A Bad Day

[GA_DAWG]

Smartcookie, trust that the vast majority of us appreciate the help we receive from so many dedicated and caring techs and nurses, though maybe not from the bean counters and directors. I aree completely with Michael. Nothing bothers me more than seeing the people who think they should always be first and who wait until a tech is taking another patient off the machine and THEN demand to be taken off right now. I have saluted more than one of them and let them know they are number one.

[Riki]

We have some of those "entitled" patients too.  One in which, I think, felt she deserved better treatment because of her family name.  Her father had been a prominent doctor in the province while still alive.  She went to the media complaining that she was being made to go to another unit, about a 45 minute drive away.  She was, but it was because she was a newer patient, and the unit I went to was over capacity as it was.  She was upset because her family couldn't come visit her at this unit because itw as too far away.  What burned me about it was that she wasn't going to be on dialysis for that long anyway.  She had a couple of donors lined up, as as it happened, she was only on for about 2 years before getting her kidney.

I might be considered a "problem child" by some of the nurses because I know how dialysis works, and know what the policies about treatments are, and make them stick to the rules, (and sometimes I can be a little rude) but I'm not about to go to the media to complain about it

[GA_DAWG]

Riki, there is a big difference between demanding proper treatment and demanding special treatment that interferes with the treatment of others. I'm lucky I suppose that I know a bit about how dialysis works because I was taught by our Techs.

[Paul]

There is, in our unit, a patient who was constantly shouting and making excessive demands. The nurses solved that by offering him a private room. He accepted that and felt he had won. What he did not realize is that basically they are putting him in a side room, wiring him to a machine so he cannot leave that room, then shutting the door and ignoring him until dialysis is over. They get peace and quiet, and he is happy because he thinks he is getting the special treatment he wants.

One day he will have a stroke half way through dialysis, and no one will notice until it is too late!

[Michael Murphy]

It’s called the contagious room it is where the people who have a disease that could be passed on to others should be treated.  Every clinic is required to have one, I guess that a toxic patient is a good use of the room.

[smartcookie]

Sorry I haven't replied back until now, but I took a week off at Christmas and decided not to think about dialysis for that week.  My meeting ended up being that we are going to give the patient's wife time and see what happens.  There is nothing to do except for transfer him, and he is a good patient.  He has no problem with me.  The whole thing doesn't seem as bad after a week away.  Thank you all for your support!  I love our little family!

[GA_DAWG]

Unfortunately, giving her time will likely only reinforce her behaviour. A warning that her behaviour will not be tolerated any longer would likely accomplish more. Ignoring a problem seldom does anything to correct it.

[Simon Dog]

There is, in our unit, a patient who was constantly shouting and making excessive demands. The nurses solved that by offering him a private room. He accepted that and felt he had won. What he did not realize is that basically they are putting him in a side room, wiring him to a machine so he cannot leave that room, then shutting the door and ignoring him until dialysis is over. They get peace and quiet, and he is happy because he thinks he is getting the special treatment he wants.

One day he will have a stroke half way through dialysis, and no one will notice until it is too late!

He is also assured he will be on the machine used by any HIV and Hep C+ patients the clinic has.

[smartcookie]

That is true, GA Dawg.  But I do have to abide by what my manager says.  I will just have to see what the future brings.

[GA_DAWG]

I agree smartcookie, and unfortunately, it is my experience that so long as it causes no concern for the center manager, and instead only for nurses, techs and other frontline people, the managers choose to do nothing.