Angie's rant about inclinic HD

[angieskidney]

This could be my favourite home! I have always wanted a place to rant when I feel so out of control about my care! Now I have a place!! Thx Epo!

I am in a clinic called "Satelite Renal Clinic" but we all know it in my city as "self care" because we are moved to this one instead of the hospital unit when we are to be trained in our own care when it comes to in-clinic Hemo Dialysis. This Canadian unit is small. 12 chairs only and no patient has to worry about affording the dialysis care because it is covered by the Ontario health insurance plan that is for all residents of Ontario. It is a fine unit. Clean and organized. But I do have some complaints which only warrent ranting and no real action needed.

All nurses have their bad days and all patients have their bad days. But when they clash it needs to be ranted about.

There is one particular nurse who always picks on me when I come in with a donut. She is bigger than me and I am only 140 lbs at 5'3" which is not too bad is it? My fluid gains are usually around 3L (only 3 x a week dialysis here). I have been gaining tissue weight sure .. but I started hemo malnourished when I got peritonitis and dropped from 140 lbs to 112 lbs in a matter of weeks! I know I was malnourished because I started losing my hair. Of course the hair loss didn't start until after I was hospitalized for the Peritonitis and being treated in hospital. But they never told me I was. i had to figure it out for myself. And since they never documented that I was malnourished the nurse gave me a hard time about my constant tissue weight gains. She started on my case about eating even though my dietitian said that I am doing better than any other patient (I had perfect phosphate and potassium levels at this time that the nurse was giving me the hard time).

Another time the same nurse was doing something to my machine but wouldn't tell me when she was doing. She just ignored me when I asked. It made me feel so helpless especially when I am supposed to be learning about my care in this "self care" unit. I ended up getting so frustrated that my eyes teared up. I held my anger in.

And now with them starting to use my fistula I find I am having a hard time getting any feedback on when I can start the buttonhole technique and if anyone will teach it to me. One nurse I have all this week (who is my favourite nurse) says I will have to go on the day shift (I am in evenings) or I will not be able to learn it. Why wasn't I told this sooner? So now I don't know if my new position on my job will be able to be worked around. It seems just easier to not work with how everything in Hemo dialysis the nurses tell you on a need to know basis only without much notice of any kind to anything.

It is annoying and I could rant forever on so many things in hemo dialysis (in clinic) but I will say only this much for now. More to come later! lol

[Sara]

I think those are legitimate rants!  Some of them I would not be afraid to do something about either. 

[Bajanne]

Definitely legitimate!  You need to share your concerns with someone who can help.  Especially if you are supposed to be learning to do stuff yourself.

[Epoman]

This could be my favourite home! I have always wanted a place to rant when I feel so out of control about my care! Now I have a place!! Thx Epo!

I am in a clinic called "Satelite Renal Clinic" but we all know it in my city as "self care" because we are moved to this one instead of the hospital unit when we are to be trained in our own care when it comes to in-clinic Hemo Dialysis. This Canadian unit is small. 12 chairs only and no patient has to worry about affording the dialysis care because it is covered by the Ontario health insurance plan that is for all residents of Ontario. It is a fine unit. Clean and organized. But I do have some complaints which only warrent ranting and no real action needed.

All nurses have their bad days and all patients have their bad days. But when they clash it needs to be ranted about.

There is one particular nurse who always picks on me when I come in with a donut. She is bigger than me and I am only 140 lbs at 5'3" which is not too bad is it? My fluid gains are usually around 3L (only 3 x a week dialysis here). I have been gaining tissue weight sure .. but I started hemo malnourished when I got peritonitis and dropped from 140 lbs to 112 lbs in a matter of weeks! I know I was malnourished because I started losing my hair. Of course the hair loss didn't start until after I was hospitalized for the Peritonitis and being treated in hospital. But they never told me I was. i had to figure it out for myself. And since they never documented that I was malnourished the nurse gave me a hard time about my constant tissue weight gains. She started on my case about eating even though my dietitian said that I am doing better than any other patient (I had perfect phosphate and potassium levels at this time that the nurse was giving me the hard time).

Another time the same nurse was doing something to my machine but wouldn't tell me when she was doing. She just ignored me when I asked. It made me feel so helpless especially when I am supposed to be learning about my care in this "self care" unit. I ended up getting so frustrated that my eyes teared up. I held my anger in.

And now with them starting to use my fistula I find I am having a hard time getting any feedback on when I can start the buttonhole technique and if anyone will teach it to me. One nurse I have all this week (who is my favourite nurse) says I will have to go on the day shift (I am in evenings) or I will not be able to learn it. Why wasn't I told this sooner? So now I don't know if my new position on my job will be able to be worked around. It seems just easier to not work with how everything in Hemo dialysis the nurses tell you on a need to know basis only without much notice of any kind to anything.

It is annoying and I could rant forever on so many things in hemo dialysis (in clinic) but I will say only this much for now. More to come later! lol

Call up "Medisystems" and ask them to send you their video on the buttonhole technique, they will have to address it to your social worker care of YOU, but you will get it. They sent me a video. They are very nice people.

http://www.medisystems.com/

[angieskidney]

This could be my favourite home! I have always wanted a place to rant when I feel so out of control about my care! Now I have a place!! Thx Epo!

I am in a clinic called "Satelite Renal Clinic" but we all know it in my city as "self care" because we are moved to this one instead of the hospital unit when we are to be trained in our own care when it comes to in-clinic Hemo Dialysis. This Canadian unit is small. 12 chairs only and no patient has to worry about affording the dialysis care because it is covered by the Ontario health insurance plan that is for all residents of Ontario. It is a fine unit. Clean and organized. But I do have some complaints which only warrent ranting and no real action needed.

All nurses have their bad days and all patients have their bad days. But when they clash it needs to be ranted about.

There is one particular nurse who always picks on me when I come in with a donut. She is bigger than me and I am only 140 lbs at 5'3" which is not too bad is it? My fluid gains are usually around 3L (only 3 x a week dialysis here). I have been gaining tissue weight sure .. but I started hemo malnourished when I got peritonitis and dropped from 140 lbs to 112 lbs in a matter of weeks! I know I was malnourished because I started losing my hair. Of course the hair loss didn't start until after I was hospitalized for the Peritonitis and being treated in hospital. But they never told me I was. i had to figure it out for myself. And since they never documented that I was malnourished the nurse gave me a hard time about my constant tissue weight gains. She started on my case about eating even though my dietitian said that I am doing better than any other patient (I had perfect phosphate and potassium levels at this time that the nurse was giving me the hard time).

Another time the same nurse was doing something to my machine but wouldn't tell me when she was doing. She just ignored me when I asked. It made me feel so helpless especially when I am supposed to be learning about my care in this "self care" unit. I ended up getting so frustrated that my eyes teared up. I held my anger in.

And now with them starting to use my fistula I find I am having a hard time getting any feedback on when I can start the buttonhole technique and if anyone will teach it to me. One nurse I have all this week (who is my favourite nurse) says I will have to go on the day shift (I am in evenings) or I will not be able to learn it. Why wasn't I told this sooner? So now I don't know if my new position on my job will be able to be worked around. It seems just easier to not work with how everything in Hemo dialysis the nurses tell you on a need to know basis only without much notice of any kind to anything.

It is annoying and I could rant forever on so many things in hemo dialysis (in clinic) but I will say only this much for now. More to come later! lol

Call up "Medisystems" and ask them to send you their video on the buttonhole technique, they will have to address it to your social worker care of YOU, but you wil get it. They sent me a video. They are very nice people.

http://www.medisystems.com/

Thank you

[Panda_9]

OMG angie your weight is actually well within the healthy limits for your height. I think this nurse is jealous that she is a fat cow and your not  If you want a donut then have one! Obviously you will put on weight when you go from being malnourished and not eating, to being more well and eating. The same has happened to me. I lost 30kgs in the time I was on PD and for the first part of converting to hemo. Now since I am a hell of alot better, I am eating normally and I have gained about 6kgs! I am trying to lose weight, but it seems to only want to go up and up. I have lost all willpower which doesnt help. Now Ive just weighed myself and the scales arent reflecting what I drank. According to the scales I gained 900gms overnight! 

[angieskidney]

OMG angie your weight is actually well within the healthy limits for your height. I think this nurse is jealous that she is a fat cow and your not  If you want a donut then have one! Obviously you will put on weight when you go from being malnourished and not eating, to being more well and eating. The same has happened to me. I lost 30kgs in the time I was on PD and for the first part of converting to hemo. Now since I am a hell of alot better, I am eating normally and I have gained about 6kgs! I am trying to lose weight, but it seems to only want to go up and up. I have lost all willpower which doesnt help. Now Ive just weighed myself and the scales arent reflecting what I drank. According to the scales I gained 900gms overnight! 

Ya exactly!! I think she just sees that I have gained and keep on gaining and now I have surpasses my perfect weight (am 62kg now) and everyone seems to think I will end up being 75kg by years end. But I keep telling people "look I was more active before and right now I am not yet back to work because I need to be trained for a new position because I can't do the eheavy lifting anymore with this arm! Once my bp is not so low I can get back to being more active!"

[Panda_9]

Forgot to mention angie, if the nurse ignores you when you ask a question, keep asking her and get louder each time you ask. Eventually she will have to answer you!

[angieskidney]

Forgot to mention angie, if the nurse ignores you when you ask a question, keep asking her and get louder each time you ask. Eventually she will have to answer you!

True. I am not good at being loud 

[Panda_9]

Im not either, I am pretty quiet and shy. But lately I am getting used to asking questions in relation to dialysis, and if I dont get an answer ill ask someone else. The majority of our Dx nurses and nephs are very good and are more than happy to answer questions.
If someone is rude to me, I am learning to be rude back, they dont like that.
If they dont answer you the first time, just say excuse me, until you get their attention, if they still ignore you, well then they are a so n so arent they!! I guess you could report them?
If a nurse had a go at me every time I was in for dialysis I think I would end up telling them to #@$# off!