Stay alert at dialysis! (Unneeded fistulagram)

[LifeOnHold]

Today at dialysis I awoke from a nap to see the charge nurse handing me an appointment slip-- for a fistulagram!

I said, "My doctor didn't say anything about me needing a fistulagram!  Nobody said anything to me about this!"  So the charge nurse went back to the desk and looked up my clearance tests.  She said, "I agree-- you don't need a fistulagram, because your test this month is actually better than last month's test.  Let me talk to the receptionist and find out about this." 

The outcome:  The receptionist had accidentally put my name on someone else's appointment sheet!  It's a good thing I questioned it!

[Rerun]

You can NEVER rest!  You have to watch them llike hawks!   

On home dialysis, you have the same helper and you are a "team" and there is consistency and continuity and harmony.  In the center you have soooo many different people working on you, you have to start over every damn day.  "My blood flow runs low at first, then in 20 minutes we can pick it up."....  "My pulse always runs high at the end".... etc, etc, etc,   

What pisses me off is like last night.... I had a different nurse that insisted I stand "all hooked up" to take a standing BP.  She would not listen to me and I hate standing with all that crap hooked up to me.  I'm consistent and I don't bottom out and GEEZUS give me some credit for knowing my body!  Then she was saying "just humor me, I've been doing this a long time (all of 10 years) and I've seen too many patients that get weak" blah blah blah.  So, they made me stand with all the tubes and crap and my BP was fine!  DHA!

Then she is all "thank you for humoring me...."   Well, I didn't have much of a choice and I've been doing this for over 20 F'n years so do ya think I might know what I'm talking about or does kidney failure lead to brain failure. 

At least your charge nurse "listened" to you.  I get so weary trying to police all of them.  They are over at my machine pushing buttons… GOD only know what I don’t catch!

[cabarle]

You can NEVER rest!  You have to watch them llike hawks!   

On home dialysis, you have the same helper and you are a "team" and there is consistency and continuity and harmony.  In the center you have soooo many different people working on you, you have to start over every damn day.  "My blood flow runs low at first, then in 20 minutes we can pick it up."....  "My pulse always runs high at the end".... etc, etc, etc,   

What pisses me off is like last night.... I had a different nurse that insisted I stand "all hooked up" to take a standing BP.  She would not listen to me and I hate standing with all that crap hooked up to me.  I'm consistent and I don't bottom out and GEEZUS give me some credit for knowing my body!  Then she was saying "just humor me, I've been doing this a long time (all of 10 years) and I've seen too many patients that get weak" blah blah blah.  So, they made me stand with all the tubes and crap and my BP was fine!  DHA!

Then she is all "thank you for humoring me...."   Well, I didn't have much of a choice and I've been doing this for over 20 F'n years so do ya think I might know what I'm talking about or does kidney failure lead to brain failure. 

At least your charge nurse "listened" to you.  I get so weary trying to police all of them.  They are over at my machine pushing buttons… GOD only know what I don’t catch!

I NEVER have these problems at the VA. All of the nurses know me & my fistula. I can say with confidence that every nurse in the Cleveland, OH Veteran's Hospital (Dialysis Unit) have no problems, no mishaps, and no B.S.  They take care of me and I'm thankfull.

[Rerun]

That is the way is should be!   

 I have tried to tell the Director (who hates me) that patients need consistancy and the same nurse and tech or even the same set of 2 that alternate would be better than a different one everytime.  Where is the team work in that or the trust?  They do NOT let the patients get familure with the staff and I don't know why.     Stupid is as Stupid does!