I'm in a really good care facility, I really, really am. Therefore, I am loathe to complain as much as I do. It would be incorrect to assume that Bailey Boushay House is an awful facility based on my complaints thus far. On the contrary, it's a fabulous place with mostly high quality caregivers. (I'm in a position to know.)
I'm upset about a recurring problem I'm having with a male charge nurse. The first time I became aware of him was following my arrival, February 2015. I was struggling with caregivers, unfamiliar with my care, who placed me in a situation compromising my breathing. As a paralyzed person, with severely impaired speech, I was fighting a losing battle for my life. I was, however, able to make some noise through adrenaline-fueled panic yelling. He turned away in the hallway, muttering "Oh great, another noisy one." or a close approximate.
I've had numerous negative encounters with him since. When responding to my calls, he used minimal effort to understand my needs, and was content to allow me to use up my energy in futility. Each time he'd respond, he'd politely ask what I needed, then stand there expecting me to verbalize. Never bothering to ask me yes or no questions, as indicated in my care plan. At times, he'd tell me to use my Tobii speech generating device, not bothering to educate himself on the many limitations imposed by any speech generating device (SGD). (i.e. Eye gaze tracking works off light reflection thus tears confuse it; standing in the light source throws it off; tired eyes jerk around rendering it useless; proper positioning of the device is key; each reposition may require a recalibration; unable to rapidly switch applications, like a normal computer; communication on SGD is much slower than speech requiring extreme patience of caregiver; And many times it flat-out won't work properly (nature of the beast).). Neither did he bother to learn how to use an alphabet communication board as indicated in a staff email.
Due to his utter lack of initiative to learn how to communicate with, and thus, care for me, I stopped allowing him to enter my room. His response was to happily exit my room, telling staff "I fired him", and intimating that I had the problem! Not once did he ever come back to my room to apologize nor strategize how to overcome the communication issues! Then, he became the night charge nurse.
The nights he worked, I worried. I may be DNR but it doesn't mean Do Not Rush! I don't have a death wish. While choking, dependent upon him to operate the suction machine to clear my airway, no sense of urgency was employed and then he did not know how to operate the wand. Luckily, I self-resolved.
Tonight was another wonderous event. I knew who was working charge based on caregiver lethargy. I waited over 2 hours in pissy diapers (never happens here!) I was delivered cold food for lunch and did not eat it. Dinner was all unsafe items for me to eat (vegetable skewers are apparently peppers, stringy onions, and celery). All choke-worthy for advanced dysphasia!!! Thus I got nothing but two teeny weeny mushrooms. Live on that. I was without access to a call button with feet encased in ortho boots. I couldn't get help to be changed or eat. I used my speech generating device to attempt to get help but it was ignored.
I used my only available tools, my Tobii is connected to my iPhone. I dialed 911 hoping to talk to police. I'm not waiting to file a report with the state. Then my Tobii screwed up preventing me from talking to dispatch. The fire department got dispatched.
When the fire department arrived, the charge nurse accompanied them to my room saying that I had "dementia and ALS". Two problems: I do not have dementia. It is NOT my diagnosis nor part of ALS. And, my diagnoses are supposed to be confidential, protected by HIPPA law. He bantered with fire workers in the hallway while visitors were present and loud enough for other patients to hear.
I called him on the carpet for it and called him a few unladylike names to boot. I am not happy!
I'm upset about a recurring problem I'm having with a male charge nurse. The first time I became aware of him was following my arrival, February 2015. I was struggling with caregivers, unfamiliar with my care, who placed me in a situation compromising my breathing. As a paralyzed person, with severely impaired speech, I was fighting a losing battle for my life. I was, however, able to make some noise through adrenaline-fueled panic yelling. He turned away in the hallway, muttering "Oh great, another noisy one." or a close approximate.
I've had numerous negative encounters with him since. When responding to my calls, he used minimal effort to understand my needs, and was content to allow me to use up my energy in futility. Each time he'd respond, he'd politely ask what I needed, then stand there expecting me to verbalize. Never bothering to ask me yes or no questions, as indicated in my care plan. At times, he'd tell me to use my Tobii speech generating device, not bothering to educate himself on the many limitations imposed by any speech generating device (SGD). (i.e. Eye gaze tracking works off light reflection thus tears confuse it; standing in the light source throws it off; tired eyes jerk around rendering it useless; proper positioning of the device is key; each reposition may require a recalibration; unable to rapidly switch applications, like a normal computer; communication on SGD is much slower than speech requiring extreme patience of caregiver; And many times it flat-out won't work properly (nature of the beast).). Neither did he bother to learn how to use an alphabet communication board as indicated in a staff email.
Due to his utter lack of initiative to learn how to communicate with, and thus, care for me, I stopped allowing him to enter my room. His response was to happily exit my room, telling staff "I fired him", and intimating that I had the problem! Not once did he ever come back to my room to apologize nor strategize how to overcome the communication issues! Then, he became the night charge nurse.
The nights he worked, I worried. I may be DNR but it doesn't mean Do Not Rush! I don't have a death wish. While choking, dependent upon him to operate the suction machine to clear my airway, no sense of urgency was employed and then he did not know how to operate the wand. Luckily, I self-resolved.
Tonight was another wonderous event. I knew who was working charge based on caregiver lethargy. I waited over 2 hours in pissy diapers (never happens here!) I was delivered cold food for lunch and did not eat it. Dinner was all unsafe items for me to eat (vegetable skewers are apparently peppers, stringy onions, and celery). All choke-worthy for advanced dysphasia!!! Thus I got nothing but two teeny weeny mushrooms. Live on that. I was without access to a call button with feet encased in ortho boots. I couldn't get help to be changed or eat. I used my speech generating device to attempt to get help but it was ignored.
I used my only available tools, my Tobii is connected to my iPhone. I dialed 911 hoping to talk to police. I'm not waiting to file a report with the state. Then my Tobii screwed up preventing me from talking to dispatch. The fire department got dispatched.
When the fire department arrived, the charge nurse accompanied them to my room saying that I had "dementia and ALS". Two problems: I do not have dementia. It is NOT my diagnosis nor part of ALS. And, my diagnoses are supposed to be confidential, protected by HIPPA law. He bantered with fire workers in the hallway while visitors were present and loud enough for other patients to hear.
I called him on the carpet for it and called him a few unladylike names to boot. I am not happy!
Comments
Post a Comment