freakin' tech

[twirl]

a tech was complained about by one of the patients and she is in a seat ahead of me on the front side - I am on the back side -- this tech sticks her and she yells "ouch" and the tech got annoyed --- so this went on for a week or longer and the patient reported it and now that tech was my tech today --
and "OUCH" it was like she jabbed me -- she said she was sorry but so what? 
I got her because the other patient complained --- so I called the head person and told her that I have not been hurt like that in years and I am not having her stick me again -- we are not "stabbing wagons"-
or dart boards ---- the head person told me she has to stick someone -- " fine as long as it is not me"
or any of my friends at dialysis --- the tech is rude and has worked there for about 5 years --
she yells at patients to keep their arms still and she is all around unliked --- for good reasons

I don't want to go back --- ever again --- she hurt me with both needles and I think she enjoyed it ---
plus I use the cream and most the times I feel little or no pain at all -- sometime I am not sure I have been stuck --

[okarol]

GOD this makes me so mad "the head person told me she has to stick someone" -- that's code for "I don't care." That response is unacceptable! 
I don't understand why more people don't contact whoever owns the dialysis unit and complain. Everyone is so afraid to demand good care and service. You (and your insurance) are paying tons of money for this and should not accept crappy service.
I know as an advocate for Jenna they hated to see me steamrolling in there with a complaint, but I would raise hell when someone hurt her. Isn't dialysis tough enough without having callous, insensitive and unskilled people in charge of your care??
I would recommend the next time you get hurt when they stick you, give the tech a sharp, well placed kick to the shin. Then say "oops, sorry."
If patients accept shoddy service it will never improve.

[willowtreewren]

This just won't do, Twirl.

It isn't all right for techs to be careless with their care of patients.

This makes me  mad!

Aleta

[marti824]

I hate when they say "I'm sorry" when they stick you.  There is one tech at my center that I just do not like.  she hurts me every time she sticks me, once to the point of tears.  I dread seeing her in my section when I get there.  then she sticks that stupid plastic thermometer in my mouth first so that I can't scream. 

[willowtreewren]

Spit it out and scream anyway. Sometimes you really, really need to scream!

[dwcrawford]

damn twirl... what did you do to her?  did you make fun of her donkies?

Throw a fit next time and don't let her near you.  Make a scene.  Hey, I bet you can do that.

[Ang]

i copped  eactly  the  same  recently  i  got  it  and  the  tech  wasn't  looking  at  me,

karma  will  come  and  poke  these #$%$$ and  its gonna  hurt  and  i'm  gonna  piss  myself  laughing.

[MIbarra]

Twirl, if she comes your way next time, get out of the chair and refuse to be stuck by her. Okarol is absolutely correct. You and your insurance are paying too much to be treated this way. If the tech doesn't have any skill sticking someone in a dialysis unit and she's been doing this for 5 years, then she needs to find another job!

[David13]

If she has been a tech for 5 years and she continues to hurt people each time she sticks them, she is either unable to learn or she simply enjoys hurting people. 

I think you should stand your ground, Twirl.  Refuse to allow her near you. 

If enough people stand up to her and refuse to allow her to stick them, the manager will have no choice but to deal with her in some way.

[Wenchie58]

You're a Texan Twirly....jump up and stomp her donkey! 

[MandaMe1986]

  Pop her in the eye next time

[dwcrawford]

Don't listen to these people Cheryl... They'll get in you trouble.  Be nice, but firm.  Get a Big Stick.

[MandaMe1986]

I would never give Twirl advice that would get her in trouble...never 

[dwcrawford]

HEHE.  But twirl doesn't need a whole lot of help getting in trouble.......

[MandaMe1986]

Nope no she dosn't..

[Kitsune]

Twirl,

Scream, yell, refuses, threaten to go to another center. That's what I do. Considering that my center has lost 3 patients to death in the span of 18 months, they do not want to lose one (especially one that pretty much does all but piriming, putting the numbers in and sticking for herself) to bad protocol. Also, to lose me would mean they might get someone that could do nothing for themselves, therefore making extra work for most of these lazybones. You CAN refuse a tech, I have done it and while it makes them mad, so what? It's your life and being a "good little girl" (yes, I have been told to be a "good girl" before by staff like I am a child who just doesn't like the needles) only makes more problems for you. Just tell them they'll do it your way or not at all, and MEAN IT!! No one will mess with you, especailly if you scream and curse. They don't want you to raise a stink, for fear it will scare their new patients, which my shift always seems to have, as they dialyze sick old people mostly on that particular shift. Scare them? As if! Certain techs' callous attitudes do that just fine, thanks.

[dwcrawford]

oh my god, kit.   are you on my bay?

[paul.karen]

This is sad to read.
Imagine all the new people who she is the first to ever stick.  They probably think it always hurts like that and it is normal.

  Twirl. 

[twirl]

actually I am not out spoken at all
in person, I can be very shy
but this is wrong and I do not have to be hurt -
I mean not like someone jabbing my arm
ready, aim, FIRE

I AM GOING TO ASK FOR A BLINDFOLD!
the head person asked me to give her another chance -
I don't know if I will
it is hard to let someone stick you when you know the odds are 100% it will hurt
hurting is one thing  -- but this is torture
and she knows it

[monrein]

Twirl, can you quietly, shyly but very very firmly tell the head person that you don't want that tech?  You could say something like  "I try my best to come here and do what I have to do because my life depends on it but as you know D is not easy and I find that if I add yet another level of fear or dread to this business I can't even relax on my days off.  I'm very sorry (of course you're NOT, you, me and everyone else here knows you're not and nor should you be) but I don't want to give her a second chance.  The needles hurt me some when anyone does them but when she does them it creates panic and terror for me.  That should not be a part of this treatment."

Soft spoken but firm anger is often more effective because people can't blame you for being out of control.
Good luck, I wish I could stick you, reassure you and teach you to do it yourself.  Not going to happen I know but there's nothing like freedom from bad stickers.   

[cariad]

Another chance?! Seems to me she has had five years of chances. This is so infuriating!

Your description of her, especially when you said you suspected she enjoyed hurting you, made me shudder. I have met these types before, and they do not deserve a second chance nor a job in healthcare.

I can be awfully shy in person as well. In situations like this, I drag my best advocate along (husband). If I become too upset/emotional to stand up for myself, he takes over.

Best of luck, Twirl - please let us know how this works out for you.

[dwcrawford]

What good advice from  Gail, Cheryl.  You can do that!  Wish we could bring Morein to Houston and get her to teach us both.  My techs don't want me to learn to do oit myself, and the great nurse who promised to do it got fired.  She was fire for telling two lazy techs to do some work.  I saw the whole thing a month ago and Jamie got fired.  Well, I know the reason but I'd  better not write it down. 

[twirl]

I would have to be blindfolded and drunk to try my own needles and still I would do a less painful job....

[okarol]

I would have to be blindfolded and drunk to try my own needles and still I would do a less painful job....

 
You'd be a good tech twirl!

[Beth35]

Ouch!  I feel your pain.  When I went to college I had to switch dialysis centers and there was this one guy at the new center who was so BIG.  His arms were huge and he was SO rough.  It hurt SO bad whenever he put the needles in.  When they would sit me in a chair I would hope and pray he wasn't taking care of my section for the night.  I never had the nerve to say something.  I was young and didn't want to hurt his feelings.  One day I did whisper to one of the techs that he hurt me and I didn't want him doing me anymore.  I think after that day, they tried to make sure he didn't have me in his section.  It's so frustrating to have that much pain.  I used to cry too when he stuck me.