ways to improve comfort in dialysis centers

[dwcrawford]

I think that outside of the chairs and rude patients and visitors, most of the things said were in jest.  I know I really don't expect to have expensive vodka in my Bloody Marys.  Just reasonable quality.

Seriously I think most of us think the majority of techs, nurses and other staff are great.  Sure we have a couple we'd like to keep off our fistula with the needles, but all in all they are great.  Then there are people who don't like anything.  But again, maybe they just feel so bad they don't realize how much they complain.

On second thought, I doubt any chair would feel good for four hours.  (Hey last time instead of a pillow I took that little blanket that they gave us and folded it to put at my back.  Strangly enough it worked better than any pillow I've tried.)

[keefbeer]

My centre here in North East England moved yesterday into a brand new building, it has the appearance of a high quality hotel and the staff whilst a little cold and indifferent are efficient, well trained and professional. The auxiliary nurses are the stars of the show, they set up the machines, sort you with pillows and blankets and on one occasion went out to my car to get my i-pod.
The only draw back from this multi-million £ high-tech vision of the future is that they have begun to charge for cable tv.

[Loretta]

Charging for Cable TV?  Wow!  I think that is when I would bring a good book, or maybe a book on CD to listen too.  We just got cable at our unit when this digital stuff went through.  I still find that I would much rather read a book.  Sometimes I even crochet, but the dialysis chairs tend to eat my crochet hooks.  I look all over for them after I have been taken off, but sometimes can't find them.  ( I am still using a permacathetor, the only good thing about it is I have two hands to use during dialysis.)
I would be willing to nominate my center for being the center with the MOST uncomfortable chairs.

[RightSide]

At my center, all the dialysis stations are all in one big room.  I wish there were floor-to-ceiling partitions between the stations, so that we could have a feeling of privacy.  And this would also help shield us from the germs emitted by the sneezing and coughing patients around us.

My center is equipped with curtains they can pull between the stations, but a) these don't shield us from noise, and b) they're not pulled except in special circumstances.

[rockhound]

The last thing that I intended to do was to insult someone. at my clinic the building is run down the chairs are uncomfortable and there is no tv. they actually asked me t6o write a report for them as argument to higher management,and I thought this would be a good way to get ideas. there are some good at my center, the techs are first class and the nephs are outstanding and do checks daily. Again sorry if I offended not mt intention, I am glad you are not going to die. The point was that all centers should do their best to make th patients confortable, and it seems some do it.

[bette1]

I wish the would offer us snacks or at least allow us to bring our own.  I get so hungry during dialysis, and they used to let us bring food but now they have banned it at my center.  Our chairs are ok becaue they have massage chairs which keep your butt from falling asleep.  We all have personal tv's with limited cable channels, but it is enough to keep me from getting bored.  Sometimes I bring my portable dvd player or my daughters nintindo DS and play games.

[Restorer]

If I had to go to hemo, I think whether laptops were allowed and wireless internet were available would be the biggest deciding factors on choice of dialysis center. Sitting for 4 hours wouldn't be too bad if I had a computer and internet connection to keep me busy - hell, I do that on my own often enough. Might as well get work done while I'll getting treatment.

I could manage without an internet connection, but not without a computer. I couldn't stand just wasting all that time every week watching TV or sleeping.

[dwcrawford]

I take my laptop for entertainment and sometimes a little writing, but I haven't yet used their wifi.  Might do it today.  Watch me screw something up!  There is little wrong with my center other than the size (it is the largest Davita in the world) and that nurse that stuck me four times last friday (lol).  We made up yesterday, but I told her she could never stick me again.

[Rivy]

We have internet access, however it's touch screen.  I would like to have a keyboard and a table tray that you pull up front like hospitals have.  I would like to sit without my book or notepad on my lap.   
Rivy

Just some thoughts about dialysis treatment ect, It is apparent to me that most patients sit and take what is dished out to them without a lot of complaint. The result is that the centers get away with poor treatment and poor condishions for the people. It is my thought that since they are making nice profits off of rooms full of dying patients who they can't cure. they should do their best to make the people as confortable as possible. I would like as many who are interested to give their ideas to makedialysis more confortable.  Thank you Rockhound in Midland Texas     

[Rerun]

I wish they had compentent staff or at least would fire the bad ones.  Do I ask too much??

                 

[dwcrawford]

Rivy.. I was told about a tray that i'm going to look at at Frys this weekend.  I'll let you know  if it does what it says and is small enough.

Rerun, I think that is a most reasonable wish and request.  So do I.  (in defence of the tech who messed me up, it was the nurses fault.  He was telling her what he wanted from the other side of the room.

[ODAT]

Being allowed to eat in-center is something that should be universal. Why can one unit say no eating and another say yes? What are the reasons given to not eat? If they claim unsanitary or against rules, then each unit has their own special rules.

I agree with visitors and cell phones. I don't understand how people can be so thoughtless. When I go see my mom, I wait at the door and check to make sure it's okay to go in.

Mom's unit is just like RightSide's. They do not like to have anyone in while taking on and off, but there have been times that I've not been asked to leave and I've seen that they are taking someone off. Then there are the visitors that hold for their family instead of using clamps. I did that once for mom. She did it for a while, but now is back to clamps.

So, make it more comfortable from a visitor's viewpoint, ask visitors to limit cell use (NOT patients), and ask visitors to not walk around excessively.

[Treasure]

For the most part, I have been happy with the professionalism of the dialysis staff in the centers where I've been treated (with the exception of visiting centers--yikes! travel is pretty much out of the question).  Right now, there is some consistency in the staffing for our in-center nocturnal, so that has been a big improvement.  Also, there is wireless internet now, but I don't use it because they wanted me to sign an agreement that I felt impinged on my freedom of speech-- and, a laptop (even one of the minis) would be too much to carry with all the other stuff I have to take for overnight in the center.

What I would like to see improved is the chairs (I have blogged extensively on the these torture devices), more cable stations (we have about 10 right now, not quite enough that's interesting for spending 24 hours a week on dialysis-- at night, no less), reasonable temperature control (three blankets is a bit much) and privacy.

Privacy is one of the biggest issues for me because 1) I don't want anyone seeing me while I'm being treated other than staff or family, 2) I don't want to see anyone else being treated (especially if they have the tendency to "die" almost every treatment), and 3) I'm doing nocturnal-- if I wanted everyone to see me while I'm sleeping I would invite them to cuddle up in my chair with me.   

I met a design team (architect and interior design professor) at a work event and asked the professor about having one of his classes work up an ideal nocturnal dialysis design. His response was weak-- and so was that of the doctor who is running the study I'm participating in. This was disappointing because there would not be any cost to the center to have a design worked up, and the professor could have a whole new project for his students to work on (it would be easy enough to incorporate our needs into the objectives for student work-- especially since designing a "chair" is one of the main tasks).

Change comes slowly to the dialysis community. The change I see coming on the soonest is that I'm going to find a way to not have to stay on dialysis, hehehe. That will probably come long before a comfy chair or adequate partitions!

Treasure/Michelle

[Rivy]

  Yes, if it would be from your choice of tech to do it.  :yahoo;Rivy

Manicures and Pedicures would be nice!  The techs have nothing else to do!

EDITED:Fixed smiley tag error-kitkatz,Moderator

[wiredwilly]

I don't know about the dying part but I am living because of dialysis. My clinic is new and everything works. The Staff are great caring people. I bring my laptop with an aircard for internet since I like to play poker online and we do not have wifi. They discourage eating but do not stop people from eating, cell phones are allowed but we are asked to put them on vibrate. Visitors are not allowed in the treatment area, but every once in awhile someone will come in. I have had treatment at another clinic when I had to evacuate because of a hurricane last year and that was a completely different experience.

Now getting to how we could make our experience better: Morphine , cannibus, happy hour cocktail cart and a stripper pole, now thats one hell of a combination and I'm not sure if I'll be seeing the stripper after the cocktails and morpine.

-Mark-

[RichardMEL]

The other day someone fell out of their chair.... what the? yikes!

I don't normally mind when family and so on come in to visit people. I'm in a hospital unit and we tend to have some fairly sick people in from time to time.. but of the stable patients we also have a number of folks of a specific ethnic background. Now I love these guys and their families, but it can get a bit much when they are shouting at eachother in their native tongue all around and over me. Sometimes my headphones are not enough. I suppose at least I can't understand if they're yelling "hey that guy in the chair there.. he's a real dork!" 

[dwcrawford]

It was crazy roy... but I think he sat down in the floor on purpose.  The ambulance people are always dropping him.  If I ever get a chance, I'm going to unplug his oxegen supply.  He yells cause he's not getting air but he doesn't  want to put the mask on his face.  One leg is cold and the other is hot.  His uncle is a bone head and cut off his cook stove (he must rent from the uncle) and his mom is the meanest woman (she's a tiny little thing who is very friendly and brings everybody donnuts so they won't kill him --  and stays four hours in the waiting room  to check on him).  Monday I was moved two chairs from him but the guy they changed me with complained so yesterday I was back next to roy.  I play music so loud on my computer and ipod that I'm going to go deaf.

Nurses, staff understand but there is nothing they can do.  If I get moved it will have to be somebody.  Wonder if they have any deaf people?

[Stacy Without An E]

I have a fantastic idea that will solve numerous problems in the Dialysis center and make everyone more comfortable. 

Clear bubble shelled compartments.

Techs, nurses and doctors can still view visually if you're in trouble because the bubbles will be clear.

No more having to deal with the smell of unwashed ass and gout riddled feet of fellow patients.

The bubble would be soundproof, so no more listening to Blathering Idiot patient talk to his friends on speakerphone for hours on end.  (Yes, everyone wants to hear of your latest rectal rash.  Ugh.)

In case of emergency, there would be a button that can be pushed and the front and top of the bubble will swoosh up and over to allow immediate entrance by medical personnel.

The bubble will also protect you from the classless goon in the chair next to you who won't cover his mouth with his hand when he's shooting sneezes and bursting with coughs in your direction.

Privacy would once again return to each and every patient, especially for when the doctor visits and talks rather loudly about your personal health situation.

There will also be a way to slightly tint the surface of the bubble so that Creepy Old Guy across the way who wears tiny shorts and no underwear will stop staring at you.

The StacyCo. Dialysis Bubble Pod, available Summer of 2011.

[dwcrawford]

Wow, stacey, you have such a lovely center!