One common complaint I hear when I visit the spinal cord injury centers is the shortage of nurses, which forces staff to put in long hours, and in some cases, to work double shifts. I know this problem is not confined to the VA. It also occurs in the private sector. The consequences are the same: things that should be attended to go undone and tempers run short on the part of both staff and patients.
With resources spread thin, it’s more important than ever that patients become their own advocates. As a first step, any patient being admitted to a hospital should make sure to get a booklet which spells out both the patient’s rights and responsibilities. Some of the more basic responsibilities are to be courteous to staff, to be on time for prescribed therapies, and to work with staff on rehabilitation.
Because of my past experience as hospital service director, I can tell you the best way to achieve a solution if a problem arises. The first person you need to notify is the head nurse. You must be prepared to relate to this individual the name(s) of the person(s) involved, where the incident took place, and who if anyone witnessed the incident. The next person who needs to be notified is the patient representative. The head nurse will, in the meantime, notify the chief of the service.
Normally, the next step would be a team meeting to come up with a solution and establish better understanding between the patient and staff. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the team meeting, the next person to appeal to would be the chief of staff. Following the chain of command is very important, and so is getting the problem solved on the ward. The last person you want to go to is the hospital director; therefore, going outside of the ward should be considered an absolute last resort.
When I was hospital service director, I encouraged patients to form patient committees so that they could discuss among themselves how to work better with staff. Having the benefit of others’ input usually results in creative solutions that work for everyone, and working as a team gives you the credibility to bring your ideas to the chief of the service. If any of our members would like to talk to me about this subject, please contact me. Letting tempers fly is not a productive way to get things done. You need to work with the systems that are set up at the same time that you advocate for your own care. Our organization stands behind you, but it’s important that you take responsibility for your actions and do what you can to help yourself.
Please keep your annual physical appointments. Remember, when you miss an appointment, allocated staff could have been treating someone else in your time slot. Until next month, stay well and semper fi!
Peter F. Addesso
President
