Although I've seen some other threads about the VA, none were appropriate for my venting/questions. So, here goes.
I am a disabled veteran, discharged from the US Army in 1993 because of a knee injury. Since my discharge, I have become a CRNA, so I am able to look at the VA from both the perspective of a patient and a health care provider. The things I've seen at the Wichita VA that absolutely terrify me. I'll give a couple of specific examples later, but I have seen nurses at the VA sitting around nursing stations ignoring all call lights, administrative staff with no compassion, and incompetence bordering on the criminal in some medical staff. I don't know if these problems exist VA-wide. or are just a local problem. I really don't know what I'll do when the time for knee surgery comes. I'm afraid I'll hold out longer than I should because of my fear of the place.
Examples: Shortly after beginning nursing school, I had to have some lab work done at the VA. I watched lab techs going from patient to patient, drawing blood, working on the computer, handling urine specimens, etc, without ever changing gloves.
Of course, I complained about this to the patient representative, and was told there was nothing wrong with the practice, as long as the techs could not see any contamination on the gloves. I took my complaint all the way up the chain to the medical director, who told me that what was being done was perfectly in compliance with universal precautions! Finally, six months later, the patient representative approached me, and proudly told me she had the policy changed, not because what they were doing was wrong, but because it did seem "kind of icky."
2. Not long ago, the local VA remodeled the check-in area. The remodel was more poorly designed than the set up it replaced, with nowhere for people waiting to check in to sit. I pointed this out, again to the patient representative, telling her that a large number of disabled vets have orthopedic conditions that could make standing in line for a long time painful. She agreed, and said she would see what she could do. Chairs were then placed RIGHT NEXT to the check-in counter, so someone waiting to check in could listen in on everyone else's medical problems.
3. Not long ago, the local burn center received a patient from the VA. It seems that no one checked the k-thermia pad in the OR, and the patient received third degree burns over his lumbar region, buttocks and thighs from the equipment being set too high. The burns were severe, and required a prolonged stay in the burn center. The patient required skin grafting over most of the area. I know the incident occurred, but has been hushed up by the VA.
Mostly, this post is to vent. However, if anyone out there has any ideas how I can be seen for service connected disabilities outside of the VA, I'd love to hear them. Also, if any VA employees out there know where I can file complaints above the level of the local VA, I'd love to know about it. Thanks.
Kevin McHugh
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