Dreams revisited..................

Yesterday, the social worker from Hospice stopped by to make sure I was doing okay having lost two residents in such a short period. I assured her I am doing fine, mostly because I take such comfort from being able to give residents and their families such postive experiences of the dying process. As our conversation took off from there, she told me something that has continued to haunt my thoughts ever since.

She said she went to visit one of her patients, that is residing at an area nursing home (that is suppose to be one of the better ones, and IS one of the more expensive ones), and went in to find her moaning, obviously in pain. When she went to ask the nurse about pain medication that is ordered PRN (which means "as needed"), the nurse's response was, "Well, she can have it whenever she asks for it. She didn't ask for it, and we don't have time to be running down there to check on her all the time." The patient IS UNABLE TO ASK FOR IT (you moron!), and she certainly can't be running down to you "all the time" now can she? (Disclaimer here... NOT what the Hospice nurse said to the staff nurse, just what I would have would have wanted to say to her.) The nurse solved the immediate problem by changing the orders to read "every hour." This doesn't even begin to address the larger problem of inadequate care our senior population is getting.

I know I have talked about this before. I don't even fully blame the nurses in these places, as it is really the way we have allowed the system to be set up. The only way things are going to change is if speak up and do something about it. In my state, the Governor passed a law making everyone working with seniors and children to be fingerprinted, to cut down on the number of felons employed in these places, and is now using that as a campaign ad to show how good of a job she is doing. I am absolutely sure that the nurse without the time has no criminal record, and yet in my opinion is abusing that patient by not checking on her more often. We need to do much more as individuals, and as a country to address this problem.

Remember my dream of the perfect nursing home, where care is of the highest quality and money is not a concern? Help that possibility to become a reality by praying/meditating/holding the idea up/ whatever you do to assist the universe in granting one's heart desire. Collectively, I know we can do this. Also, consider volunteering at your area nursing home, either as a Hospice volunteer, or just a regular volunteer. Get in those places, and then get the word out as to how they need to be changed. Contact those in govermental power and let them know the reality of what is going on. If nothing else, you can be the mouth and legs of the residents that can no longer speak up for themselves, at a time when they most need to be able to. In today's society, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to die in pain. (Okay! We really can't count tragic accidents in the context of this discussion. Can we?) Take a pro-active stance in seeing that this doesn't continue to be the norm rather than the exception.

Alright! I am getting off my soapbox for now. Thanks for listening to me, and have a wonderful day! Thanks also (in advance) for helping me solve this problem.