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December 28, 2011

2011: Great Strides for Patients – The Best is Yet to Come


One Comment to “2011: Great Strides for Patients – The Best is Yet to Come”

  1. Roberta Mikles BA RN said,

    January 10, 2012 @ 7:49 am

    In all due respect, as a Dialysis Patient Safety Advocate, I wish that all staff, including physicians, were adequately trained in fully understanding what the dialysis patient experiences, during treatment and away from treatment. Recently, having spoken to a dialysis technician, who only confirmed my thinking of inadequate training/education, I plead with providers to take a deeper look into their training programs. When a non-medical individual enters into the world of dialysis, then is coupled with a preceptor (another dialysis technician), this is not always the best avenue for training. The preceptor, as I am told often, is (a) too busy to answer questions, (b) too busy to observe the new technician and (c) might pass on shortcuts and/or bad habits of care (e.g.infection control practices). I, further, plead with providers to educate so there is less retaliation which is alive in many units, either on a covert or overt level. A simple eye rolling movement, shake/nod of a staff’s head, a facial expression or any gesture sends a message to the patient ‘don’t ever ask me again’.. Additionally, and finally, I plead for patients to be active participants in their care, not just on paper, but in reality. This entails patients being fully educated, encouraged to question staff and ask questions. This would mean that staff (and, physicians) are educated that the patient has a right to question anything being done to their body, and to ask any question that affects them, along with reminding staff, or bringing to their attention a potential or actual error. Staff, and physicians, must understand that an educated patient CAN and often does, prevent mistakes from happening. However, staff, and physicians must be accepting of such, for this is what makes a team, versus labeling a patient a ‘problem’, ‘challenging’, etc..
    above opinions are of
    Roberta Mikles BA RN
    Director, Advocates4QualitySafePatientCare
    a nationwide advocacy group non connected to the industry
    uncompensated advocates striving for safe, quality care
    http://www.qualitysafepatientcare.com


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