Get a Load of This
Joined: 07 Jun 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 6:21 pm Post subject: Company Propaganda Alive and Well
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I am at dialysis and I have just documented a tech who without even so much as changing gloves from the previous patient, approaches my chair to work on me. I am so fed up with this ongoing lapse of aseptic that I could scream and pull my hair out! Another tech goes by and delivers me a company newsletter. I think to myself, "Great, just what I need at this moment..the latest company propaganda!". <
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>Well the timing was perfect, because what did I read? There was an article on how staff should change gloves, and even more importantly than that, wash hands between patients. The tech that had just come to work on me had not so much as changed his gloves! <
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>I had just spent the evening watching the techs and liscensed RNs
eak every rule of asceptic while at the same time reading the company newsletter that proclaimed the importance of strictly heeding asceptic as if all their units were in strict compliance with this standard. <
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>This is the level of care that exists in so many units. If asked to testify I have the doumentation and will welcome the opportunity!!!!
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aprnjam
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 85
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:10 pm Post subject: Combat Company Propaganda
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I know that you are tired after dialysis and just want to go home and rest, but if you could make a log of when this occurs and when they hand out their information, should you ever want to complain about this issue, it would be great information to use in filing the complaint. I'm NOT telling you to file a compliant, I just saying document and keep simple records. You can do this easily on your computer. Just type in the date of your dialysis, name of the nurse/tech (last name would be fine), approximate time, state: no handwashing between patients. If you got a handout about aseptic technique and handwashing that day. Make a note, received handout describing handwashing technique in unit. Make it very short and simple. Then if you ever do decide to file a complaint, then you have all your documentation to send to either Arlene or Joyce. It will make the process of filing a complaint easier. <
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>Please remember that I am NOT advising you to file a complaint, only to keep a simple log in the event that you ever decide to do so. Hopefully, someday soon, we will be able to complain without fear of retaliation from the units. The main key to helping those that are advocating for us is DOCUMENTATION! The more documentation we have to give to Arlene or Joyce to back up our complaints, the easier it will be for those that are advocating for us. It doesn't have to be in great detail, just short in simple, unless it is an issue that needs more detailed documentation, for instance, if you continue to be ill after dialysis and do not improve, or develop a temp that does not resolve and you do not get appropriate treatment, then the more information you can provide the better.
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Stressed Out
Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 2:02 am Post subject: Stressing Situation
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I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think these techs and nurses that don't follow procedures not only put us at risk for infection but in my case it causes a great deal of stress. When I see they haven't changed their gloves or picked something up off the floor then work on me, I spend the next week in anxiety just waiting to see if an infection is going to occur. It sure would be nice to someday be able to go to a unit know things were being done right and be able to trust the ones in charge know more than you and know they don't have so many patients they are constantly in a hurry. Dream on I know.
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 7:24 am Post subject: Standard/Universal precautions
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I can fault staff for a lot of things, but
eaking with precautions is not one of them! I give staff at the unit I go to high marks for following precautions. If they didn't I would use one of those little "comments to the ceo" (FMC)cards that is on the table in the waiting area, in addition perhaps placing a call to the state board of health; there is a 1-800 number posted in the waiting area. Pts. must be extra carefull too, washing access, and wearing a glove to hold their sites, ect.. Lin.
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ptsw
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 24
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 8:02 am Post subject: What's even worse
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is that they are not only endangering patients but themselves!
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RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2003 2:13 am Post subject: We have our own form
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of 'propaganda' in the waiting room of our unit, in the form of two posters (one in Spanish) that list all of the 'complications' that can happen if you skip treatments-- shortness of
eath, high potassium, dizziness, vomiting, etc... too bad all of these things are happening to the patients who GO to all of their treatments! No wonder patients ignore posters like that... it makes it seem as if, no matter what you do, you will always feel like sh*t after dialysis.<
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>Actually, I don't know what's worse-- the 'doom and gloom' posters, or the magazines that yap about having a 'long and productive life' on dialysis... the last thing a lot of the patients at my unit want to hear is that their lives will be LONG on dialysis! I think that might be geared to the younger patients like me (I'm 38 and have few co-morbidities), but for an elderly person with diabetes, heart disease, confined to a wheelchair, the prospect of a 'long' life seems more like a prison sentence. Do the people who take these pictures even KNOW anyone on dialysis? Seeing people grinning wildly as they're hooked up to a dialysis machine makes our patients think there's something wrong with THEM, because they don't get a big kick out of being on dialysis like the people in the pictures do.<
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>Actually, I've considered printing up my own little patient newspaper called "Dialysis Sucks", where patients could list their complaints... a lot of patients will complain about things in the waiting room, but become 'nice little patients' the minute they walk out onto the treatment floor. I'm pretty sure that's where a lot of the 'noncompliance' comes from... patients feel the only control they have left is what they choose to eat and drink, and they overdo it. I'm sure the people who create and distribute these 'patient information' posters think they're helping us, but in a lot of cases they're just making things worse.
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LOL
Joined: 04 Jun 2003
Posts: 2
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2003 5:02 am Post subject: LOL!
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You have me giggling my
ains out this morning, Darlene! When can I get my first issue of "Dialysis Sucks"? Hey can you picture if instead of those dumb posters they scare us up with and magazines they give us the Hollywood version of dialysis with, we got something like this---you approach the building and no longer do you see the happy Fresenius, Davita or Gam
o sign--instead the big flashing sign says HELL DIALYSIS *where we gladly give you more hell for your Medicare buck*. Then you come inside (reluctantly) and a toothless, goulish secretary greets you (well that's more than they do in most units). She guides you to the scale and snakes slither around your feet (well that's better than the the crut you usually see all over the scale). A big
hook then grabs you and places you in your chair. The tech sticks you and then asks you what
ew you want to drink- the usual cheap coffee or something new, Dialysis Blast, (puts you asleep so you don't have the feel the effects of the screwed up tx. and especially so you don't have to bother the techs by asking them for anything). Oh wait, here comes the witchy SW with the latest copy of "Dialysis Sucks". What great news can it possibly contain?--Bioartificial kidneys are coming out in the year 2069??? Let's see, oh shucks you think, that's way past the 3-5 years you're supposed to live on dialysis..not a chance you'll be eligible.. bah humbug! And so the story goes at HELL dIAYLYSIS where you get more bang out of your Medicare buck guaranteed 3x a week until you die...
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Marty
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 160
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2003 10:08 am Post subject: Good Job
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Darlene, there is more truth in your post than I have seen in a long time. And that would be a good introduction page for "Dialysis Sucks".
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 12:21 am Post subject: ROFL
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Oh Darlene, I'm almost pissed my pants laughing, and yes contrary to what staff and my neph. think I still can <
>We often discuss on this group how we can't get issues heard; hmmmm! I have a super idea. Instead of emailing and writing public officials I think Darlene should become a standup comedian! I'm serious! What a great way to get the word out. Just think, one night we'll be watching the comedy channel and there will be Darlene doing her routine in front of milliions. Lin.
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Joined: 16 Feb 2003
Posts: 11
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 7:08 am Post subject: ???
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Lin, I think you've hit on something big here. Instead of petitioning Congress, what we need is to find a talent agent for Darlene. Let her hit the comedy circuit like Sat. Night Live, the Tonight Show etc. and tell our story there to the American public. Dialysis humour is the funniest stuff. Of course, the problem is no one understands it but us. Well, maybe she could go on a dialysis unit tour.
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:54 pm Post subject: Ahhh!
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that's what I'm talking about! When I listen to comedy I don't always understand, but then the comedian kind of draws you in , and then you begin to understand. Lots of times they are trying to get a message acrossed, and if you really listen closely you know what it is. Often people will just turn their head and not listen, but if something is funny, well just about everyone loves comedy! I'll bet even the politicians will listen. Lin.
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Sick of it
Joined: 11 Feb 2003
Posts: 46
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 5:13 pm Post subject: RedheadedReptile
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The First Issue of Dialysis SUCKS. Is sure to win a prize! Thanks for the good LOL .<
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>As far as the unclean hands, protect your self first! Try the old - Gee, I know you are really busy today that must be why you forgot to change your gloves there is a box right over there, and smile like a good little patient. Go home and write in your log Witch #300 tried to infect me again today.<
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>I had a new tech one time come over to me with this dirty bandage on his wrist and car grease under his nails. He was attempting to clean my catheter exit site without gloves on. I said would you mind waiting a moment and smiled then called the head nurse over and said "I don't think he read the part in the training manual about antiseptic procedures and you might want to find out what the yellow stuff is leaking out of his band age."<
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>I thought the nurses head was going to explode right off. She hated it so much when a patient was right and she couldn't shut us up with the company BS. That sure made my five hours of treatment that day!
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Remember
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 2
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 5:37 pm Post subject: It's So Much More
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then changing gloves. It's washing hands inbetween patients, applying gloves, and washing up and reapplying gloves if the tech touches anything other than the patient and his machine. There is even more to it and there are no short cuts allowed. All techs and RNs who don't want to abide by the rules of asceptic should get out of this occupation!
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Sick of it
Joined: 11 Feb 2003
Posts: 46
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2003 11:52 am Post subject: Asceptic Proceedure
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Thats right, there is so much more to the procedure. If you have been in the clinic I. Have had to dialyze in you would know that if you can just get them to change cloves after another patient than I was at least a little bit more protected. I never once in eighth years saw any of the tech. wash their hands that much...... <
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>So protect at the level you can an try your best to stay healthy>
