For those on hemo, can you share some pros and cons about your center?

[Sara]

Obviously a big con is having to go there at all.

I'm looking for ideas/tips so that when we go looking for a new center we'll know what's good to have and what to try to avoid.

Example:  If the place is dirty and the techs are dropping doughnut crumbs while placing your needles, that'd be a big fat CON.  If your center has working TV's with extended cable for every chair, that could be a PRO.

[hyperlite]

My centre has TVs with cable for every chair, and theyve got headphone adaptors (with extension). Theres wireless internet, and a phone for every chair. They serve coffee, tea, ice and gingerale with every treatment. Its extremely easy to get a treatment switched from morning to afternoon or night (and vice versa). We're allowed visitors as long as they arent in the way. Its also a self care unit (we set up the machines, and some people put in their own needles) but we are given a grace day once a week, where the nurses set up the machines for us (our choosing) so on that day we dont have to be there early.

As for Cons, i cant really think of any...

[Rerun]

Hyperlite, I tried to find you in the "Introduce Yourself" to see where the heck you live to get that kind of service.  Did I miss you or do you need to go tell us about your life.  Pleeeeease~ 

[Epoman]

Hyperlite, I tried to find you in the "Introduce Yourself" to see where the heck you live to get that kind of service.  Did I miss you or do you need to go tell us about your life.  Pleeeeease~ 

Yeah please go and introduce yourself in the "Introduce Yourself" section.

[kitkatz]

Pro:
     I learned how to set the machine numbers on my own.
     I have techs and nurses who let me control my treatment and don't give me a lot of bullshit when I want to leave early or I am having a rotten day.
     New boss and everything is cleaner and better  in the unit.

Suggestions
    For awhile everything in the unit was going to hell in a handbasket and noone would pay attention to complaints.
    No way for us to file and have grievances listened to and taken care of.
    Lights are directly over patients faces.  Please put in a light that can be controlled so techs can see to cannulate the arm, then move it where the patient wants it so we can sleep without bright lights in our faces.
    A door leading to the staff area. It creates noise in the patient areas when staff stand in the door and yell at each other from the breakroom.  This has stopped in our unit. Thank God.
     Put an ice machine at the door of the unit for us ice aholics! And let us use it without any smart ass comments.  Yes, we know when we have overdone it.
   Be respectful of the rights of the patients. When we say we want of the machine we want OFF.  I will sign any damned paper you want me to sign just let me GO. And don't argue with me.
    When patients don't feel good do not push, push, push at them.  I had a tech make me cry in the unit because I was in pain and she would do nothing for me.  I was pissed by the time I left.  (BTW I hardly ever cry in front of people.)

Just a few. I will have more later.

Katherine

[Bajanne]

Well, I think the PRO of my centre is that it is very small.  There are only seven machines.  My shift - MWF afternoon only has three patients.  There are two other shifts - MWF morning and TTS morning.
There are only two television sets, and both are to the left of the unit, so only about three or four patients can watch, but the volume is usually so low, that it hardly makes sense.
There used to be a problem with having to wait a long time to get on a machine, but recently I have been going on as soon as I arrive.
The atmosphere is very friendly.  We are all laid-back Caribbean people.  We don't have two nurses from any one island.  I was very happy that a new nurse came just as I started dialysis and he happens to be from my island.  I felt that was done just for me (like this site starting just before I had dialysis)

[ralph]

Hi, I'm on hemodialysis at a Renal Care Group center. We have 17 chairs and they are all full for first and second shifts third shift is only on Tuesday Thursday Saturday, and I don't know how many are on that shift. I have only one complaint that is the temperature in the unit, one needs a fan while others are freezing. Of course the one that needs the fan is sitting by one that is freezing and the poor person that is cold gets colder (me). We are allowed to eat what ever we want, but are cautioned about eating too much because of the drop in blood pressure digestion causes. Drinks can be brought in but if you are overloaded with fluid you will certainly get a lecture if you bring a large drink. TV is good, individual headphones, two patients share one TV. In a world where dialysis is necessary I think it is a pretty good place to be. Sorry this is so long I still didn't say all I wanted.

[kitkatz]

Also, no matter what you see me eating leave it with me. The dietitian should not be allowed to take food away from the patients at any time.  This creates great animosity between patient and staff.  If I want to eat crap let me. A gentle reminder is fine from a staff member, but no one should have the right to take it from the patient.

Have to doctor spend More than two minutes a visit with each patient.  I feel the renal center doc should visit with each patient no matter what.  Sit down by their side and have a chat about their care and about their lives.  Not just Howyadoin?, then leave.  Geez what care.  They charge Medicare 500 bucks a month for that!

Also an emergency help line for dialysis patients who have concerns but do not need or want to go to the emergency room would be nice.  I had a worry about the graft in my arm Sunday from an infiltration but six hours in the emergency room to hear "Yep it's swollen allright". meant I did not go.
It would have been nice to talk to someone about it.

Provide each patient with an emergency bleeding pack for the trip home.  Resupply it as needed.  Some gauze and tape and bandaids just in case the clots decide to bleed in the car.  I know my emergency kit has come in handy more than once.

Katherine

[Epoman]

Also, no matter what you see me eating leave it with me. The dietitian should not be allowed to take food away from the patients at any time.  This creates great animosity between patient and staff.  If I want to eat crap let me. A gentle reminder is fine from a staff member, but no one should have the right to take it from the patient.

Have to doctor spend More than two minutes a visit with each patient.  I feel the renal center doc should visit with each patient no matter what.  Sit down by their side and have a chat about their care and about their lives.  Not just Howyadoin?, then leave.  Geez what care.  The charge Medicare 500 bucks a month for that!

Also an emergency help line for dialysis patients who have concerns but do not need or want to go to the emergency room would be nice.  I had a worry about the graft in my arm Sunday from an infiltration but six hours in the emergency room to hear "Yep it's swollen allright". meant I did not go.
It would have been nice to talk to someone about it.

Provide each patient with an emergency bleeding pack for the trip home.  Resupply it as needed.  Some gauze and tape and bandaids just in case the clots decide to bleed int he car.  I know my emergency kit has come in handy more than once.

Katherine

This is what I am hoping to get started on this site a "Help" line for questions a person may need an answer for NOW! If you noticed my "Skype" thread you would see I already have the plan in place I just need more members to install "Skype" it is free. Please see this thread for more info: http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=272.0 This is can really be a helpful part of our site, not only for people "new" to dialysis but us veterans as well.

- Epoman

[Naggy6]

My unit is pretty good about letting us do our own thing. We can eat or drink what ever we want and mostly the TVs are 1 TV per two patients. a few of the chairs have their own TV. We have 21 chairs, three of them are in their own small private room. I think those rooms are good when some one really feel like crap. We have three shifts 6 days a week 7:AM 12: noon and 5:PM.  Oh I forgot there is no 5: PM on Tue,Thur.Sat. sorry about that.

some of the nurses are pretty good bout letting us get in and ready to get on the machine when ever we get there as long as our seat is empty and clean. Some of the nurses are a bit anal about not letting us in before 5:PM though. I understand if it's really busy or there are things going on and people are in the way. But if it's kind of quite I don't see what the big deal is about getting in the room a little bit early. Most of the time they will let me in slightly before others because I set the settings on my own machine and put in my own needles. Once and while I even put myself on the machine. Even when I wait for some one else to do it I just get ready and sit quietly until they get around to putting me on. Some of the patients start complaining if they have to wait and I think that is why some of the nurses won't let people in early.

My unit is in Boston, MA in case any one was wondering where it is. It used to be run by the hospital and they had blankets and pillows and an Ice machine. I don't drink coffee but some people said they used to have coffee and tea and even soup there. A new place took over the unit now it is run by DCI. Dialysis Clinic Inc. No ice, no coffee/tea/soup. no blankets or pillows.

I wish they had lockers so we could leave our stuff there until the next time. I work full time and have to take my stuff with me to work, blanket and some times a change of clothes. Most of the tech are nice

I don't know if it is set up for wireless access. I did see some one there with a lap top last night but I don't know if he was on line or just using it for some thing else. The do have a dvd player you just put the TV on a certain station and any one who wants to can watch the movie. Usually one guy brings movies all the time.

[Rerun]

I'm a member of Netflix (rent DVD's by mail) and so I always bring a movie.  But, it seems to be a pain in the butt to get someone to put it in and take it out for me.  And they won't let me in the back secret room.  So, I just bring my DVD player and watch my movie by myself. 

[Naggy6]

I was just looking st this thread again for some reason and realized that it kind of got off topic. It seems to have turned into talking about centers as opposed to pros and cons of PD.

I think the bigest pro of PD is that I have a fistula that allows me to be able to go swimming still. If I couldn't go swimming I think I would go nuts. I love the water, I figure I was born part fish.

[hyperlite]

huh? I thought the topic was "Pros and cons about your centre"...and I think you mean a con of PD would be not being able to go swimming...not a pro.

[Naggy6]

I was just looking st this thread again for some reason and realized that it kind of got off topic. It seems to have turned into talking about centers as opposed to pros and cons of PD.

I think the bigest pro of PD is that I have a fistula that allows me to be able to go swimming still. If I couldn't go swimming I think I would go nuts. I love the water, I figure I was born part fish.

Opps  once again I was looking at this thread and realized that my last post didn't make any since. When I wrote it I was thinking the topic was the pros and cons of HD vs. PD. Looking at it just know I realized it was  pros and cons of your center. 

Sorrry about that.

[Naggy6]

huh? I thought the topic was "Pros and cons about your centre"...and I think you mean a con of PD would be not being able to go swimming...not a pro.

Thank you hyperlite your right what I really meant was a pro of HD was being able to go swimmimg. 

I don't know were my head is these days.