Dialysis Center "Comfort" is that possible?

[McJetter]

My husband is the one on dialysis - His center recently changed him from Tues - Thurs - Sat to Mon - Wed - Fri.  He had requested the change.  Before changing he'd asked for an earlier time and to be in a certain part of the dialysis center.  Also he is a "big" guy, especially since he gained about 60 lbs on CAPD that's the main reason he had to change to hemo.  They have one "big" chair.  It had been broken for over two weeks.  It's uncomfortable enough to sit in the "big" chair for 5 hrs, I finally called to find out when the chair was going to be fixed.   I was then told by his dialysis nurse that it was fixed and that he'd get to use it Wed nights only because it was already being used by someone on Monday and Friday.  Okay - where to start - why would they change him if they knew that chair wasn't available?  So now he's in a different section than he req

[McJetter]

sorry - I wasn't finished - He's in a different section than he requested getting started over an hour later than he requested and now can only use the "big" chair once a week??  These are people that are ill, the requests they make, are to make their dialysis sessions more bearable.  What are kidney patients rights?  Who stands up for them except their families... I know they don't like me at the center because I'm vocal but you know what... too bad.  I'm gonna keep fighting for him to be as comfortable as possible while he spends those 5 hours in that chair.

[jbeany]

My center is happy to accommodate our requests - but it's a first come, first served basis.  If the time slot is already full, or the particular chair already has a person using it, then we just have to wait until there is an opening.  They won't change another person's schedule to satisfy someone else. If you want MWF instead of TTS, you have to wait until one of the MWF people need to change times as well. They keep a wait list of people who have requested time changes, and adjust them as they can.   I guess I thought that was pretty standard practice, so what's happening to your hubby doesn't surprise me.  I am surprised they didn't tell him about not being able to use the big chair if he switched his run time.  Seems to me like that would have been an important point to mention, so he could have chosen between the TTS with the chair and the MWF without it.

[G-Ma]

Exactly what JB said.  Also, do they have any beds available that he might be able to use?  He may have to go back to the other schedule until what he wants is available.  Sorry for his inconvenience.

[McJetter]

I agree with you 100% that the other person had the chair first - but as you stated not telling him the chair wasn't available when they were making the change was wrong.  He would have stayed on the Tu - Th - Sat rotation if he'd have know the chair wasn't available.  I also think as much money as they make at these centers getting a second "big" chair is not an unreasonable request.

[Rerun]

You are exactly right.  These centers make millions.  If it is a DaVita center you just need to keep asking for a "higher up" person and threaten to call Medicare.  Or, just plain call Medicare.  He needs to be comfortable for 5 hours and he is paying for it.

The Social Worker should help you but most of them are idiots.       

[twirl]

dialysis/comfort    isn't that an oxymoron

[dialysisbiller]

if anyone needs names of 'higher' ups for DaVita, give me the name of your center and I can get you an email address of the Group VP, Divisional VP, Regional Operation Directors, etc etc... they don't like getting emails from patient's cos it means the center isn't doing 'their' part in putting 'patient care first'.... one of DaVita's mottos...

[kitkatz]

Patient care first....hahahahahaha 



Is that why they do not complain at me when I want three pillows pillowcased for me?

[dwcrawford]

Sometimes if you want people to listen and do what you want (like put 3 pillows in cases) if they think you are a crazy person they will do it to keep you from going off the beam....

[kitkatz]

Sometimes if you want people to listen and do what you want (like put 3 pillows in cases) if they think you are a crazy person they will do it to keep you from going off the beam....

 

Hehehe. Okay so now we know why I get my way at the center.  God help them, they pissed me off once, and they decided never to do it again! They know the crazy lady has arrived!

[RichardMEL]

It was probably just a case of them not *thinking* (which is the cause of 95% of problems like this I reckon). I mean if hubby didn't specifically say "and I want that big chair" they probably wouldn't have even joined the dots (and why do they only have one "big" chair? Given the state of most americans - being bigger I mean - you'd think they'd have more than one???).. but anyway like I said I bet when they said he could change they simply didn't consider that.

Perhaps as an interim solution you need to think ways around this - eg: can you supply heaps of pillows and stuff to pad up one of the normal chairs to make it semi-comfortable for him? Or perhaps lower the armrests of a normal chair to provide extra width for him? I'd also write / contact the management to request they supply more bigger chairs so this sort of situation won't occur so often. Don't know what good that would do but you can at least try.

We have a patient at our unit, an older gentleman, and he prefers a specific sort of chair they have. If he's not allocated to it he has such a hissy fit it's amazing.. you'd think he was 7 not 70. I understand these chairs are not comfortable - heck I've spent 5 hours, 3 times a week in them for 3 years so far.. but it's amazing.. so they tell him "OK if you want chair X you need to wait till it becomes available" so THEn he cracks a fit because he came early and he should get on ASAP. You can't win with some people!! LOL. Me I just accept wherever they stick me... doesn't matter much to me because I'll always be uncomfortable no matter what (but I'm a skinny guy so I admit I can't understand fully the specific issues a "big" guy would have).

[Kitsune]

It was probably just a case of them not *thinking* (which is the cause of 95% of problems like this I reckon). I mean if hubby didn't specifically say "and I want that big chair" they probably wouldn't have even joined the dots (and why do they only have one "big" chair? Given the state of most americans - being bigger I mean - you'd think they'd have more than one???).. but anyway like I said I bet when they said he could change they simply didn't consider that.

Perhaps as an interim solution you need to think ways around this - eg: can you supply heaps of pillows and stuff to pad up one of the normal chairs to make it semi-comfortable for him? Or perhaps lower the armrests of a normal chair to provide extra width for him? I'd also write / contact the management to request they supply more bigger chairs so this sort of situation won't occur so often. Don't know what good that would do but you can at least try.

We have a patient at our unit, an older gentleman, and he prefers a specific sort of chair they have. If he's not allocated to it he has such a hissy fit it's amazing.. you'd think he was 7 not 70. I understand these chairs are not comfortable - heck I've spent 5 hours, 3 times a week in them for 3 years so far.. but it's amazing.. so they tell him "OK if you want chair X you need to wait till it becomes available" so THEn he cracks a fit because he came early and he should get on ASAP. You can't win with some people!! LOL. Me I just accept wherever they stick me... doesn't matter much to me because I'll always be uncomfortable no matter what (but I'm a skinny guy so I admit I can't understand fully the specific issues a "big" guy would have).

Richard,

We have an adult child named Angie like that at our center, and you'd think she was 4 instead of 48. One day the TV at her chair didn't work, and she threw a holy fit, "I'M NOT SITTING THERE!!!! I HAVE NO TV!!! DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT ME??? "  and refused to sit until they put her on another machine. Some poor old guy had to sit where she had been scheduled, and this guy finishes all his treatments unlike Angie The Pest. Maybe we should all whine and cry when we want things, it works for these dumb s.

[RichardMEL]

I love it!!! Someone's there for a treatment classes as "life support" but bitches the TV doesn't work and that must mean they don't "care" about her. That's funny.

I totally understand that it would be VERY annoying. I've gone through a few sessions over the years where my radio's died, or I didn't put the right thing on my ipod, or one time my laptop crapped out and I didn't have my entertainment but gee... suck it up princess!

The reason patients are there is to sustain life. TV's and stuff are nice, but they are just an additional perk. That's why I bring my own entertainment. At least I know I'll get something I want to watch or listen to, and I'm not at the whim of some other patient..... or something like that not working at the unit.

Yesterday an old guy was harassing a nurse to come "warm him up" in his bed. You know I just shake my head at some of the stuff these people have to put up with.

(then there's the other patient with some 'emotional issues' who asks EVERYBODY, and I mean EVERYBODY he sees to marry him.. even me!!! You do not want to know my response  )

[dwcrawford]

My center doesn't even have premium channels on the cable TV.  And they don't serve cocktails till neverly 2 PM.

[willowtreewren]

And they don't serve cocktails till nearly 2 PM.

What?   

Don't they know that after noon the sun is over the yard arm?

Cm'on.