I am so angry right now, I am not sure if this is the right place to put this. I hope you guys don't mind me ranting a bit!
So I work for a home health agency and we are always seemingly short on physical and occupational therapists. I'm not sure what rock they are hiding under or what cave, but they always disappear as soon as we have work for them! Anyway, we recently picked up a patient that needed every possible skill imaginable including occupational therapy. This patient lives about an hour away from all of our therapists (the one who was close to where this patient was magically moved!).
None of the therapists will take this patient even for just an evaluation. I called my boss and was told to look up therapists on the OT board in our state that they usually have phone numbers where the OT can be reached. Of course wanting to get care for this patient as soon as possible I start calling different OT's, and some of the numbers are for that persons work. I leave a message for that OT to call me back and get calls from a couple of them yelling about how unprofessional it is to call someone at their work looking for them to work for my company.
I then explain that I am not trying to "steal" any employees, I am just in desperate need to get this patient taken care of for one evaluation visit and I could pay both the company and the OT if needed. I get 3-4 calls about how unprofessional that is (so I figure it really must be unprofessional), but I am still having a hard time understanding why it is so unprofessional.
As a CNA, soon to be RN (hopefully!) I would want to make sure every patient is taken care of no matter what! I did not personally take on this case, and I know a few of you would say how if the patient cannot be staffed do not take on the case. I was stuck having to staff this patient after a superior took the case. I am so confused as to why these people don't just want to help out for a patient's benefit.
If I were to receive a call asking if I could call a staff member for extra work for them I would definitely make somewhat of an effort to help. It not only shows your company is compassionate about care, but builds bridges and possibly contacts for later referrals. I was told that if I wanted to work with those people I would have to make a contract with their company (which could take weeks!).
It seems that no one wants to help in this business, and it is really putting me down. I know everyone is out for number 1 but it's healthCARE not healthMONEY. Sorry if this made absolutely no sense at all, I'm just now frustrated and stressed out that I cannot find an OT to eval this patient and no one is willing to lift one finger to get this patient help either. :crying2: