Have been hearing a number of complaints about workers in dialysis, harassing and assaulting dialysis patients. It is assault under the law to touch someone when they have asked you not to touch them. http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2903.13 I have heard complaints of dialysis patients having their feet stepped on by dialysis personnel during a treatment, blood being thrown on the dialysis patient or dialysis patient's being hit with a salt water bag. In addition, I have heard complaints about patients asking that certain dialysis personnel not perform fistula sticks on them, after that dialysis worker hurt them the first time of the sticking. Again, if the patient asks you not touch them and that worker ignores the patient, that is grounds for an assault charge.
I have also heard of complaints where patients are being discharged and they have no clue that is coming..... I have also heard of "meetings" where the Kidney specialist, FA, Nurse, and Social Worker are in a room and stacked against the patient, who is ambushed and is unable to defend themselves. Please be advised, if the charges are false, the patient can hire an attorney and file a lawsuit for libel and slander. If the patient dies because of these actions, there is a possible wrongful death suit pursued by the patient's estate, in addition to a libel and slander.....
I really like the vast majority of you and I think you really care about the patients. However, as we all know, there are bad apples in any field, police included. I have advised patients who are assaulted by dialysis staff, to call 9-11 and press assault charges. I have also advised dialysis patients who are assaulted to contact their local district attorneys or victim's advocates.
I have also been told of cases where dialysis patients have been unfairly discharged, and given an option of a dialysis clinic 50-60 miles away from their home. Yes, I know this type of harassment goes on, it happens in government, all of the time. I was also told of a case where a man in a wheelchair with no legs, was discharged from a dialysis under police escort. As a former police officer, it is outrageous. Honestly, what do you think a man with no legs in a wheelchair is going to do to you???
Having worked as a police officer, I know and understand that there are two sides to every pancake and I have been cussed at, called every name in the book, ****** on, you name it, I have experienced it, before you say, "You do not know what it is like."
I have also heard of patients been discharged for disagreeing with reuse and for asking questions about their treatments. I also know that in those "meetings" the patient is not allowed to see the comments and charges against them, sounds like the old Soviet Union or Nazi Germany. Yes, if you are curious, my family is from Germany.
Yes, I know, many times management blames Nursing and it always is it so..... In fact, it happened to my mom. I know that many of you are good people :) However, my word to the wise to the bad apples, is that you are going to have some very unpleasant results if you abuse or assault dialysis patients. If you go to jail for this crime, I hate to tell you that the other inmates at the jail hit back. If you are curious, a misdemeanor of the first degree or M1 is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
This is a commentary that I wrote about transplants and dialysis upper management. Please be advised that it does not apply to dialysis nursing staff or folks on the front lines. :)
In my view, to state that a kidney should not be sold for profit is a subjective viewpoint which can be debated all day long. The reason that there is a shortage of kidneys is because the price is zero or $0.00. Anytime, in our nation's history, when we have had prohibition, such as on alcohol in the 1930's, the drug war, which is failing, or any type of gun control, these types of regulations or price control always result in black markets. In addition, what have been the results of this zero price mandate? First, almost 100,000 people are on the kidney waiting list Second, thousands are on the disability rolls, because they are too sick to work. Third, thousands have died for this mandate, so third parties will feel comfortable at setting the price of zero, Food is vital, so is water, electricity, clothing, housing, oil, along with many other basic goods that are necessary for survival. Do we rely on "altruism and public trust" to provide these basic goods that we need to survive? If we depend on trust and altruism, there would be massive shortages. People say that they are offended by the sale of kidneys. Yet, they forget that we sell human blood, semen, and hair. There are many poor people that are unable to afford food, because of this issue, does Congress mandate that we donate food? People sould be able to dispose of themselves as they please, unless they are the property of the Federal government, in which case, as it is now, they have no rights. I wonder if the very same people who advocate for the current policy, would allow third parties to make such personal decisions for them and their lives??? Everyone in the hospital chain from the transplant surgeon to the cook benefits in the neighborhood of $250,000 because someone is suffering from End Stage Renal Disease, in addition to transplant medication. The average cost of dialysis per patient is well over $100,000.00 per patient. In contrast, the average cost for kidney transplant medication is $12,000 per individual. I am curious, what is more compassionate, suffering in thirst for years as a diabetic on 12 hours per week on In-Center dialysis or giving some type of reasonable compensation to a donor so that person on dialysis is not suffering for years? Why are so many against monetary compensation for donors when they are being very well compensated for the kidney transplant. Have we not heard for years, "My body, My Choice?" Is the issue that some choices are more equal than other choices? Could be that some choices are more equal because we like them and do not like other choices? Davita and Fresenius are opposed to the government paying for transplant medicine, this is an incredible conflict of interest. Davita and Fresenius upper management telling people how to live is like Michelle Obama telling people how to eat, while she stuffs ice cream and every other fast food chain in her mouth. The way most dialysis chains upper management treats human beings is beyond immoral and vastly hypocritical.
I find the hypocrisy of the 99.9 percent of the dialysis upper management and transplant industry upper management to be nauseating. Look at the cars at the average dialysis clinic upper management parking lot and what does that tell you? There are the very same type of cars that are in the average poorly performing public school upper management parking lot, luxury automobiles. This is the way they live while telling Nursing staff and patients do more with less, when will they do more with less? Not quite sure why the stockholders tolerate that kind of abuse with their money??? Upper management loves private profits and socialized losses. It is the patient, nurse, and the taxpayer that pays for upper management incompetence in patient suffering, nurses that not have the necessary tools to perform their jobs in a safe manner, along with taxpayers who foot the bill in hospital costs for upper management's pie in the sky policies. I guess what does it matter when you are driving your luxury automobile, making $68 million per year, while patients are suffering and your Nursing staff is being worked to exhaustion. You will be enjoying a luxury retirement, the patients you prevented from having a transplant will be in great suffering or dead and the Nursing staff who worked like crazy to make it thru Nursing school, which was much harder than your MBA program, will barely have a decent pension to make ends meet in retirement, you will be enjoying your luxury retirement at the beach. I think these actions on your part will make you eligible for the Ebenezer Scrooge Hall of Fame, just ask Little Timmy who needs some basic medicine.[h=1][/h]
You do not need to lecture me as a child. Sadly, real life is not as dark and white as we would like it, there is also alot of gray.
However, my word to the wise to the bad apples, is that you are going to have some very unpleasant results if you abuse or assault dialysis patients. If you go to jail for this crime, I hate to tell you that the other inmates at the jail hit back. If you are curious, a misdemeanor of the first degree or M1 is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
So, what do you want?
To paraphrase what you said earlier today. . . We don't need you to lecture or threaten us (with fines, jail time and abuse by other inmates).
You think nurses don't know life is all about the shades of gray? We've probably felt compassion for individuals that most police officers would automatically dismiss if not "accidentally" spit on.
Is your message that life especially sucks for dialysis patients? I know you live it but we know, we see how hard it is.
Is your message that there are unkind people in healthcare and we should act on that? Ok, I think we know that just like you knew as an officer that corrupt police should be reported.
Is your message that big business doesn't do healthcare well? Really? Really? I think we know that.
That a lot of management sucks? Once more, Really? Yea, we know that.
Is your message that life is unfair? I think any nurse with over 6 days experience would know that. I bet that even with your vast experience in police work and dialysis for yourself and as a patient advocate I could tell you stories that would make you or anyone else scream at me to stop as they couldn't stand the sadness.
First, I have never spit on anyone, in my previous job. However, there are many people in every field on the face of this earth that engage in group think. There are unkind people, everywhere, in every field on the face of the earth. Scream at you to stop? Hmmmmmm, does seeing people with their brains blown out in front of their kids, qualify? We having a saying, "Life is a ***** and then you elect one."
There are unkind people, everywhere, in every field on the face of the earth.
I return your advice to you.
Can you summarize in one sentence what you hope to accomplish by your writings here?
In other words, what do you want?
Are you lonely, do you want to talk? That's ok. I've seen how difficult life can be on dialysis. You are rewarded for following a crazy strict diet by being granted a few more months, maybe years of life tied to a machine. How is that fair?
Some people come here just to vent. That's okay. But your initial posting seemed to be a kind of accusation and threat.
If you need to vent, that's fine. Let's agree to aim our rants more accurately. I happen to have extra time this weekend. Taking a little vacation from my primary patient . . . a little preemie with a severe birth defect who is lucky enough to have a dad who wished her dead.
I know you saw ugliness. Why do you think nurses and cops wind up together so much? I thank you for your service.
Do you want to start a debate about the feasibility of setting a fair market value for kidneys? Great topic! Worthy of an exchange! But much of what you have posted has been a disorganized scatter of blame and anger.
Which company do you think has more sales per square foot, Costco, who treats their workers the right way or Sam's Club?
I will say that Wal-mart treated me fairly when I worked there and paid better than the competition. Also, due to history of lawsuits I was guaranteed breaks and lunches to the point of the register locking me out to ensure I received them. I don't get breaks anymore and rarely get a full 30 minute lunch now a days.
Anyway, a man in a wheelchair with no legs can still hurt someone. They can pull your hair, they can bite you, they can hit you, they can threaten to find out where you live and pay someone to kill you, etc. Just because he is perceived as being defenseless does not mean he is.
First, they are not going to pull my military hair cut, but, a good point. Second, most on dialysis do not have those type of funds to pay market value for a hitman. As you can imagine, I and my fellow officers were threatened 24/7. Third, it depends on their upper body strength as I was a power lifter once upon a time. You sound like you worked at my county building :)
Specializes in Med/Surg, Peds, Geriatrics, Home Health.
I'm not sure what your being a police officer has to do with your credibility on nursing issues.
Here, let me help you understand better. His insistence on forcing down our throats so many times that he USED TO BE a police officer is to assert his power. OP, we aren't so stupid as to roll over and let you or anyone else behave in a threatening manner like you do when you post. We have educations; we didn't just roll off the back of the turnip truck and now we spend our days slapping band-aids on people and stepping on their toes and touching them when they don't want to be touched. Part of our education is knowing what is considered assault and what is considered battery. And even better, some of us also know OUR own rights. If you want to do some good instead of coming on here and trying to scare and harass people, why don't you talk about how dangerous nursing is for the nursing staff, how often WE are abused by patients and family members? You CLEARLY have mental issues to praise nurses in one sentence and then threaten ALL OF NURSING (apparently, since your posts are not very specific) with arrest. You are clearly disturbed and pointing your anger in the wrong direction. I really don't care if you used to be a police officer, or if you used to be the queen of England, you don't scare me.
I have followed this thread and am wondering why we engage with OP. He is getting his jollies when nurses respond to him. I say ignore this OP on this and any other threads. He might give up and quit posting. Quit falling for the bait.
OP just jumps from one of his posts to another of his posts, all in the same vein of dissatisfaction with his current health condition and services avail.
I like the OP's presence here. I welcome input from dialysis patients in this forum.
I do not always agree with him (nor understand all of his posts for that matter), and he can be incendiary, but I have no problem with welcoming dialysis patients to the forum in general. I'd actually like to see more patients give their input.
I know some of the OP's posts can be disjointed, angry, and inflammatory, but I try to keep in mind that the man is dealing with an illness that doesn't always lend itself well to bright, cheery, and clear thought processes. We see this in our own work every day.
NDXUFan
299 Posts
This is a commentary that I wrote about transplants and dialysis upper management. Please be advised that it does not apply to dialysis nursing staff or folks on the front lines. :)
In my view, to state that a kidney should not be sold for profit is a subjective viewpoint which can be debated all day long. The reason that there is a shortage of kidneys is because the price is zero or $0.00. Anytime, in our nation's history, when we have had prohibition, such as on alcohol in the 1930's, the drug war, which is failing, or any type of gun control, these types of regulations or price control always result in black markets. In addition, what have been the results of this zero price mandate? First, almost 100,000 people are on the kidney waiting list Second, thousands are on the disability rolls, because they are too sick to work. Third, thousands have died for this mandate, so third parties will feel comfortable at setting the price of zero, Food is vital, so is water, electricity, clothing, housing, oil, along with many other basic goods that are necessary for survival. Do we rely on "altruism and public trust" to provide these basic goods that we need to survive? If we depend on trust and altruism, there would be massive shortages. People say that they are offended by the sale of kidneys. Yet, they forget that we sell human blood, semen, and hair. There are many poor people that are unable to afford food, because of this issue, does Congress mandate that we donate food? People sould be able to dispose of themselves as they please, unless they are the property of the Federal government, in which case, as it is now, they have no rights. I wonder if the very same people who advocate for the current policy, would allow third parties to make such personal decisions for them and their lives??? Everyone in the hospital chain from the transplant surgeon to the cook benefits in the neighborhood of $250,000 because someone is suffering from End Stage Renal Disease, in addition to transplant medication. The average cost of dialysis per patient is well over $100,000.00 per patient. In contrast, the average cost for kidney transplant medication is $12,000 per individual. I am curious, what is more compassionate, suffering in thirst for years as a diabetic on 12 hours per week on In-Center dialysis or giving some type of reasonable compensation to a donor so that person on dialysis is not suffering for years? Why are so many against monetary compensation for donors when they are being very well compensated for the kidney transplant. Have we not heard for years, "My body, My Choice?" Is the issue that some choices are more equal than other choices? Could be that some choices are more equal because we like them and do not like other choices? Davita and Fresenius are opposed to the government paying for transplant medicine, this is an incredible conflict of interest. Davita and Fresenius upper management telling people how to live is like Michelle Obama telling people how to eat, while she stuffs ice cream and every other fast food chain in her mouth. The way most dialysis chains upper management treats human beings is beyond immoral and vastly hypocritical.
I find the hypocrisy of the 99.9 percent of the dialysis upper management and transplant industry upper management to be nauseating. Look at the cars at the average dialysis clinic upper management parking lot and what does that tell you? There are the very same type of cars that are in the average poorly performing public school upper management parking lot, luxury automobiles. This is the way they live while telling Nursing staff and patients do more with less, when will they do more with less? Not quite sure why the stockholders tolerate that kind of abuse with their money??? Upper management loves private profits and socialized losses. It is the patient, nurse, and the taxpayer that pays for upper management incompetence in patient suffering, nurses that not have the necessary tools to perform their jobs in a safe manner, along with taxpayers who foot the bill in hospital costs for upper management's pie in the sky policies. I guess what does it matter when you are driving your luxury automobile, making $68 million per year, while patients are suffering and your Nursing staff is being worked to exhaustion. You will be enjoying a luxury retirement, the patients you prevented from having a transplant will be in great suffering or dead and the Nursing staff who worked like crazy to make it thru Nursing school, which was much harder than your MBA program, will barely have a decent pension to make ends meet in retirement, you will be enjoying your luxury retirement at the beach. I think these actions on your part will make you eligible for the Ebenezer Scrooge Hall of Fame, just ask Little Timmy who needs some basic medicine.[h=1][/h]