Around the Web – Making Your ER Visit Easier

Found another great article. 

This is written by an emergency room nurse.  Title is 4 ways to de-stress your ER visit.  I’ll list the short version, but strongly recommend you actually read the article.

1. Make a list of medications you take and bring it with you

2. Bring no more than two people with you.  Bring at least one in case you need a ride home.

3. Bring something to do.

4. When someone is talking to you, ignore the cell phone and pay attention.

Here’s a link:

http://www.emergiblog.com/2012/01/four-ways-to-de-stress-your-er-visit.html

For all those friends and relatives who wonder how I have time to do all that crocheting, I have the bag perpetually packed.  I just grab it when I go somewhere I think I’m going to wait.  From the local high school sports events to my kids’ medical appointments – it gives me something to do.  Of course, I got a kindle for Christmas, and it fits nicely in the bag.  So there may be less handcrafting.

What to do While You Wait

An Explanation for the Baby Blanket

I spend a lot of time waiting.  It seems like I’m always sitting somewhere waiting for the kids, or waiting to be seen at the dentist or the doctor’s or something.  I am not a terribly patient person by nature.  Perhaps I have a little of Three Speed’s ADD. 

Years ago, I learned that I needed to have something to do when I wait someplace.  Sometimes I can read a book.  Occasionally I can sit and write something, like a piece for this blog. 

There are times when I have my kids along.  When they were little, I always brought toys and books to keep them occupied.  I’m sure there are plenty of folks who got tired of listening to the same book being read over and over in the waiting room.  Moms of the world can relate to that one.   Books were always quick to pick up and didn’t leave a mess.

As my children got bigger, I went back to crocheting.  I have made multiple scarves in the last few years at football games, band spectaculars etc.  Now, it seems that there are bunches of folks having babies.  My nieces are in that age group for example.  A baby blanket is just portable enough to be a take along project for me when I know I have to sit someplace and wait (and wait, and wait).

It’s nice to have a handmade gift ready when someone announces “Mom, my trumpet tutor and his wife just had a baby!”  My response is “Pink or blue or green or white?”  No shopping involved.  Everyone’s happy.   No, I’m not going to be a Grandmother.

Does anyone need a really nice, hand crocheted scarf?  I still have quite a few from before the blankets!

 

 

Waiting Room Dynamics

Is the system broken?

I went to my doctor’s office the other day.  I sat in the “waiting room” for over an hour and a half.  This is a medical group consisting of 6 different “providers” – 4 doctors, a PA and a NP.  When I got there, the room was full.  I have no idea how many of the docs were seeing patients that day.  It was mid afternoon. 

I watched patients come in to the window, sign in and sit down.  I could tell they had the routine down. 

One man came in complaining about the cost of his wife’s medication.  She had been on several different medications.  This one seems to be working better, but cost $136 per month.  After some conversation in the back, there were no samples, but they were going to call him later to see if they could either authorize it with his insurance company or find a less expensive medication.  This entire conversation took place in front of everyone in the “waiting room”.  He was not taken back to a more private area where this could be discussed.  The only things I don’t know are his wife’s name and the name of the medication.

Then one of MY patients came in with her significant other.  She wasn’t feeling well.  I guess she hadn’t called ahead.  She went to the window and said she needed to be seen.  She described her symptoms.  A staff member came out from the back.  At first she was scolded for driving herself.  When they found out she had a ride, they told her that she needed to go to the emergency room and loaded her back in the car.  She was there less than 5 minutes.  I hear she spent 6 hours in the ER. 

A pharmaceutical rep came in, took one look, and offered to come back another day.   The woman at the window did manage to get a signature so he could leave samples. 

There wasn’t a lot of conversation in the waiting room, even though it was packed.   There was complaining about how long people had waited.  One person had been there over an hour when I got there.  I settled in for a long wait.

 I did talk with a lovely woman who works for home health about some of the problems with “the system”.  She had waited 4 months for an appointment.  She ran out of medication, then had an issue with the office staff because she needed a refill.  I think the system is broken.  At least in that office.