Social Workers.

[LT514]

Yep, I'm a wolf in sheep's clothing. 
Sorry guys.

So I got a master's degree in social work. Since I'm a kidney patient (21 years now!), I went to where I knew - the dialysis unit. My company seems to like to hire renal patients.

HOWEVER, my company has crap benefits for someone like me...but that's a longggggg story for another day.

So I am a HD, PD, NOC, HHD social worker. I am wondering what the complaints are about social workers! It's fair to say I didn't enjoy their company - but I wanted to help. Some seem more open than others.

Any suggestions? I was yelled at for "spending too much time on the floor", for having people sign up for Medicare "too soon". It's ridiculous!

Since I've done what I am permitted....do you guys have any ideas? What do social workers do that make you mad? Happy?

My answer from my entire life: They make me feel guilty. About everything.
Any suggestions to make everyone happy? Or, most people....?

[galvo]

G'day LT514 and  . Unfortunately, the social workers I have had dealings with have been as useful as udders on a bull. Know- nothings who are now banned from my presence. A pox on the breed, I say!

[bette1]

I agree. Most social workers were really nice, but not very helpful for the real problems I had getting into the system for benefits and stuff.

[Sunny]

Social workers at my transplant center do nothing. I don't know if it's because they are overworked or are not allowed to do what actually helps. Either way, my social workers have been absolutely useless. They are all very nice though.

[Zach]

My Social Worker is fine.

She helped me apply to the American Kidney Fund for their grant that assists patients in their Medicare Part D "donut hole" prescriptions.

[LT514]

Galvo - I used to pretend to sleep whenever I saw them!

I just wanted to know - other than being left alone - is there anything further I can do? I always direct my patients to this site! Maybe you guys can help!

[Riki]

When I was a kid, the social worker who was in the dialysis unit was an awesome, awesome woman.  When we were in the hospital, she used to take those of us who were healthy enough for walks, or arrange for us to go to plays or concerts or anything like that.  The children's hospital serviced all three maritime provinces, so every summer, she'd help arrange a trip here, to PEI, for all the kids and their families.  I was the only one who actually lived here. *G* A the time, one of the campgrounds had a hemodialysis unit on it, specifically for travelers, but for a week in the summer, the pediatric dialysis nurses would take over and dialyze the kids or anyone else who was there, and then they and the social worker would go to amusement parks and museums and those types of things with us.

My dealing with social workers in the adult hospital were no where near as nice.  One accused me of concealing a pregnancy because I refused to have a pregnancy test done.  They were trying to find a reason for rejection. I knew I wasn't pregnant.  They stopped looking and let the kidney die after that.  Another, after my second transplanted kidney began rejecting, accused me of sabotaging kidneys.  She and one of the doctors tried to keep me off the transplant list, but failed. They taken me off the list and put me back on so many times in the last 6 years or so, I never know for sure if I'm active on the list.

[cariad]

I'm with Galvo, but I am thinking of transplant social workers and not dialysis. The last one I had would finish my sentences for me and treated me like a witness for the opposition in a murder trial. When the surgeon that I had been fighting to see for over a month finally turned up, the crazy lady did not even excuse herself. She just sat in the room listening in. Exceedingly bad form! Then I saw her after transplant and she acted entirely differently, as if she suddenly knew that I would kick her straight out if she so much as gave me a sideways glance. One social worker rang my husband on his mobile the day after my transplant to tell him that if he did not sort an insurance error out by end of business, I would not get the drugs I needed. Did I mention that my husband was my donor?

I say treat people as if you know what it's like to be in their place, because you do. If you are going to get yelled at for spending too much time with them, I would tell them this is going on so that they know that you want to help but may be prevented from doing as much as you would like. I liked it when the staff would talk to me during my brief time on dialysis. Don't threaten them with the list - if it were me, I would immediately hate you for life, yes, even if your company was making you say it. Be on the side of the patient as much as possible - you should be their advocate, so many people need one. I read a journal article on non-adherence (in adolescent transplant patients) and it said the number one driver was anger, which seems pretty obvious. You do not alleviate anger by way of threats and condescension.

You sound like a wonderful person in a difficult situation. Good luck.

[LT514]

Cariad - PLEASE complain to your Renal Network if that happens! That's just wrong.
I am the advocate. I spoke with a transplant social worker the other day re: a patient in my unit. The pt does not have much of a support system, but he has a good friend. They refused to even MEET him before writing a letter and telling him they would not transplant him! WHY!?! 

I encourage my transplant patients to go to other states (Michigan has a long list), even can arrange travel with Wings of Love or AngelFlight.

I know exactly how I am going to deal with my situation if I ever go back on dialysis (third transplant, here). I remember arguing constantly with my center(s), because I believe patients know their bodies better than anyone else. And 15 minutes makes a HUGE difference! The doctor has no idea...

I just don't want to be one of those crappy people who "talks down". I just want people to not dread their treatment as much.

Transplant SWs are horrible. I haven't seen any of them do anything for me at this time. I've heard the same from my patients at the unit.

Riki: I'm so sorry about that. You should be calling that woman and asking monthly if you are listed...the dialysis centers have lists of active patients, BTW....Or refuse to work with her. Work with another one. I am so sorry.

[Riki]

Riki: I'm so sorry about that. You should be calling that woman and asking monthly if you are listed...the dialysis centers have lists of active patients, BTW....Or refuse to work with her. Work with another one. I am so sorry.

My mom emails the transplant coordinator on a monthy basis to check on my status.  What I don't understand, is why if you have an illness or infection where you do need to be taken off the list, why they can take you off so quickly, but once you are healthy, it takes months to get back on the list.

[JasonEb]

Patients definitely need someone willing to fight for them against units/doctors/state health departments.

Sure, we're told that as patients we have all these "rights", but just the one "responsibility" of "Doing what the doctor prescribes and doing what the unit tells you" pretty wipes out any actual rights we have...other than stopping dialysis and dying.

Whew...sorry, got off on a bit of a side rant there...