Lately, a few things have been getting on my last, rectal nerve. So please, indulge me for a bit. I'll get this over with quickly...The V.I.P.'s
My hospice has had a rash of "VIP's" lately. Are they current or former employees, their family members or beloved friends? No. Actually, they're very wealthy people with a massive sense of entitlement.
- They call for a bedpan at 2 AM. Although there's a 24 hr drugstore on every corner in this city.
- They call for a nurse to sit with the patient at 9 PM so they can all go out for dinner and a movie.
- They don't call for a nurse during a real emergency, but raise holy hell with hospice management because a nurse didn't call them during the crisis. (Yeah, that's one of my favorites)
Apartment Complexes, Trailer Parks, etc. (at night)
- The "map" at the entrance for the complex has no "You Are Here".
- Home or building numbers are nonexistent, poorly maintained or unlit.
- Building numbers are placed so that they cannot be seen from the "road" or are obscured by the roofs of car ports.
My Hospice's Pharmacy
- Will sometimes mail E-kits and pain medications to our new, suffering patients even though they have a courier to make home and facility deliveries.
- Believes that STAT equals four hours. (Yes, that's their policy)
- Will deliver meds to our inpatient unit 6 hours after the patient has arrived.
Whew... okay I'm done. All better now. Thank you for "listening".
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8 comments:
Oddly (and honestly) the best patients I've ever cared for at every turn have been the wealthiest- always ready to drop everything and go buy what we need at the drop of a hat instead waiting for the on call. Always the best about accepting education as provided. Gracious about the level of care they're receiving etc. Where do you find these patients!? : )
@chupacabra...
Hi! And thanks for the comment.
According to your profile, you reside in Texas. The culture of graciousness is not dead in the South. Needless to say, I don't live in the South. Here, where I am, the money is likely "new" and probably dirty.
I've found jerks pretty much scattered through the income/asset bell curve.
Smokers--a pet peeve since I have asthma--definitely favoring the lower strata.
Apartment or single family dwelling, I love the people who believe they will have the only porch light going on the block. Hint: put a number on your house that can be read, at night, from the street.
@ Tim...
People just don't seem to understand the importance of having a well displayed house number.
I've actually found that some of the worst offenders are apt. complexes for retirees... which really baffles me.
Oooh, can I play?
Our network also owns a pharmacy. The infusion pharmacy - wonderful folks - will set up Dilaudid CADD pumps and fax me the order to sign and fax back. The RESPIRATORY CARE department, last week, refused to send out a mask to a patient who wanted one for his O2 until I faxed them a scrip. That's right - a patient who already had a valid order for O2 and wanted a mask instead nasal cannula. They wouldn't send it out without a written order.
Hi Jay!
You can play anytime. We could even have cocktails and go all night with the "my pharmacy is so bad..."
thought you might like to review the "science" on this issue. Not quite as funny, but a bit sobering, I thought.
"A Comparison of Stress Factors in Home and Inpatient Hospice Nurses
Mary Lynn Martens, PhD, RN, CHPN"
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/703301?src=mp&spon=24&uac=75630BV
Please rant away!
@ Risa...
Thanks for the link, Risa. That was an excellent link to pair up with my rant. I'm pretty impressed that someone thought to do a study on hospice nurses and stress.
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