What a farce

[SeaCat]

Today I ran into something that disgusted me and pissed me off. I almost lost my job over it.

It seems that yesterday we had a person die on my unit. Now this is not uncommon but the circumstances surrounding the death are what disgust me.

We, the staff, change shift at 0700. The Aides start their first rounds at that time and do the initial Vital Signs and assist with assesments. The Aides had a light load yesterday, they had ten patients each. (Yes that is a light load for my unit. We usually have 13+ each.)

The R.N. for this particular patient checked on the patient at roughly 0730. She was alive but having problems. The R.N. asked the Aide to do a set of vitals on the patient so she could contact her doctor. By 0800 the Vitals still hadn't been done. The R.N., who was also dealing with another crisis again checked on the patient and again asked the Aide to do the Vital Signs before heading of to the other patient in crisis. By 0815 the Unit Manager was called in. The patient was going downhill. The R.N. did the Vital Signs and called the doctor. The patient was going into arrest due to C.H.F. The patient passed away at 0830.

The Aide, when asked why she didn't do the Vital Signs when asked to replied that she was busy with another patient. (A self care patient.) When the R.N. and the Unit Manager pushed a little due to the investigation the Aide made the comment they were only targeting her because of her race. Nothing more was said!

This morning when I showed up for work I was confronted by the Aide. She told me that she couldn't work that assignment today. I shrugged and ut her on another assignment. I took her assignment. I was informed by my supervisor that all Vitals were to be done by 0800. (Not a problem, I only had 9 patients.) By 0745 I had the Vital Signs done, had received and given report to my R.N.'s and heard a littany of complaints from my patients. Complaints of lack of care. Complaints of rudeness. I kept my mouth shut and got to work.

During the morning I bathed and took care of my patients. I didn't like what I was hearing from them. I actually felt ashamed when I had a younger woman, one who had surgery on Monday tell me she hadn't been bathed in two days. It was even worse, she hadn't been taken out of bed during that time. She hadn't been walked. She was shocked when I walked in, bathed her, got her out of bed and got her walking. I received similar complaints and comments from the rest of my patients.

Around noon I was called to the Nurses Station by my Supervisor. She informed me that the Aide who had worked my section before had complained that I had given her too many patients. I countered with the comment that the aforementioned Aide needed to stop playing and get to work and that there was no way in hell I was going to take any of her patients as I was too busy cleaning up the mess she had made with the patients I now had.

My Supervisor warned me that I was becoming disrespectful and could be written up. I asked, no I demanded that she talk to my patients. (While hinting that if she didn't I would write up an incident report.) In a huff she went and talked to my patients. Nothing further was said to me, but what is worse is nothing was said to th other Aide. (Nor will anything be said to her as I so well know.)

I am disgusted by this. This other Aide as well as a couple of others I know of are unprofessional. They make the rest of us look bad and yet nothing is said because they threaten the Race Card.

There is hope though. Several of my patients, including a Judge have asked me who to write letters of complaint to. I gave them the address of the Hospital's C.E.O. which we all know will have no effect. I also gave them the address of the State Board of Nursing, which might have an effect. (Enough complaints and the board will investigate.)

Cat

 

[lipsofanangel]

Good for you! That's just...infuriating. And really scary. It sounds like that Aide is making the rest of you, and the hospital as a whole, look really bad. I really hate when people play that card to get ahead and it happens way too often. for you!

 

[rgraham666]

Good luck, Cat.

Sigh. Humans.

 

[SeaCat]

Good for you! That's just...infuriating. And really scary. It sounds like that Aide is making the rest of you, and the hospital as a whole, look really bad. I really hate when people play that card to get ahead and it happens way too often. for you!

What makes it bad is the fact that the Hospital doesn't seem to want to fight it.

Yes it does make the Aides like myself who are profesionals look bad. I admit that I am at the bottom of the Nursing Totem Pole, yet I am a profesional. I do my job and more. It is people like this who make it even harder than it should be. It is because of people like this that we are looked down on.

Yet I can't blame this person alone. I have to blame our society as well. I have to blame the peple who allow this to continue. We have allowed our fear of retribution by a very few to color our actions, and this will continue to bite us in the ass until our society as a whole decides that enough is enough.

I blame our society for this and so many other ills.

Who in our society is truly willing to accept the consequences of their actions? When was the last time you saw someone fuck up and accept that they fucked up? Normally they try to blame someone else. (Hell just look at some of the lawsuits out there.)

As an example I can use one of the shooting ranges I have used in the past.

This shooting range had signs stating that using the range was at your own risk. They did not however have signs stating that you were not to step past the shooting line when others were shooting.

Yep you guessed it. Someones target dropped off the clips so they decided they just had to go down range and put it back up. They went past the shooting line while others were shooting and were hit by bullet fragments. They lost an eye. They sued the range and won because the range did not have signs stating they were not to go past the shooting line when others were shooting. (This persoan has stated that they still go shooting and would again go past the shooting line if there is no sign warning them not to. They claim it is the range owners responsibility to protect them. I reckon they mean they need to be protected against their own stupidity.)

Cat

 

[TE999]

Both of your stories are a sad commentary on our times, Cat.

As to the former, Dr. King's dream of a colorblind society has been systematically eradicated by Political Correctness and race hustling. Quotas in hiring supercede competency in many cases and in yours it seemingly resulted in a death.

And in the latter, suing over the results of blatant stupidity and ignorance has become an art form. Most of these 'slip and fall' artists dream of the big lawsuit that will make them rich. Anyone for tort reform?

"First, we hang all the lawyers..." W. Shakespeare.

 

[rgraham666]

It extends to more than race, TE.

When I was a computer programmer, I was very good at it.

I quickly learned that for the most part that wasn't really high on the list of traits that most employers wanted. The courtly skills were much more important.

I don't want to think how many of my former peers are now in major positions of responsibility. But I'll bet a lot of them are. They were really good at paperwork, schmoozing, CYA etc. One even admitted he had no interest in being a programmer. Management was his goal. And a BS in computer science was almost as good as an MBA and quicker to get.

Sigh. I liked being a computer programmer. But It became a normal job, and I'm not very normal.

 

[TE999]

It extends to more than race, TE.

When I was a computer programmer, I was very good at it.

I quickly learned that for the most part that wasn't really high on the list of traits that most employers wanted. The courtly skills were much more important.

I don't want to think how many of my former peers are now in major positions of responsibility. But I'll bet a lot of them are. They were really good at paperwork, schmoozing, CYA etc. One even admitted he had no interest in being a programmer. Management was his goal. And a BS in computer science was almost as good as an MBA and quicker to get.

Sigh. I liked being a computer programmer. But It became a normal job, and I'm not very normal.

My sympathies, Rob. I know of what you speak.

There's an old book that may or may not be in print called 'The Peter Principle'. It's hypothesis is that most employees are elevated to the level of their incompetence and there they remain; gumming up the works.

And of course flattery will get you everywhere if you know what to kiss and when.

I don't know about your programming abilities, but you're a damn fine writer. Take comfort in that.

 

[rgraham666]

My sympathies, Rob. I know of what you speak.

There's an old book that may or may not be in print called 'The Peter Principle'. It's hypothesis is that most employees are elevated to the level of their incompetence and there they remain; gumming up the works.

And of course flattery will get you everywhere if you know what to kiss and when.

I don't know about your programming abilities, but you're a damn fine writer. Take comfort in that.

I've got a copy in my library. A good book.

A good antidote to it is Up The Organization, How To Stop The Corporation From Smothering People And Strangling Profits. It was written by the guy who ran Avis back when they were #2 but tried harder. A damned fine read.

And thanks.

 

[3113]

As to the former, Dr. King's dream of a colorblind society has been systematically eradicated by Political Correctness and race hustling. Quotas in hiring supercede competency in many cases and in yours it seemingly resulted in a death.

Ah, yes, the dreaded PC word and "quotas" and race hustling that "supercede competency"--such evil things. I knew when I read Cat's story that SOMEONE would use it to cast aspersions on such things and put the blame on them rather than on the woman who used them.

MYTH: I have a friend/brother/sister/____(fill in the blank) who was qualified for the job/college but didn't get it because the position went to a person of color or a woman.

FACT: Many of us have heard this statement or made it ourselves. It's a logical error to apply what happens to a few individuals to the entire society. On the societal level, systemic forces continue to keep people of color and women at a disadvantage. For example, Asians and Pacific Islanders who on average have higher percentages receiving bachelor's degrees - 38% compared to all other Americans - 20%, are not proportionately represented in the job market, specifically in areas of management and executive positions. The reality does not accurately reflect the numbers of qualified Asians and Pacific Islanders that enter the job market.

We must also question why race and gender are so hotly contested when other types of preferences are not being discussed. A 1991 report by Berkeley's Institute for the Study of Social Change noted that "far more whites have entered the gates of the 10 most elite institutions through alumni preference than the combined number of all the Blacks, and Chicanos entering through affirmative action." For the past decade, Harvard's admission rate for "legacies" or the children of alumni, has ranged between 35-40%. Yet, there have been no attacks on these century old preferences based on family ties and perpetuating the "old-boy" networks.

In higher education, as in other areas, it is the perception of lost position rather than the reality which fuels "white male anger". In 1973 approximately 18 million of white Americans between the ages of 18-24 were high school graduates. By 1993, due to falling birth rates, this number dropped to about 16 million. However, in 1973, only 30% of white high school graduates entered college, whereas in 1993 that number increased to 42%. Thus, despite an overall drop in numbers, more white high school graduates are going to college. The pattern of increased college participation holds true for every ethnic group. Nearly 15 million students are now enrolled in college, and participation by every racial group has increased. That is partly what the anger on campuses is about - not that people of color are taking white places, but that whites, and everyone else, want even more spaces. Yet, white's nationally constitute 75% of the student body, earn 88% of the PhD's awarded to U.S. citizens, are 87% of the college administrator, and hold 875 of the full time faculty positions.

The growth of minority participation in higher education has been modest at best, but it is the "perception" of loss of majority privilege that politicians have seized upon and irresponsibly whipped into a frenzy. This makes holding dispassionate discussions about affirmative action exceedingly difficult.

I'm not saying what happened was right. It was very wrong and people of all races and either sex WILL use any handle or trick or excuse they can to get away with murder. But that this one woman did so does not mean that either Political Correctness or quotas, etc., are to blame. What is to blame is simply the hospital's fear of litigation by the Aide. That threat to sue could have been made by anyone for any ridiculous reason--including a white person asserting "reverse discrimination."

You'll excuse me if I don't appreciate that you decided to use this--a story of one woman's misuse of what SHOULD be a good law (discriminating because of color), rather than solid facts, to support your assertion that quotas, PC and "racial hustling" is destroying MLK jr. grand dream of a colorblind society. I don't appreciate it because it sound a lot like racial hustling to me--it just's racial hustling to maintain the status quo (i.e. get rid of such laws) rather than vice versa.

 

[TE999]

Ah, yes, the dreaded PC word and "quotas" and race hustling that "supercede competency"--such evil things. I knew when I read Cat's story that SOMEONE would use it to cast aspersions on such things and put the blame on them rather than on the woman who used them.


I'm not saying what happened was right. It was very wrong and people of all races and either sex WILL use any handle or trick or excuse they can to get away with murder. But that this one woman did so does not mean that either Political Correctness or quotas, etc., are to blame. What is to blame is simply the hospital's fear of litigation by the Aide. That threat to sue could have been made by anyone for any ridiculous reason--including a white person asserting "reverse discrimination."

You'll excuse me if I don't appreciate that you decided to use this--a story of one woman's misuse of what SHOULD be a good law (discriminating because of color), rather than solid facts, to support your assertion that quotas, PC and "racial hustling" is destroying MLK jr. grand dream of a colorblind society. I don't appreciate it because it sound a lot like racial hustling to me--it just's racial hustling to maintain the status quo (i.e. get rid of such laws) rather than vice versa.

Sorry, 3113, but I was not advocating the elimination of Anti-Discrimination laws. Nor was I making a blanket assertion that the 'status quo' be maintained. I was saying, however, that a plethora of such laws and their attendant quotas can call into question the competency of a minority group member when they are hired for a job. And if is determined they are not competent, their retention because of said laws can cause difficulties.

I will grant you that there is still discrimination in today's society, but we have come a long way in improving things. Is it perfect, no, but nothing is perfect. There will always be room for improvement.

More often than not, people can work things out among themselves without lawyers and politicians meddling in.

 

[wordofvirtue]

I'm a nurse, and I left hospital nursing 4 years ago. I'll never go back. If any of you get sick, try to avoid hospitalization if there is any way humanly possible to do so. If you have no choice, have someone with you 24/7.

Sadly, hospitals these days have very little to do with healing and almost everything to do with the bottom line. The best employees -- the ones who actually do care, who are smart and want to give 110% -- eventually get disgusted and leave. There are a lot of reasons. Administration is a nightmare, staffing is bad, patients are much sicker than they used to be, the list goes on and on. What you're left with isn't anything to write home about.

These days I pass out pills to the inmates at the local county jail. We (the nurses, all 2 of us) are still understaffed, but at least we can cuss and not catch holy hell The job is infinitely more interesting than hospital work, and I don't have to deal with psycho physicians anymore. I don't have to put up with being abused -- I give the inmates the best care I can, but if they get belligerent, I can just close the door and leave. Try doing that in a hospital! I've got a bunch of big burly officers who back me up, as well as jail administration that does the same. Strange as it may sound, the jail nurse gig is one of the best options around.

WoV

 

[Stella_Omega]

Cat, tell your patients to send copies of the letters to the newspapers as well. And to let the CEO know that they are doing so.

 

[SeaCat]

Whoa now folks. I didn't make this post to open the ca of rascism. (If I had wanted to talk about that I could have, and used many references easily found on the Internet.)

No I posted this to show what it is like to be at the bottom of the Power Pole here where I work.

Yes Wordofvirtue is correct. Medicine and Nursing have changed, but she doesn't do the changes justice. Some of the changes have been good. Things like the patients Bill of Rights are great.

On the other hand Medical Care has become the newest sector in the Service Industry. And like all other areas of the Service Sector Medical Care is driven by one goal. That of making money. It is because of this that staffing is being cut back and pay is kept low. (Do you want to go to school for a year then deal with what I do for $10.00 an hour? In a region where a one bedroom apartment goes for $1100.00 a month? Shelf Stockers at Win-Dixie make more an hour than I do.) It is no longer enough that we care for a person and heal them. We now have to cater to them and their families every whim as we do so. (I have been called onto the carpet because I didn't go across the street and buy a patient of mine a pack of smokes, with my money.)

As for the people working in my area. Well, when you pay shit wages you sometimes get shit people. Catering to them because they threaten litigation is not the way to go.

Cat

 

[Captain Midnight]

Good for you

Today I ran into something that disgusted me and pissed me off. I almost lost my job over it.

It seems that yesterday we had a person die on my unit. Now this is not uncommon but the circumstances surrounding the death are what disgust me.

We, the staff, change shift at 0700. The Aides start their first rounds at that time and do the initial Vital Signs and assist with assesments. The Aides had a light load yesterday, they had ten patients each. (Yes that is a light load for my unit. We usually have 13+ each.)

The R.N. for this particular patient checked on the patient at roughly 0730. She was alive but having problems. The R.N. asked the Aide to do a set of vitals on the patient so she could contact her doctor. By 0800 the Vitals still hadn't been done. The R.N., who was also dealing with another crisis again checked on the patient and again asked the Aide to do the Vital Signs before heading of to the other patient in crisis. By 0815 the Unit Manager was called in. The patient was going downhill. The R.N. did the Vital Signs and called the doctor. The patient was going into arrest due to C.H.F. The patient passed away at 0830.

The Aide, when asked why she didn't do the Vital Signs when asked to replied that she was busy with another patient. (A self care patient.) When the R.N. and the Unit Manager pushed a little due to the investigation the Aide made the comment they were only targeting her because of her race. Nothing more was said!

This morning when I showed up for work I was confronted by the Aide. She told me that she couldn't work that assignment today. I shrugged and ut her on another assignment. I took her assignment. I was informed by my supervisor that all Vitals were to be done by 0800. (Not a problem, I only had 9 patients.) By 0745 I had the Vital Signs done, had received and given report to my R.N.'s and heard a littany of complaints from my patients. Complaints of lack of care. Complaints of rudeness. I kept my mouth shut and got to work.

During the morning I bathed and took care of my patients. I didn't like what I was hearing from them. I actually felt ashamed when I had a younger woman, one who had surgery on Monday tell me she hadn't been bathed in two days. It was even worse, she hadn't been taken out of bed during that time. She hadn't been walked. She was shocked when I walked in, bathed her, got her out of bed and got her walking. I received similar complaints and comments from the rest of my patients.

Around noon I was called to the Nurses Station by my Supervisor. She informed me that the Aide who had worked my section before had complained that I had given her too many patients. I countered with the comment that the aforementioned Aide needed to stop playing and get to work and that there was no way in hell I was going to take any of her patients as I was too busy cleaning up the mess she had made with the patients I now had.

My Supervisor warned me that I was becoming disrespectful and could be written up. I asked, no I demanded that she talk to my patients. (While hinting that if she didn't I would write up an incident report.) In a huff she went and talked to my patients. Nothing further was said to me, but what is worse is nothing was said to th other Aide. (Nor will anything be said to her as I so well know.)

I am disgusted by this. This other Aide as well as a couple of others I know of are unprofessional. They make the rest of us look bad and yet nothing is said because they threaten the Race Card.

There is hope though. Several of my patients, including a Judge have asked me who to write letters of complaint to. I gave them the address of the Hospital's C.E.O. which we all know will have no effect. I also gave them the address of the State Board of Nursing, which might have an effect. (Enough complaints and the board will investigate.)

Cat

I worked with nurses for several years as part of a continuing-education program. I know several other nurses outside that program, including one who became a physician. I have high respect for nurses because of those associations.

I never worked with nurses' aides.

I am truly sorry for the R.N. who, it appears, did everything according to protocol and was let down by the aide. I am much sorrier for the patient and the patient's family. I don't know if you can file a malpractice suit against a nurse's aide, but that's where I'd go.

If you get a chance, could you talk to the R.N. and the doctor and ask them to give written statements? As bare-bones factual as your own statement, and maybe leaving out the bit about playing the race card.

I do not know from your statement whether the patient was terminally ill and the measures the nurse and the doctor could have taken would have saved her or simply caused her greater distress. But if this death was preventable, it appears that the blame should go to that aide.

Best wishes,

Captain Midnight

 

[Selena_Kitt]

They were really good at paperwork, schmoozing, CYA etc.

schmoozing IS the job, in any higher-up corporate world... that and ass-kissing... it made me physically ill to be in the middle of it... ugh

 

[rgraham666]

schmoozing IS the job, in any higher-up corporate world... that and ass-kissing... it made me physically ill to be in the middle of it... ugh

It's why I went nuts. I'm the type of person who prefers to do things.

I kept trying to do things. And I kept being made to pay for it. Eventually I couldn't get a job anymore. It was too well known that I wasn't, uhm, 'part of the team'.