Choosing a center

[Dianejt]

My husband is going to be on dialysis soon. What should we look for in a center. There are only a few in our general area so we want to choose the best one for him. Any pointers out there?

[hurlock1]

I don't know what the choices near you are, but depending upon how he or she get's to and from dialysis, I would choose the clostst one to my house.

[Lillupie]

Alright, I have been to a few dialysis centers myself, especially now that I am writing a book on dialysis. Overall I think your quality of life depends on the center you go to. For me a breaking factor is the amount of rules there are. You might actgually like the rules, but i personally do not!
 The center I normally go to for myself (when i have surgery) has so many rules that it makes you want to miss because its like you are stuck in this chair, but you still cant do anything! THey wont let you eat, drink, talk on the phone, plug in any outside devices (e.i.  cell phone, laptop, DVD player), and rarely can visitors can visit.
 And another thing is a holiday issue. (This might not be an issue where you are at), my center takes holidays off, and has patients come in another day. I dont like that, and that should not be happening. Other centers dont do this.
 FInd out what they do if he is late. SOme centers will make you leave your treatment early, while others let you finish.

Always check, and maybe talk to a few of the staff there to see who you click with the best.

Lisa

[Dianejt]

Getting to the center will not be a problem, what I am most concerned with is the quality of care he gets. I have been reading some posts where there has been problems with the centers people are at. I just want a heads up on things to look for.

[hurlock1]

Alright, I have been to a few dialysis centers myself, especially now that I am writing a book on dialysis. Overall I think your quality of life depends on the center you go to. For me a breaking factor is the amount of rules there are. You might actgually like the rules, but i personally do not!
 The center I normally go to for myself (when i have surgery) has so many rules that it makes you want to miss because its like you are stuck in this chair, but you still cant do anything! THey wont let you eat, drink, talk on the phone, plug in any outside devices (e.i.  cell phone, laptop, DVD player), and rarely can visitors can visit.
 And another thing is a holiday issue. (This might not be an issue where you are at), my center takes holidays off, and has patients come in another day. I dont like that, and that should not be happening. Other centers dont do this.
 FInd out what they do if he is late. SOme centers will make you leave your treatment early, while others let you finish.

Always check, and maybe talk to a few of the staff there to see who you click with the best.

Lisa

You're right! How dare the caregivers want to spend their Thankgivings and Christmas with their families, when they could be spending the nolidays with us, hooking us up, taking out blood out and putting it back in, cleaning up the chairs, sometimes vomit, and getting us water, taking labs, etc., when we would rather be at dialysis anyway as well. It's outrageous!

[Zach]

You're right! How dare the caregivers want to spend their Thankgivings and Christmas with their families, when they could be spending the nolidays with us, hooking us up, taking out blood out and putting it back in, cleaning up the chairs, sometimes vomit, and getting us water, taking labs, etc., when we would rather be at dialysis anyway as well. It's outrageous!

 

[Dianejt]

as a caregiver will I be allowed there with him?

[dwcrawford]

At mine, yet.

But don't you think the care and respect you get at the centers maybe are related to the respect you give to the staff?  Isn't that the way most things work?  Rules?  I wish we had more rules.  Certain things like being able to eat are no brainers since so many diabetics are there, but things like entire families visiting and inmates (I mean patients) who refuse to use earphones, etc.  I mean things that disturb other inmates (I mean patients).

[Gramapat]

I go to a large center.  I have had very few problems but there is a large turnover and the director tries to keep the prices down so there is some grumbling from the techs and nurses.  The techs trust me and I have talked to them outside the center.

Most of them prefer the smaller centers because they get to know the patients better.  They say there isn't much of a turnover at smaller centers.  So I would say try to get him in a smaller center.  I go to the center closest to my house because of traffic and because I prefer an evening put on time - 6:45 p.m.  The small center I could go to doesn't have an evening shift.   Shop around.

[Stacy Without An E]

You may want to visit the clinic during the hours you believe you will be treated to get an idea of not only the quality of care, but also the type of people you'll be forced to be seated next to.

I get seated next to patients who scream on the phone, yell across the clinic, complain about everything loudly, cough directly on me than give me a dirty look, masturbate under their blankets and so on.

This will be your second home after a while.  Make sure it feels as such.

[Lillupie]

Shame on the both of you!    
 

You're right! How dare the caregivers want to spend their Thankgivings and Christmas with their families, when they could be spending the nolidays with us, hooking us up, taking out blood out and putting it back in, cleaning up the chairs, sometimes vomit, and getting us water, taking labs, etc., when we would rather be at dialysis anyway as well. It's outrageous!

 

[Wallyz]

Visit several, and look for attitude of staff, cleanliness, ambiance (is it really bright all the time?) smells, and availability of schedules.  Some will just feel better than others.

[hurlock1]

Shame on the both of you!    
 

You're right! How dare the caregivers want to spend their Thankgivings and Christmas with their families, when they could be spending the nolidays with us, hooking us up, taking out blood out and putting it back in, cleaning up the chairs, sometimes vomit, and getting us water, taking labs, etc., when we would rather be at dialysis anyway as well. It's outrageous!

Shame on us? I don't get it. . .
 








EDITED:Fixed quote tag error- kitkatz,Moderator

[fc2821]

Visit several, and look for attitude of staff, cleanliness, ambiance (is it really bright all the time?) smells, and availability of schedules.  Some will just feel better than others.

 Great advice. I never had a choice at my first center. It was close, a plus. It was where my Nephologist had patients. It was a good one though.  Distance and how your husband will get there are also important considerations. Also, are the staff plesant and helpfull. Are they willing to answer your questions, and to show you what you ( as care giver) and your husband need to do?

[tyefly]

 I have only visited a few centers and the one that I go to which happened to be the closest to my home...  seems to be just fine....we only have 16 chairs and the ratio is 4 people to 1 tech....and one RN on duty.   and the techs rotate from section to section each week.... we each have our own TVs, we can eat and drink what ever and we can have visitors all the time... for the most part everyone is respectfull of each other... They are clean and use good aseptic  techniques and help us if we cramp and all of that....   I certainly would visit the clinics and ask lots of questions.....   My opinion is that there should not be alot of rules...we are all adults and should be treated as such..... 

[murf]

I have been at three centers at the one at present is greatly understaffed. Not enough nurses to put you on at a reasonable time (waiting time of up to an hour) and when coming off, if they are occupied elsewhere you wait again. Check the nurses activity. If they are literally running between machines, avoid. No wonder i'm changing to PD.