..

[Neo]

I dont have a lot of time because im going to my dialysis treatment but im having a problem the technician on the night shift is falling asleep. I get benadryl shots 3 times throughout the night to stay asleep for the 8 hours treatment, I am given a flashlight to shine so the tech sees it and tells the nurse and the nurse gives me my shot. Now over the past month this has been happening and I have had to call the unit from my cell phone and then ..get this.. I am asked by the director why am i calling the unit and waking up the other patients on the machine at nigh. So i tell the director about the technician who is sleeping, and the director says she will handle it. well it has been a week and she is still falling asleep and i have been forced to change my schedule with the nurse so that the nurse has to come check on me and wake me up at a certain time and give me my benadryl. I AM SO UPSET!!! I told the director again today,"did you talk to the tech" she said yes is the tech still falling asleep, i said yes, and my family is becoming concerned. @ weeks ago I leaked from my access all over my pillow that was under my arm, and because this tech, didn't  check on me it went unnoticed, it was a lot of blood. So this really scared me what should I do if there continues to be nothing done, im talking to the doctor who is in charge of the unit tomorrow. If nothing is done what should i do next,this has been an unnecessary stress that i dont need, please give me advice...

[willieandwinnie]

Neo, I'm so sorry you are going through this. Just what you don't need, more stress. You have the right idea on the cell phone, and I'd keep doing it if I were in your shoes. I'd also be jumping up and down with the director, doctor, nurses and that tech. What the hell are they thinking? This reminds me of the time Len was in the hospital and guy in room beside him called 911 because nobody answered his call button . I hope things get better for you. 

[Lori1851]

I would think sleeping on the job would be a reason to FIRE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man, I need a job like that where I can sleep and get paid for it!!!!!!!! You should not have to call them. If the director isnt doing anything see who her boss is and give them a call. I would document everytime I seen that nurse sleeping!!!

Lori/Indiana

[MyssAnne]

I so agree. You do NOT need this. CALL. Document it. MAKE A FUSS. They are there to serve YOU
not to get paid for sleeping on the job!!!!  Man that steams my buns when I hear of stories like
this.  Keep at it Neo, you are in the right, no matter what they may say or imply. If it takes phone
calls, then do so!!! 

[petey]

I agree with the others.  Fuss. Rant.  Yell.  Scream.  Use your cell phone to call the clinic (or, like the guy next to Len, 9-1-1).  Don't let them get away with this!  This is YOUR life in their (sleeping) hands.

[okarol]

  Don't give up, keep on 'em!!

[Sluff]

  that should do it.

[lola]

OH Man Noe that sucks. Keep on them and give them  and Good luck

[del]

If the techs are going to fall asleep and not do their job why don't they use the moisture sensors on patients arms like nocturnal patients use. That would solve the problem of being afraid you are going to have a bleed. They are the same ones that are used to train kids not to wet the bed.  If the tech is falling asleep there and not doing her job she should be fired!!!  Lots of people need jobs.  Make a fuss and kick up hell. 

[IrishGirl]

Matt,

Falling asleep on the job is NEVER NEVER EVER acceptable for a nurse. And you need to know that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. There are addicted nurse who use drugs on the job, has this nurse had a urine check ?  I would create a huge obnoxoius commotion and then I would bring a family member in WITH ME and insist they are STAYING with me all night long to watch me since the nurse is not capable of doing it. What are they going to do? Refuse to let you have an advocate there with you? Something really needs to be done and you may have to make a huge fuss. But do it. IF the director does nothing then go to HER Director, everyone has a boss. Go up the ladder. Its a pain and its a hassle to make extra phone calls and etc but you are doing it for yourself and for all other patients in the future and you must protect yourself. The only one you can really rely on is yourself or a family member. Keep the cell at all times and continue to use it as you need to for your own health and peace of mind. Sometimes on nights there are less administrators around, less bosses, less folks to keep an eye out and less personnel. Can you change your schedule to days? Not that you should HAVE to but is it a possibility? I dont like the night shifts because sometimes I think the nurses might be less experienced and they get away with more stuff and this is an obvious example. The tech is getting paid to watch over you and the equipment. I do not advocate lawsuits, however, sometimes if you threaten to get an attorney or threaten to sue for neglect, things might shape up. The medical profession hates to  be hit with that one. You can also put a formal complaint in writing and send a copy to everyone from the Director to the the Building owner to the Dr's to the shareholders. The CEO, everyone. Just make about 15 copies of the letter. Someone out of those will have to take notice. I know its a big time consumer but it needs to be done. If you are not good at letters, get a friend to write it for you. If you have to explore other options like a new center, check into it. Nothing is worth risking your peace of mind and your health

[jbeany]

Bring a video camera and get vid of the tech sleeping. ( Or maybe just bring a bull horn to wake her up!)  Is she the only one there?  Why aren't there more people around?

[Mimi]

What a bummer, Neo. Don't give up.  Keep pounding at them till they get rid of that  sleepimg tech.

Mimi

[kitkatz]

    Enough said!

[rose1999]

Keep on complaining, it should not be necessary but obviously it is.  Can you get a family member to speak to the Director or whoever is in overall charge of the unit and threaten to sue for negligence -  that should shake them up a bit. It's a disgraceful situation, I feel so cross on your behalf.  Good luck.

[KICKSTART]

Go over everyones heads and go to the top man there , tell him/her if nothing is done you are going to call your local paper , this is putting your life in danger. Till then keep making a racket , using phone , shouting for nurse , let the others get fed up then maybe someone else will also complain about this nurse sleeping .He who shouts loudest get heard , so i have found!

[mysty]

Oh gosh Mimi you crack me up

I say.. go with the video camera given to you by the local paper or news channel and let them air it on the news!
Obviously the head nurse aint doing diddly squat about it and the fool is still working there

Then.. if you do that.. I wonder how many other Centers will get checked out and put out there as
"lacking" in their services and bedside manners and their records..

Hmmmm sounds like a snow ball ready to roll to me!!! And all for the better if these places are outed!..
Dont you think there is at least one reporter out there on Dialysis that would love to jump on this?

[Neo]

hello everyone.. I had my nocturnal treatment last night. The tech was not there she was off cuz she was sick or something. So I reiterated my concern to the director and I'm having a meeting with her and my nurse before my next treatment which is on Monday night. So if it happens again my mother and my gf are going in there to talk to the director. They are as you would all expect, furious. So I'm really not one to get down too much, I'm 29 and this is my 5th year on dialysis( i just found out im on the top of the transplant list and this should be my last year on it)and I do much better on the nocturnal shift and this is the only unit in town that has nocturnal dialysis. I heard some people tell me to video tape her from a camera that a news station would give me, and also was told by a couple of you if it keeps happening to get a lawyer. If I do any of these things will they make me leave the unit?having spent my twenties on dialysis it gets hard sometimes but I just keep telling myself that I'm hitting the home stretch being as my kidney is not far off my surgeon has told me. I'm not one to say why me, but when things like this happen where I had this added stress it kind of breaks me down you know, just that little more that gets added that can finally make me yell I F$&@ing HATE DIALYSIS, WHY MUST I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS PERSON that's not doing there job.... Do any of you live in Florida? I live in fort myers, fl... I must say I consider EVERYONE on here that has replied to my posts to be mother and father figures, and also the ones my age to be dear friends even though I've never met any of u in person. So I've went on long enough.. Thank you all for listening and you all can emails at adidaz788@gmail.com. And my myspace is(www.myspace.com/neo788)  I would love to talk more often with all of you being as you understand my situation better than anyone so please contact me......... Matt

[lola]

Hang in there Matt, the video camera does sound like a good idea, maybe it would freak her out and she will stay away. 

[Rerun]

So am I understanding that you only have ONE person on watch during nocturnal dialysis.  I'm on this and we have 1 tech and 1 nurse.  I guess as long as one was awake I'd be fine, but then again they shouldn't get paid the big money to sleep on the job.

Matt, you need to follow through with this wheather you get a transplant or not.  There are others this may affect.  Why let this person get away with this only to hurt another.  If you want, I'll call the director and pretend I'm from 60 minutes and want to do a story on the sleeping tech. 

Kitkat, Sluff, and Okarol are probably Mother and Father figures to you, but please think of me as a friend.     

[paris]

How about your cell phone?  Does it take pictures?   It would be easy to take pics without being too noticed.  You don't have complaints about the center--just the sleeping nurse.  My DIL is a nurse and works nights.  She would be fired immediatley if she was found sleeping.  You have a lot of people here worried about you and for you    I'm praying you get that transplant soon and don't have to deal with the center again

[twirl]

somone at IHD had an idea to one of my problems:
GET A WHISTLE
she is not paid to sleep
the idea of a pic from your cell phone is excellent
take a shot of one of the many clocks in the unit and then get her sleeping
your life is in danger and you should not have to change back to days
this is horrible and you and the other patients deserve better
please talk to your doctor
call  911 to come help you ---- that would wake them up
call a local television station
better yet ---- call Dateline

[IrishGirl]

That is an excellent idea! Have some people call and claim they are from the newspaper and want to
do an expose' story on inefficient medical personnel. Also, medical places must be Accreditated by an agency called JAACHO. Its the place that will site them for errors, and can shut them down! Someone can make a complaint to them....that organization will go in there and clean house and they are scared of them.....tell them you will call JAACHO  (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)               http://www.jointcommissionreport.org/

I do believe they will investigate if enough folks complain Matt !!! Find some peeps to help you out! I am williing to write a letter of complaint or make a phone call but I do think it needs to be a patient who is utilizing the institution and I am up in Michigan and hope to never use any health care in Florida EVER.

[mysty]

Oh great!!!.. I'm in Florida and Keith is moving down here... Yikes..
How much worse can it be from the horror stories I hear about other places?

There's a quite a few people here in Florida..Tampa is Rolando I believe and they
travel here now and then.. they were satisfied with the center he used..

Now I'm thinking I should move...

[Lori1851]

  Matt,
You are alil older than my son Dustin , Matt. He will be 23 Sept 1 and has been on dialysis now alil over a year. All the things you have said I have heard from him. Glad to see you also  have a gf!!! Dustin's gf will turn 19 in June and he says he is going to propose. Guess time will tell!!! Hang in there buddy!!!!! This mom from Indiana will raise some Hell for ya if that lazy lady  doesn't do her job!!!!!!! MIght even give her one of these!!!    hehehhehe!!!
Lori/Indiana

[mysty]

Ooooh Lori.. I bet you are excited!!..

And I'll give this to that nurse     then one of these!!!