Did you know that if you go to Google's images, there are 47 pages (with multiple images per page, mind you) of TURKEYS!!! Boy, was it hard to choose which ones to use!! Wild ones, tame ones, groups, paintings, graphics....a veritable plethora of turkeys! One got my vote for most unusual, though. You've got to go to the website:
Most Unusual Turkeys
So. How's our attempt at bridging that communication gap going? There's lots of blogging going on. That's good. I noticed, along with one commentor, that there is a tendency for some to refute the other with an empty statement like "you're wrong" without any substantiating details. That's a real communication blocker, I think. "you're wrong because...." gets a lot further. The empty "you're wrong" gets heard as "you're right".
I heard there is an interesting situation in Florida. Apparently there is a rule on the books that says persons with mental illness can only be held in jail for 15 days. After that, they must be placed in an appropriate hospital. Well, with Jeb Bush at the helm, Florida has cut funding and beds so much that now, there are over 300 people with mental illness who have exceeded the 15 day limit in jails in Florida. Periodically, one of the attorneys brings a case on behalf of someone, and the officials jump that person to the top of the line and get them out, leaving the others in place. Well finally, a State Circuit Court Judge, in an attempt to get the state to do something real, has said the state will be fined $1,000/per day/per person kept over the 15 day limit and has threatened the Secretary of the Department of Child and Family Services (which oversees things there) with jail time if it doesn't get fixed! The Govenor and the Legislators escape punishment by pointing out that the Department of Child and Family Services never asked for more money...so they couldn't have given them any. Of course, the ringer is that the Secretary of the Department was undoubtedly instructed by the Govenor NOT to ask for money. Now she must fall on her sword, so to speak.
Florida's Secretary of Child&Family
It's that Accountability thang. Who IS responsible? Is anybody responsible? And what, exactly does that mean?
I'm distracted today by FortBGone's new Collector's Mystery Auction. I want to encourage as many people as possible to go check it out. As some of you may know, FortBGone was intended to be a way to contribute money to our indigent patients fund. So far, the store's proprietor is still subsidizing the store...This auction...and the one's that will follow each week until Christmas are an attempt to bring the store into the black....and FINALLY! have something to GIVE WooHOO!! Another reason to Give Thanks!
Hope you have a Wild Thanksgiving!!
15 comments:
Thank you for the inspiration, blog author. I believe in doing the right thing. I also believe that not everyone knows what the right thing is when they are confused, pressured, or even upset. I think some may need a second chance, maybe in the form of time and space to do the right thing. I don't believe that another and another and another second chance is needed, though, once either some time or space has been had. Yes this is vague, purposely so, but it will make sense to those to whom it applies. The next time I write will be when I hear that the opportunity to do the right thing has come and gone without an effort. It has been proven effective, to a degree, to do the right thing when media is alerted, or so this institution has learned from experience. What a motivating factor for our administration, managers, and supervisors. Now before you label me negative, psychotic or any other number of adjectives, in an effort to discredit me, let this blog prove effective for the sake of the place we work, and those we work for (the clients). Hopefully this "hits" the right spot. Their is no excuse for some staffs actions. And let me say, if this diatribe doesn't pertain to you, blog about something else, and accept these kudoos for showing good judgement and proper restraint, when dealing with whatever provokes you at work.If you are the one (s) to which this "hits" the spot, do the right thing now! Enough time has passed. If you were inappropriate in some manner, and the end result was insult, or worse injury, done by a person in a position of trust, to a person that was supposed to be cared for, especially a minor, then you have a problem that will not go away and maybe get worse. Now is the time to get help, and you are being offered a second chance.
Thanks to the Turkey's
This is just information since there aren't any specifics attached to the blog about giving someone a second chance. If their was an incident involving harm to a patient it needs to be reported. Who it gets reported to depends on who it involves. All such incidents get reported to the head nurse and team leader. All such incidents also get called in to x7084. To not make the appropriate calls, in a timely manner, could lead to sanctions against the facility. Usually these calls are made by the charge nurse, but anyone can call. Everyone with a license ie; nurses, psychologists, doctors, OT, MT and even some clinicians, are duty bound as part of their licensure to report certain infractions ie; neglect, malpractice, physical or sexual abuse within a healthcare institution. I guess it depends on what was reported, and what kind of internal investigation was conducted, as to whether further reporting is needed. I will say this, because I have some experience here, if a nurse was involved, a report can be made to the Board of Nursing, if impaired practice is allowed to continue, and should be! Reading the papers, alone, should scare anyone who ever took a med from a nurse because of the high occurance of med errors and death that can be a result. Their is more to nursing than passing pills, though, and all nurses are responsible for their actions, inactions and the decisions they make when they are in charge. One way to get people to do the job they are supposed to, is to write up incidents and mistakes. This is not pleasant or convenient, but needed so that patients and staff are not subjected to repeated problamatic practices. It also is a form of checks and balances, and your best defense, even if those reports don't seem to do anything. So the point here is,"do something."
accountability my a$&. where is it in hospitals these days? the only real accountability I have seen in this hospital involves med errors, and those making them getting supervised. But heres my questions, does the doctor who wrote the incomplete order get order writing supervision, does the nurse who transcribed the order wrong, get transcription supervision, does the staff that insistantly interupted the med nurse while the meds were being poured, get a lession in priorities and manners? why does every hospital instruct its staff to do the variance/incident report, but emphasize that they are not to chart that one was done. how can anyone be held accountable, when it is not documented. remember, not documented, not done. here's another example of how unaccountable people can be; the safety flow sheets are not kept up but most milieu staff will just fill in the blanks, maybe even for hours, when they pick up the board and do the next check. hopefully, someone other than the charge nurse is held accountable for this. doctor's who simply look in a book, for what needs to be done, rather than seeing the patient. how can medical needs be taken care of out of a book? housekeeping and facilities staff who leave their carts/equipment unattended on the units, who is held responsible when a patient steals from it? social workers who damn near guarantee a patient something ie; placement/status, but it doesn't happen, who should be accountable here? clinitians who are rough and gruff with patients, but enabled by the rest of the staff, to keep doing it. don't deny this one because other than med mistakes, this runs rampant and we appear to be rewarding this behavior rather than holding them accountable. and then their is management, who have the power to act, the ultimate responsibility to be sure all under them are doing the job they are paid to do. who holds them accountable when they do not intervein appropriately, when they enable staff to repeat mistakes, when they shuffle the task of mentoring off onto other staff, rather than educating the errant staff themselves, when paperwork is not done properly so that a unit can function better. there is a lot of responsibility and accountability to be had in hospitals by almost all who work there. it would just be nice to see it practiced, so that it can be respected and effective.
I want to know where they are giving a $6000 bonus!
You are invite to a charity benefit for the orphans in Kenya. This a not-for-profit event, benefiting the Caroline Wambui Mungai Foundation. 100% of the funds will be used to construct a home for the children in Wangige, Kenya. This home will bring 40 orphans age 3-5 into a home where they will receive education, nourishment and health care for details go to www.sunshine4orphans.org Sat Dec 9 th 6 p.m. University of Denver Driscoll Ballroom food, dancing, silent auction, raffle. $50.00 per person. more questions go to Travis@sunshine4orphans.org Lets do something positive this holiday season.
If you know that another staff person has been innappropriate towards an adolescent or adult patient then you are part of the problem, not the solution. If you have any information, then it is your DUTY to tell someone, or you become just as guilty as the person committing the acts. To me, the blog is not the correct avenue for reporting abuse, missuse, or any of the many scenarios we readers are left to wonder about. Suck it up and do the right thing. Even if you are wrong, things can be made right. There is no excuse to protect someone that is abusing their right as a treatment provider and supposed patient advocate.
It's gonna be a good Thanksgiving.
I'm thankful that I have family to share it. I'm thankful that I have a home to be in. I'm thankful that I have a job at the Fort. I'm thankful to the good folks I work with. I'm thankful for an opportunity to help others who really need someone to help them. And I'm thankful that this blog is available for those times when I am less than gracious and can be so here, then go back to work and do what I am supposed to. I know this is mushy, but sometimes I thankful for mushy too. Have a good Thanksgiving all.
Document what you did silly, if you made a med error, write a note in the patients chart about what you did. We rarely write in the chart when we made a mistake with a medication. We should learn from our mistakes not get angry about them. Aren't we here to do the right thing for our patients?
Thank goodness for the staff that are comfortable with admitting their mistakes.
I am thankful for my family and my life. My job "No", I have marketable skills could work a ton of places. I like helping people and providing them some insight on what they need to know to be succesful in life(or at the very least function in society).
How many would agree we need more training here and education. Many of us here have continued our education, but many of us have not went any further than a LPT license or an A.A. degree. Nothing wrong if thats your comfort level. I am talking about classes on how staff can work better together and learn how to talk to others in an actual professional way. Also psychiatric training for staff provided by outside sources, such as healthcare providers i.e. Kaiser, etc.
I am not trying to be be mean, but lets face it. The communication between staff is not very good, with transference placed on the patients because of our fighting. Also training for management, staff did not come here with sh#tty attitudes, they learned it from environment that creates animosity between staff(some did come here with them, but not most).
People who have no hopes are easy to control. And whoever has the control, has the power.
Holiday season is here I hope all have a great one.
They tell us that reporting variances of medications and other things is an educational tool for everyone, yet when reported it seems to have a punitive educational response, that makes nurses who have been competent, and outstanding feel like they are idiots. No matter who is at fault they always blame the nurses. When I worked at the hospital, unless you killed the pt. the charge nurse would review the incident with you and offer suggestions of how to avoid this. Never with threats of well you need to have someone who never even gives meds, that you may not even know stand over you and watch you and write you up if its a mistake. It feels alot more educational if someone helps you rather than critiques you, and the nurses are overworked, and constantly disrupted while doing meds from even the janitors,phones, other nurses,doctors, and even our patients. We have it all wrong in how to provide support, and not threaten if you don't pass this supervision were going to report you to the board of nursing.Lions, and tigers and bears oh my.....
I also vote for a special day a month for employees here.
Called the hello, good morning, good evening, good night day.
I would like to see a special day, where we speak to those that pass us in the hall, janitors, clinicians, Nurses, admin, etc(some do but have noticed many do not, maybe its just me they don't speak too lol). I have noticed this since I started at the "Asylum". Have you ever waved at somebody here and they made you feel like an ass, when they did not wave back(and its a supervisor, that was smiling in your face a year ago, "on how grand it would be if I took a position here"). Maybe they found out I write on here, and the truth hurts. My answer to that "Too bad, So sad". I will continue to say hello, to those even if they hate me. Because hate is a feeling just like love. You make me feel special because I know you care enough about me to fill one way or another.
It starts with us, yes the negative atmosphere here is very profound. But we still have the choice of how we will treat or mistreat our fellow man. So Hellooooo All!
If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!
The problem with giving a "second chance", is that it is not given to all. If they want you gone for say med errors, you will be gone. Things are not equal here, we all know this. If your one their "lapdogs" you get a ton of chances. But if you carry yourself as an actual Man or Woman here, you might get one chance(unless you know some past hospital dirty deeds and have proof it). In a perfect world would work, but here hell! we all know the answer.
To those that will say quit. DOn't need to, have another Job too(a good one).
Work your way up or rust your way out.
Staff complain here all the time "not just the blog"
So we must ask ourselves some questions.
1)Is it worth it? Pay, incentives, work environment
2)Do I have marketable skills for the real world?
3)How much do I truly value myself.
4)Do I carry myself in such a way that people respect me or do I cowtow to others?
5)Do I recieve actual satisfaction in the job I do and have success rate with clients or am I just fighting against outdated psychiatric facility?
6)Does my pay equal the stress?
7)Does this job allow me to spend time with family/ freinds by having a good work schedule?
8)Is this job my life?
9)Does my job allow me to live the American dream? Property ownership, real vacations, savings or does it bring about financial diffuculty where I have to spend more time at work.
The first step is to look at ourselves. Either you will stay in a job that makes you unhappy or you will find one that you will have success in. State does not have the market cornered on jobs that help others. I cannot help others, or give advice on what it is to be successful if I have yet to figure it out myself.
A job is like a relationship "either good or bad". You try and work it out, but sometimes it just cannot be saved. Therefore, live in an unhappy relationship or you will find one that makes you happy or content. The difference between a job and a relationship. "Their are no kids involved, paperwork is shorter and paperwork goes through in four weeks". I am being honest, these are direct care jobs, nothing more nothing less. Some of us have the ability, education to do more with our lives, but never take the steps and will always envy those that did. How will you live your life, a job is 65 to 75% of our lives. Either you will continue in a sh#tty job that translates into majority of where a person lifetime is spent. Or you will find fulfillment in a satisfactory job that also impacts your life. I have made my choice.
How about you?
Dont sell yourselves short.
What we think or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do.
Sincerly,
the part-timer
Part - timer ... That was well put thanks for the reminder....
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