RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 12:49 pm Post subject: Dialysis Dave program
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How's this for an idiotic approach to patient attendance at dialysis-- "Dialysis Dave." It's a cardboard cut-out guy in the patient waiting room, supposedly signifying the average dialysis patient. (Never mind that Dialysis Dave is standing next to suitcases as if he's in the middle of traveling-- how many patients do you know who have the money or the energy to do that?) Somehow, Dialysis Dave is supposed to encourage patients to come to all of their treatments. <
><
>This sort of thing might work for the pediatric patients, but it's insulting to the intelligence of adult dialysis patients. On one hand, doctors are always wishing that patients were mature enough to comply with treatment-- then they put Dialysis Dave in the waiting room. HUH? I think the only way Dialysis Dave will improve patient attendance is if each patient is handed three darts upon arrival in the waiting room, to throw at that stupid cardboard cut-out!
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 2:32 am Post subject: LOL!
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From what I see the "average" pt. (at least in the unit I go to) gets around via a w/c or stretcher, and ambulance! They can't carry their own weight, let alone suitcases! I'm one of the few that walks and drives to and from tx.. That paper doll is insulting! I'd be drawing on it when no one was looking! Lin.
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Marty
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 160
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 2:52 am Post subject: Dialysis Dave
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Just when you think you've heard it all. You made my day I got the biggest laugh picturing a waiting room with Dialysis Dave.
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leadsag
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 263
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:00 am Post subject: dialysis dave
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Dialysis Dave is giving all the patients a message at the unit. You complain about your treatment, you expose what goes on here to the public and you will be sent packing !!!
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RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:05 am Post subject: Sent packing...
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Wow, I hadn't thought of that! <
><
>I am going to leave a note on Dialysis Dave tomorrow when I go to dialysis... "Dear Dave, I sincerely hope you are not CARRYING those suitcases with your graft arm! Also, please speak to your dietician about adding calcium to your diet, as you are only four feet tall!"<
><
>They will rue the day they put that stupid thing in MY waiting room!
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Disgusted
Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 45
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:27 am Post subject: Dave
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I haven't seen Dave yet! Does he have needle marks up and down his bumpy arm?? How about arms & legs pencil thin? and half bald from medications?
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jfwag
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 140
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 6:43 am Post subject: Believable...
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...not unbievable. This is hilarious. They just don't get it...
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More nonsense
Joined: 29 Sep 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:47 am Post subject: Joke
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<
><
><
> : OLDER WOMEN!!! Hope I am this smart one day!!!!!<
><
> An older lady gets pulled over for speeding...<
> Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?<
> Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.<
> Older Woman: Oh, I see.<
> Officer: Can I see your license please?<
> Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.<
> Officer: Don't have one?<
> Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.<
> Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.<
> Older Woman: I can't do that.<
> Officer: Why not?<
> Older Woman: I stole this car.<
> Officer: Stole it?<
> Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.<
> Officer: You what?<
> Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want<
> to see.<
> The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls<
> for back up.<
> Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior<
> officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half! drawn gun.<
><
> Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman<
> steps out of her vehicle.<
> Older woman: Is there a problem sir?<
> Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and<
> murdered the owner.<
> Older Woman: Murdered the owner?<
> Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.<
> The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.<
> Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?<
><
> Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. The officer is quite<
> stunned.<
> Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving<
> license.<
> The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it<
> to the officer.<
> The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.<
> Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a<
> license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up<
> the owner.<
> Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.<
><
> If you want to
ighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special.<
> I just did!
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:53 am Post subject: packing
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Well, I went to weigh in today and there he was, Dialysis Dave complete with suitcases! If I only had a match.<
>I was no sooner on tx. when the social worker "introduced" me to Dave, saying staff and pts. were going to play a little traveling game with him. We would be going on an imaginary trip (I'm going to Wash. state), with points we will receive for coming in for our txs.. and staying the full time. <
>Thank goodness I come home to a real man, because if all I had was a cardboard one............<
>Honestly as an adult I'm appalled that FMC can pay for this promotion, but try to cut corners elsewhere. I'm sure some big mucky muck got paid plenty to sit around and come up with this lame idea. The stickers the dietician puts on labs are funny; this is just plain pathetic! Lin.
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RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 1:01 pm Post subject: Well, now I'm really disgusted!
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Geez, Lin, I'm GLAD my social worker didn't
explain about the 'trip!' We haven't been 'introduced' to Dave yet. (He can just take those 'points' and cram 'em where the sun don't shine!)<
><
>If they were going to use this assinine program at all, shouldn't it be on the people who habitually skip treatments? What good does it do to have patients who don't skip treatments play that stupid game? Hmm... maybe my 'trip' can be to Fresenius Headquarters, where I can smack whatever fool thought this up!<
><
>Yes, they have plenty of money for stupid crap like this, but skimp on supplies and nurses-- I think we'd all rather see the money spent on things that actually matter. <
><
>By the way, what do you get when you complete the 'trip?' Or is it just like dialysis-- no reward, just get ready for another 'trip', over and over again.
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RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 3:12 pm Post subject: Hey, what about when you're in the hospital?
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Are you going to be penalized points for when you're in the hospital? Or are we have to get a little ticket stamped at the dialysis unit in the hospital to prove that we showed up for those treatments, too? And what about my 7 years on hemo-- am I going to start off at the bottom just like the patient who started dialysis last month? (In case you haven't figured it out, I am compiling a list of questions for the Social Worker that are just as ridiuclous as the Dialysis Dave program.)<
><
>Interestingly, there is not a PEEP about this on the Fresenius website... I think they're afraid of all the irate emails they'll get from patients.
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 4:26 pm Post subject: No penalty
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if the reason you skip is legit medical excuse. Get this, the nurses are the ones who have to keep score, like they don't have enough to do!<
>Thank goodness I have a "real" man at home or I'd be really depressed! Life s--ks when the men in it are made of cardboard lol Makes me want to flick a bic! Just out of curiousity I wonder how much this "game" costs between the cost of all those Daves,
ochures, the frig. magnet, ect., and the salary of the person/s that thought up this assinine idea! No one said what the price will be; ewww, I'm so excited, the anticipation is killing me. Oh, by the way, sorry I spoiled the fun for you Darlene. Lin.
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Cissy
Joined: 30 Sep 2003
Posts: 1
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 5:01 pm Post subject: Oh my goodneness!
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This is like the contest they held at DuhVita. it was a contest for who had the lowest phosphorous. Well the bad boy of the unit who skipped txs and got off early won the contest! It must of been fixed!!
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RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 5:38 pm Post subject: You know how he won...
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By skipping treatments, the stuff probably built up and gave him a good case of diarrhea-- voila, low phosphorus! <
><
>So now, on top of all the other stuff nurses have to do, they have to keep track of points, too... I'm sure the nurses aren't going to like the program any more than we do.<
><
>Just wondering what Fresenius will do if treatment-skipping patients fail to care about the points. Actually, the DD program might be a diagnostic tool-- if you actually give a bleep about the points, you'll be sent for counselling because you're delusional.
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Lin
Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Posts: 337
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 12:22 am Post subject: Non compliant
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is what you'll be called if you don't want to participate! No one told me that adults on dialysis would have to play games, in so many ways! We're not supposed to let dialysis take over our lives, but it does between the games, txs., and trying to make things better. Myself, I would rather spend my time trying to improve dialysis, and not staring at that cardboard freak, Dave. Lin.
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leadsag
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 263
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 3:47 am Post subject: non-compliant
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Lin - won't that be something if you were labeled non-compliant, given a contract to sign or you would not be dialyzed at the unit if you did not play aong with the silly game. Do you get some sort of ;prize' if you complete the trip? Maybe you can get a sip of water each treatment if you complete the trip!
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jfwag
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 140
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 5:20 am Post subject: FMC...
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...FMC did something like this a few years ago where they would post the top ten best blood lab results on posters and give out stars or prizes or some stupid thing like that. I remember Lois being furious and demanding they stop it. Invasion of privacy I beleive is what she accused them of. They put a halt to it after a couple of months.
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RedheadedReptile
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 69
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 5:21 am Post subject: Dangling transplant list over your head?
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Probably what they will do is dangle the transplant list over your head if you don't want to play the game-- if you don't play, your name gets taken off the list.<
><
>That wouldn't affect me, since I've already taken my name off the list anyway... I'll bet everyone at my clinic is glad that I'm compliant with treatment, because they don't have that tool in their arsenal anymore.<
><
>So, even if you go to all of your treatments, stay the prescribed time, limit fluids and take your meds, just the fact that you won't play the game will get you labeled non-compliant? I'll test that theory... no WAY am I going to play that game, and I'd like to see how they will write me up as non-compliant despite the fact that I have been going to dialysis for 7 years!<
><
>What do you actually have to do as far as participation... is there anything you have to fill out? Because it sounds like if the nurses are keeping score of the points, you're playing whether you want to or not... just curious how you would even opt out of the game.
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FMC Clinical Manager
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Posts: 3
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 10:46 am Post subject: Dialysis Dave
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When my cardboard Dave came to my unit I was not very enthusiastic. I knew that educated patients like all of you would think it stupid and it would be an embarrassment for the units. I knew it would be additional work for the staff. And, frankly, it erked me that the company was spending money on this when we have to watch the pennies so close in all other areas. However, the program was mandatory and I went about getting the staff ready to play the game.<
><
>I had a staff meeting with all of the staff. We decided that we were going to do this program to the best of our ability and if we changed a pattern of behavior for one patient-and it improved their life and they felt better-it would be worth our efforts. The education tools provided for the staff for the program are good.<
><
>So, we are three days into the program. Some of the patients think it
is silly. However, most of the patients are having some fun with it. I don't mind that the dialysis team focuses on the issue of treatment adherence for a few weeks. Again, if we can get one patient to come to treatment more frequently or stay their full time, I am all for it. That patient will feel better. I am all for that.<
><
>As far as the "rules" of the game....We do not know yet what the prizes at the end will be. Any patient can opt out of the program but at our unit everyone is in until they say they are out. It does not have to be the nursing staff that keep score. I have my unit secretary keeping track. <
><
>I would encourage all of you to take this opportunity to share with the patients around you that may be struggling the benefits of taking care of yourself and being involved in their own care. You are educated, well spoken, and have the experience first hand. The staff can talk until we are blue in the face but every patient knows that we have no idea what it is like to be in those chairs. Yes, Dialysis Dave is a little goofy. But, we are going to stick it out and see if our efforts make a difference for one patient. That will be worth it.
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