, little voices - even many of them - take so long to be heard and acted upon.

Please continue helping the patients at this unit (hospital based outside Philly), give PeppyLaPue a job where she has no affect on patients or staff lives and bring back all the good people who left because of this disgraceful FA and make the place whole again.  Wonderful kind and loving people who left because of her, we miss them, we trust them and want them back to care for our families.   This woman contacted patients at home, not to see how their tx's were going but only to build cases against her staff, patients were never her priority.   Good riddance to her ... but I do pity her next victims!

Thank you for allowing me to speak my mind here, hopefully it will do some good!   Take care all you renal patients, love to you all !!!!!!  :grouphug;

Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Sluff on February 01, 2009, 08:49:34 AM
You should report peppy to her supervisors. Write a letter and get signed affidavits they will eventually get the hint. In today's economy and shortage of jobs,  these employee's will have to really start watching there actions.
Title: If it were me...
Post by: bioya on February 04, 2009, 05:18:14 PM
I would turn the unit in to the state and to the renal network. Somewhere in your unit there is a poster with numbers to call in a complaint. I can promise you that your name will not be released unless you want it to. Trust me, and this is from 6.5 years of management experience with Gambro/DaVita, the company will not do anything as long as the clinic makes money.  ROD's don't want to rock the boat if the clinic is making a profit, and it takes someone to rattle the cage and get their attention.  Something else you may want to do is file a complaint with the VP of your division. I am not sure if they have changed divisions since I left two and a half years ago, but you can find out who your Division VP is and get his address and name. If I am not mistaken, the guy that has PA ohhh.. hell, I can't remember his name... he is a really nice guy that cares. Lord.. he has a strange name... and his family is from south American or something like that.. I will try to find out more and If I can, I will post it. Good luck.

I FOUND IT... CALL THIS GUY....  Javier J Rodriguez. His office is in PA. Ask your unit for the address and/or number for the divisional office. The division name (another bullshit davita name) is Avanti.  I have met Javier.. he is a good man and he is one of the few leaders in DaVita that I have met that give a damn. Good luck.

Javier Rodriguez
 Senior VP
DaVita Inc



Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 14, 2009, 01:52:35 PM
why the profanity?

Javier IS indeed a great guy. You must not have met alot. There are MANY good leaders there. But as within any company, there are some that would be not so great.

2 1/2 years ago? And you are still so negative.... bioya, I understand you are entitled to your opinion, but are you really helping dialysis patient's here by bashing the company? I mean 'wow'! you have some ill feelings and just won't let it go. I joined this board to try and help people with any insurance/billing issues they might come across or try to 'get it'.... life's too short to be so negative.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Wenchie58 on February 14, 2009, 01:54:36 PM
Whoa....members here are allowed to rant and bash the "company"  matter of fact, we vent about many things.  It's what we do...support each other.

Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: kitkatz on February 14, 2009, 01:56:40 PM
I agree with Wenchie, besides Davita leaves us so many things to bash.   When you are on this side of the needles you will understand more.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 14, 2009, 02:05:26 PM
In any company, that has issues, if everyone just got up and left and said or did nothing to change it, how would anything improve?

I think patient care mainly depends on the region/area that you live not necessarily the company. I've heard the same bashing with other companies and not just DaVita. I had a neighbor who took her father to a DaVita center and she raved about the nurses and how he was treated. (He was on medicare so it wasn't a case of Private Insurance vs. gov't)

I believe if I was treated the way some say they have been, I'd be ranting here too but I'd also be ranting right up to someone who would hear me.

God bless you all for enduring.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: kitkatz on February 14, 2009, 02:39:30 PM
I was very reluctant to go to a Davita center however I am on nocturnal now and find the team at night to be very smart and very caring. 
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Wallyz on February 14, 2009, 07:09:53 PM
In any company, that has issues, if everyone just got up and left and said or did nothing to change it, how would anything improve?

I think patient care mainly depends on the region/area that you live not necessarily the company. I've heard the same bashing with other companies and not just DaVita. I had a neighbor who took her father to a DaVita center and she raved about the nurses and how he was treated. (He was on medicare so it wasn't a case of Private Insurance vs. gov't)

I believe if I was treated the way some say they have been, I'd be ranting here too but I'd also be ranting right up to someone who would hear me.

God bless you all for enduring.

Its  a bit different when the company in question "messes up" occasionally and kills dialysis patients.    Nationwide, DaVita has pursued a policy of aggressively understaffing and overscheduling.  They are being investigated for medicare fraud.  Not a few units, but the entire company.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Zach on February 14, 2009, 09:11:36 PM
Let us remember the poor folks at DaVita Centers in Lufkin, Texas and New York City, New York.

8)
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 15, 2009, 05:45:52 AM
In any company, that has issues, if everyone just got up and left and said or did nothing to change it, how would anything improve?

I think patient care mainly depends on the region/area that you live not necessarily the company. I've heard the same bashing with other companies and not just DaVita. I had a neighbor who took her father to a DaVita center and she raved about the nurses and how he was treated. (He was on medicare so it wasn't a case of Private Insurance vs. gov't)

I believe if I was treated the way some say they have been, I'd be ranting here too but I'd also be ranting right up to someone who would hear me.

God bless you all for enduring.

Its  a bit different when the company in question "messes up" occasionally and kills dialysis patients.    Nationwide, DaVita has pursued a policy of aggressively understaffing and overscheduling.  They are being investigated for medicare fraud.  Not a few units, but the entire company.

Who told you that they are being investigated for fraud?
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 15, 2009, 05:50:36 AM
Let us remember the poor folks at DaVita Centers in Lufkin, Texas and New York City, New York.

8)

sad and disgusting and down right shameful.

in the end, improvements will most likely happen, but sad it took so long and such a tragedy to get things to get better

again, I'd base my opinion as many as you have on personal experience at the local level center than company wide.
Title: Re: If it were me...
Post by: nursewratchet on February 15, 2009, 03:36:14 PM
I would turn the unit in to the state and to the renal network. Somewhere in your unit there is a poster with numbers to call in a complaint. I can promise you that your name will not be released unless you want it to. Trust me, and this is from 6.5 years of management experience with Gambro/DaVita, the company will not do anything as long as the clinic makes money.  ROD's don't want to rock the boat if the clinic is making a profit, and it takes someone to rattle the cage and get their attention.  Something else you may want to do is file a complaint with the VP of your division. I am not sure if they have changed divisions since I left two and a half years ago, but you can find out who your Division VP is and get his address and name. If I am not mistaken, the guy that has PA ohhh.. hell, I can't remember his name... he is a really nice guy that cares. Lord.. he has a strange name... and his family is from south American or something like that.. I will try to find out more and If I can, I will post it. Good luck.

I FOUND IT... CALL THIS GUY....  Javier J Rodriguez. His office is in PA. Ask your unit for the address and/or number for the divisional office. The division name (another bullshit davita name) is Avanti.  I have met Javier.. he is a good man and he is one of the few leaders in DaVita that I have met that give a damn. Good luck.

Javier Rodriguez
 Senior VP
DaVita Inc
 
 I konw Javier, he is a GREAT leader, and always listens to both patients and staff to do what is right.  Davita, like ALL companies has some good leaders, and some horrible leaders, who should work the graveyard shift at the cemetary, totally away from people...






EDITED:Fixed quote tag error-kitkatz,Moderator
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Wallyz on February 15, 2009, 07:57:44 PM
In any company, that has issues, if everyone just got up and left and said or did nothing to change it, how would anything improve?

I think patient care mainly depends on the region/area that you live not necessarily the company. I've heard the same bashing with other companies and not just DaVita. I had a neighbor who took her father to a DaVita center and she raved about the nurses and how he was treated. (He was on medicare so it wasn't a case of Private Insurance vs. gov't)

I believe if I was treated the way some say they have been, I'd be ranting here too but I'd also be ranting right up to someone who would hear me.

God bless you all for enduring.

Its  a bit different when the company in question "messes up" occasionally and kills dialysis patients.    Nationwide, DaVita has pursued a policy of aggressively understaffing and overscheduling.  They are being investigated for medicare fraud.  Not a few units, but the entire company.

Who told you that they are being investigated for fraud?

http://medicareadvantagecongress.blogspot.com/2008/12/davita-gets-department-of-health.html
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 15, 2009, 08:47:44 PM
this does not automatically say that it is a case of fraud. these investigations have been going on for ALL dialysis centers for years.

here


http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/04/07/us_fraud_inquiry_targets_fresenius/


DaVita's last cleared investigation took 6 years with no fines and no restrictions because they did not find anything in the records indicating fraud.

Gambro wasn't so lucky. When DaVita aquired Gambo, they adopted all the restrictions on their CIA centers too.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Brightsky69 on February 16, 2009, 05:19:07 AM
They are all corporations and the bottom line to them is profit.  Sometimes I think we are all just like heads of cattle to them.
Title: dialysisbiller
Post by: bioya on February 18, 2009, 06:03:42 PM
why the profanity?

Javier IS indeed a great guy. You must not have met alot. There are MANY good leaders there. But as within any company, there are some that would be not so great.

2 1/2 years ago? And you are still so negative.... bioya, I understand you are entitled to your opinion, but are you really helping dialysis patient's here by bashing the company? I mean 'wow'! you have some ill feelings and just won't let it go. I joined this board to try and help people with any insurance/billing issues they might come across or try to 'get it'.... life's too short to be so negative.

If "BS" and "hell" upset you, then I am sorry I offended you. Let me tell you something Biller, when you work in the field, and do hands on with the patients, then you can tell me what to feel and what to say. DaVita is horrible. They spend MILLIONS of dollars a year... MILLIONS AND MILLIONS to brain wash employees (oops "teammates") at academies and to party down at the yearly national meetings. Nothing said or done at these meetings can't be done on a conference call and/or video conference. KT and his hench men are nothing but greedy leaches. They make MILLIONS of dollars a year while the patients can't even get sure-seals and decent equipment in their clinics.
I tell you want biller, you go and get trainign to stick patients and clean puke and whip blood and cry with the patients when one of their friends in the next chair has passed away. Then you come on here and tell me what the real world is like. These patients live a horrible life. Hope for most is a transplant, but the reality for many is that it won't happen. Then you sit in their chair and listen to the moaning and bitching by the staff cause they have to stay over an hour cause "so and so" would not clot. Then they bitch about their hours and they salary. Then sit down and freeze your butt off for four hours and have some guy beside you farting the whole shift.  I loved my patients like family. I cried when I went to a funeral or two every month to say goodbye to a patient that I had known for years. I miss my job and my patients but I know that I have no future in a company where the patietn is second but profit and pay  at the corporate level is the most important thing. I can't stand to listen to KT brag and kiss his own butt one more time, one more minute, at one more meeting. It was always the same... LOOK AT ME.. I AM THE GREATEST THING TO HAPPEN TO HEALTH CARE....
Ok, I am rambling. But my point is, you sit in your billing office and don't see the patients face to face, don't help them, don't care for them, don't cry for them when they pass away. You live your life in your cubical.... but when you want to live reality.. go to work a month or so in your local clinic and become your patients friend... then talk to me.  "ill feeling", "just wont let it go". Well your right.. I won't let it go till DaVita starts caring about the patient and not the profit.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 19, 2009, 03:36:43 AM
i guess my personality isn't like yours, if i see something going on that i disagree with, i do what i can to fix it. i can't give up.

and i work in the corporate end because the world needs ditch diggers.... in every medical field there has to be someone doing the billing

i'm not a nurse and i see the nurses and all those who work at the center level as amazing people who help patients on a personal level.

you have your opinions, i have mine, i agree to disagree with some of your views on DaVita.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Wenchie58 on February 19, 2009, 05:00:45 AM
Ok, I've got to offer my  :twocents; here...and if I offend anyone I apologize up front. 

No one....and I do mean NO ONE who works in an office on the admin side of a company knows what goes on at the "front line" level.  I know this as fact.  To come to a site such as this and tell people who are sick and often fighting to continue to live their lives with as much joy and peace as possible that they are "negative" is wrong!  Comparable to poking your finger in an open wound.

Coming here claiming to be here to "help patients" and then stirring things up because people don't do things right....or don't fight the company hard enough is misleading AND stressful to those "patients".

I love the folks I have met on this site...those currently undergoing dialysis, those (like myself) who have kidneys of blessed donors working inside our bodies.  These people are strong, caring of each other, positive in the fact that they want to live and live well.  Anyone who sits back and pays attention to what is said in these posts and reads between the lines to see the heart and soul of the matter.  They want to be treated as human beings...with care and that isn't happening.  Not always, but for many.  Every situation is different as nurses, FA's and techs are different.  Some care...to some its a paycheck.  See the hurt and understand the frustration.  Step back from being defensive...these are people...with bad kidneys.....but great hearts and I will defend them forever.  But then.....I'm not a "company man".

I got through that without ONE curse word.  Sometimes I amaze me! ;)
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: willieandwinnie on February 19, 2009, 07:09:45 AM
Ok, I've got to offer my  :twocents; here...and if I offend anyone I apologize up front. 

No one....and I do mean NO ONE who works in an office on the admin side of a company knows what goes on at the "front line" level.  I know this as fact.  To come to a site such as this and tell people who are sick and often fighting to continue to live their lives with as much joy and peace as possible that they are "negative" is wrong!  Comparable to poking your finger in an open wound.

Coming here claiming to be here to "help patients" and then stirring things up because people don't do things right....or don't fight the company hard enough is misleading AND stressful to those "patients".

I love the folks I have met on this site...those currently undergoing dialysis, those (like myself) who have kidneys of blessed donors working inside our bodies.  These people are strong, caring of each other, positive in the fact that they want to live and live well.  Anyone who sits back and pays attention to what is said in these posts and reads between the lines to see the heart and soul of the matter.  They want to be treated as human beings...with care and that isn't happening.  Not always, but for many.  Every situation is different as nurses, FA's and techs are different.  Some care...to some its a paycheck.  See the hurt and understand the frustration.  Step back from being defensive...these are people...with bad kidneys.....but great hearts and I will defend them forever.  But then.....I'm not a "company man".

I got through that without ONE curse word.  Sometimes I amaze me! ;)


Very well said Wenchie.  :waving;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Zach on February 19, 2009, 08:18:12 AM


... i work in the corporate end because the world needs ditch diggers....


Who are the real ditch diggers?

1.  The Patients
2.  The Nurses and Patient Care Technicians
3.  The person in the Reuse Room
4.  The person who takes out the garbage and cleans the blood from the floor

8)
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: paris on February 19, 2009, 08:27:07 AM
Walk a mile in my shoes--------- no one knows until they have been there.  Wenchie said it very well.  My neph can't fully understand because he is healthy.  My nurses are able to go to work every day.   I can't.    My daughter in law works for the Catholic churches raising money for their schools.  But, she knows nothing about being a teacher.   Same difference if you are in the corporate office or in the dialysis center.    We are glad you are here, biller.  Take a little time to get to know us and you will see an amazing group of people living with hope every day.  We are very optomistic and supportive.   Enjoy the site.  There is more information here than any place on the internet.   :thumbup;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: paddbear0000 on February 19, 2009, 10:28:56 AM
I got through that without ONE curse word.  Sometimes I amaze me! ;)

Way to go Wenchie!!   ;D   Now I have a question. What is an FA? Sorry, but I'm very new to this dialysis thing.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: willieandwinnie on February 19, 2009, 10:58:11 AM
paddbear, I believe that FA is Facility Administrator. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.  :waving;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Wenchie58 on February 19, 2009, 03:42:11 PM
Thats what I understand an FA to be!  :)
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: paddbear0000 on February 20, 2009, 10:50:56 AM
Is that kind of like an office manager? My mom is a medical office manager.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Tinah1968 on February 20, 2009, 10:59:05 AM
Good thing you guys told me what an FA was i had "Fat Azz" in my head and I was reading that and then I started  thinking WOW that is kind of rough..But what do I know??.  :rofl; :rofl;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: pelagia on February 20, 2009, 05:37:12 PM

again, I'd base my opinion as many as you have on personal experience at the local level center than company wide.

Sure, personal opinion matters, but then you read of the same experiences over and over again, on the east coast or the west coast or the midwest or the south.  A pattern emerges and so does our collective wisdom.  Yes, there are good centers out there and caring staff, but there are also plenty of terrible centers with terrible staff.  My advice to you is to keep reading.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: nursewratchet on February 21, 2009, 02:09:25 AM
FA is the Facility Administrator.  Runs the clinic.  Pays the bills, makes the schedule, ensures safety,training,and compliance.  Hires,and fires everyone.  Makes the budget, tries to stick to the budget.  Listens to all the complaints, from staff or patients.  Addresses all the complaints, form staff and patients.  Does the job of any one who is not at work, the reuse, the PCT,  (and I am still the best PCT in the building),  sticks the difficult sticks when no one else can,the Charge Nurse, the secretary, or the janitor.  Is the Electrician, the BioMed, and the painter.  Orders ALL supplies...Is the counselor for all patients and staff members.  GOES TO EVERY STUPID MEETING!!!  Argues with corporate when corporate needs to be argued with!!! Well anyway, that's what I do as the FA.  Some Fa's sit in there office.  :rant;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: pelagia on February 21, 2009, 03:51:48 AM
When will they perfect cloning?  We need more of you nursewrachet!   :cuddle;  I hope that every once in awhile you get some positive reinforcement for what you do.  Probably you don't get enough.  Much of what you are doing would be transparent to most folks.  Unfortunately, it seems to be that when things work well they tend to go unnoticed.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: nursewratchet on February 21, 2009, 05:34:57 AM
FA is the Facility Administrator.  Runs the clinic.  Pays the bills, makes the schedule, ensures safety,training,and compliance.  Hires,and fires everyone.  Makes the budget, tries to stick to the budget.  Listens to all the complaints, from staff or patients.  Addresses all the complaints, form staff and patients.  Does the job of any one who is not at work, the reuse, the PCT,  (and I am still the best PCT in the building),  sticks the difficult sticks when no one else can,the Charge Nurse, the secretary, or the janitor.  Is the Electrician, the BioMed, and the painter.  Orders ALL supplies...Is the counselor for all patients and staff members.  GOES TO EVERY STUPID MEETING!!!  Argues with corporate when corporate needs to be argued with!!! Well anyway, that's what I do as the FA.  Some Fa's sit in there office.  :rant;
    And then... Make the bicarb,make some acid, check the water. Have to put up supplies,clean the kitchen, have celebrations, decorate the clinic, welcome the new patients and staff.  FIRE ANYONE who is stupid, lazy, disrespectful, or unsafe.  Fire them "the right way" so I don't get sued, when I really just want to say "GET OUT!!!"  sorry guys, still not sleeping, the mind races, you know!!!
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 21, 2009, 06:23:07 AM


... i work in the corporate end because the world needs ditch diggers....


Who are the real ditch diggers?

1.  The Patients
2.  The Nurses and Patient Care Technicians
3.  The person in the Reuse Room
4.  The person who takes out the garbage and cleans the blood from the floor

8)

in dialysis nurses, pcts, the patients and all those at the center level are the forefront of dialysis care, i'm behind the scenes, the unknowns... ditch diggers... no one knows them, but we know they are here. you took what i said out of context... perception is key in any conversation
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: David13 on February 21, 2009, 07:15:03 AM
Who are the real ditch diggers?

1. The Patients
2. The Nurses and Patient Care Technicians
3. The person in the Reuse Room
4. The person who takes out the garbage and cleans the blood from the floor

In my humble opinion, if those at the corporate and administrative level TRULY paid attention to the REAL "ditch diggers" as identified by Zach here, those who actually work the crappy late hours and weekends and take on-call responsibilities, and spend time with the patients, etc., they would have a much better organization in the long term.  These people know what is good and what is not good about the organization from a front line perspective, and they also have wonderful ideas about how to implement change.  They have common sense ideas about how to make improvements.  They need a seat at the table.  They need representation when decisions are being made.

Now if they could just get the fat cats at the top to take off their 3 Musketeers hats and actually listen rather than playing silly games and  just paying "lip service" to them, there might be some positive outcomes for everyone. 

 :twocents;  
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Wenchie58 on February 21, 2009, 07:25:10 AM
 :thumbup;

True David.....oh so true!
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: paddbear0000 on February 21, 2009, 10:59:44 AM
FA is the Facility Administrator.  Runs the clinic.  Pays the bills, makes the schedule, ensures safety,training,and compliance.  Hires,and fires everyone.  Makes the budget, tries to stick to the budget.  Listens to all the complaints, from staff or patients.  Addresses all the complaints, form staff and patients.  Does the job of any one who is not at work, the reuse, the PCT,  (and I am still the best PCT in the building),  sticks the difficult sticks when no one else can,the Charge Nurse, the secretary, or the janitor.  Is the Electrician, the BioMed, and the painter.  Orders ALL supplies...Is the counselor for all patients and staff members.  GOES TO EVERY STUPID MEETING!!!  Argues with corporate when corporate needs to be argued with!!! Well anyway, that's what I do as the FA.  Some Fa's sit in there office.  :rant;

 :yahoo;  There's nursewratchet! I was about to post asking if anyone knew where you were. Oh, and BTW, thanks for the detailed description. That sounds exactly like what my mother does (except for the dialysis related parts).
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 26, 2009, 05:23:36 AM
Who are the real ditch diggers?

1. The Patients
2. The Nurses and Patient Care Technicians
3. The person in the Reuse Room
4. The person who takes out the garbage and cleans the blood from the floor

In my humble opinion, if those at the corporate and administrative level TRULY paid attention to the REAL "ditch diggers" as identified by Zach here, those who actually work the crappy late hours and weekends and take on-call responsibilities, and spend time with the patients, etc., they would have a much better organization in the long term.  These people know what is good and what is not good about the organization from a front line perspective, and they also have wonderful ideas about how to implement change.  They have common sense ideas about how to make improvements.  They need a seat at the table.  They need representation when decisions are being made.

Now if they could just get the fat cats at the top to take off their 3 Musketeers hats and actually listen rather than playing silly games and  just paying "lip service" to them, there might be some positive outcomes for everyone. 

 :twocents;  

that is what i'd like to see happen, and if i can help, i will try.... lol 3 Musketeers, now i need some chocolate
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: David13 on February 26, 2009, 05:28:55 AM
Who are the real ditch diggers?

1. The Patients
2. The Nurses and Patient Care Technicians
3. The person in the Reuse Room
4. The person who takes out the garbage and cleans the blood from the floor

In my humble opinion, if those at the corporate and administrative level TRULY paid attention to the REAL "ditch diggers" as identified by Zach here, those who actually work the crappy late hours and weekends and take on-call responsibilities, and spend time with the patients, etc., they would have a much better organization in the long term.  These people know what is good and what is not good about the organization from a front line perspective, and they also have wonderful ideas about how to implement change.  They have common sense ideas about how to make improvements.  They need a seat at the table.  They need representation when decisions are being made.

Now if they could just get the fat cats at the top to take off their 3 Musketeers hats and actually listen rather than playing silly games and  just paying "lip service" to them, there might be some positive outcomes for everyone.

 :twocents; 

that is what i'd like to see happen, and if i can help, i will try.... lol 3 Musketeers, now i need some chocolate

Great!  If you can make that happen, you would truly be doing something momentous to change the way things are done for the better.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: dialysisbiller on February 26, 2009, 09:12:47 AM
before I worked where I do now, I was totally clueless.... now I'm just semi-clueless about dialysis...knowledge is power!
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: Bajanne on February 26, 2009, 09:18:20 AM
...knowledge is power!
AMEN, brother!!!
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: hurlock1 on April 15, 2009, 07:44:49 AM
I had a problem with a nurse practitioner. Before I was found to have kidney problems I was going to school on government loans, one of the requirements, before getting the loan was that I take a course about student loans. One of the things I remember about the course was that if I died or became disabled, I didn't have to pay back the loan. So, after about a year on dialysis, I started getting invoices, with threats. I wrote them and explained that I was disabled. They wrote back and sent a form which i filled out and had the Doctor fill out and mailed it back. They sent me a letter saying that I had been denied, that the form that I had filled out was for temporary disability. They had to do it on purpose (they have to justify their positions) because it's better that they're passive-aggressive than just stupid. Anyway, through some difficulty, I got the right form, filled it out, and left it for the doctor to fill out. The doctor signed it and left it for the nurse practitioner tp fill out the details. The nurse practitioner asked me "What is your disability?" I told her ESRD. She said, "That's not a disability" And I told her that she'd better take that up with the social securtiy admin. Well, some weeks later, the social worker came to me and said that student loans had called and said that that i wasn't disabled, that i was free to work.  On what planet am I not disabled? I can barely walk, I can barely sign my name! I used to do graphics for Tv commercials, etc, all I can do in Photoshop these days is view pictures. 
I knew that she was rude all the time, not only to the patients, but to the staff. When the social worker told me what the N.P. had done,  surprized, I said "Betty's a bitch!" and people all around me said "Yeah she Is!"
As it turns out, that friday, the doctor came for his monthly visit. I had written a letter - paper about what happened, because of my inabiliy to articulate my thoughts, which he read and that day, several others jumped on the band wagon and complained about her. I haven't seen her since.
I think that there's no qure for "nurse burnout" my wife's a nurse and she would quit if she couldn't care for patients in a compationent way.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: G-Ma on April 15, 2009, 02:15:24 PM
Wow...I missed this thread until today...NurseWratchet...thanks for your FA description...after reading that I have come to a determination that the clinic I go to doesn't have a FA...the techs are running all over the place trying to get everything you described done and there is a Head Nurse that says oh I'll talk to them but I don't know that it ever happens..today I saw a nurse with gloves on going from one patient to another, then stopping at the second patient, going to open a door, look out, then go back to the 2nd patient and open his lines witht he same gloves on.  I called the Head Nurse over and told her..don't think it helped..I will tell the Director on Friday as she has not been in for over a week.  She was here last week when the 3 nurses let my arterial site infiltrate after alarming for 5 minutes..I couldn't reach the machine and just as it became extremely painful my tech came running into the room, back from lunch..she had heard the machine coming in from outside...supposedly they were talked to but generally a talk lasts about 2 weeks and then down again.  If it weren't for the techs I'd be gone. 


 :Kit n Stik;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: paddbear0000 on April 15, 2009, 04:27:52 PM
Geez! Some people are just so flippin' incompetent!!!   :banghead;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: lola on April 15, 2009, 06:32:24 PM
Dahhhhvita LOVES OTTO, he has private ins.....$60grand a month they bill. WTF and I'm suppose to think better of them. In-center was billed 7 grand a month and they did everything for Otto including extras at no charge (ex- cramping, low BP, infiltration, headaches) Davita gives nothing extra.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: hurlock1 on April 16, 2009, 09:16:42 AM
What is FA?
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: monrein on April 16, 2009, 10:04:24 AM
Facility Administrator?  I'm just guessing.
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: monrein on April 16, 2009, 10:27:45 AM
FA is the Facility Administrator.  Runs the clinic.  Pays the bills, makes the schedule, ensures safety,training,and compliance.  Hires,and fires everyone.  Makes the budget, tries to stick to the budget.  Listens to all the complaints, from staff or patients.  Addresses all the complaints, form staff and patients.  Does the job of any one who is not at work, the reuse, the PCT,  (and I am still the best PCT in the building),  sticks the difficult sticks when no one else can,the Charge Nurse, the secretary, or the janitor.  Is the Electrician, the BioMed, and the painter.  Orders ALL supplies...Is the counselor for all patients and staff members.  GOES TO EVERY STUPID MEETING!!!  Argues with corporate when corporate needs to be argued with!!! Well anyway, that's what I do as the FA.  Some Fa's sit in there office.  :rant;
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: kitkatz on April 16, 2009, 08:56:47 PM
So a good FA kicks butt and takes name and chews bubblegum at the same time?
Title: Re: To Davita and my new friends here
Post by: nursewratchet on July 23, 2009, 11:07:28 AM
Well yes, but really, a GOOD FA knows that it's an infection control issue to be chewing gum in the facility.  A no-no for the staff at my clinic.   :puke;