Recently on one of the newsmagazines on tv there was a segment about a DNR Order for a older gentleman to which his daughter, a nurse, wasn't aware. She was with her father when he was in distress and was prevented from assisting him by staff of Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. The staff just stood there watching the gentleman die while physically holding back the daughter because of these three letters: DNR.. How terrorizing that I still have recall of this..
I recently had a scenario of how DNRs are obtained. I am still reeling over it. If staff suspects that a family member will oppose a DNR hospital staff will just go behind the family member's back and get it anyways. It isn't even in writing. Just a notation on a patient's chart: DNR. There is a trio of doctors at VGH whose mandate is to convince patients to agree or even if a patient doesn't know what he is agreeing to but agrees that he understands it is on his chart forever never to be questioned again.
Randy had a severe traumatic brain injury and as time goes on he is susceptible to suggestions i.e. undue influence. However, one thing that Randy is consistent is when you ask him about Dr. Dunn his assigned doctor because you can't have a family doctor when you are in care is his consistent "the finger."
Why is this an ongoing issue (rush) not only at VGH but also at GPC.
Randy is only 54 years old; unfortunately he is a quad but his quality of life is good, he has no diseases nor is he in pain. The traumatic brain injury left him with a spinal cord injury. He suffers from depression but who won't.
Randy is in a system that has a halo of goodness around it. It promises to do no harm.
At the last open board meeting Kip Woodward said something had to be done to prevent extraction of DNRs while patients are in Emergency but he hasn't done anything so far.
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Showing posts with label Dave Ostrow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dave Ostrow. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Another Week
The woman neighbour of mine who doesn't like to look at wheelchair bound people spent last weekend painting the new cement steps (blockage) red. I get to admire her paint job each day. She like GPC is putting me in my place. To bully, to bully, to bully. All you have to do is to end being bullied is to become part of their mob and then find another target for group cohesion. It seems to be a well-known fact within the medical community that the nurses eat their own (i.e. rule by bullying) and that is why we have a nursing shortage. It only takes a short time after a new novice realizes this and she quickly exits leaving the nursing profession to those that bully rather than care.
And as for George Pearson Centre, the gentleman (Bob Chapman) who signed my banning letter in February 2011 is going on holidays for three weeks. Although he is entitled to holidays I do not know how he can afford to take the time away from Vancouver Coastal Health as as he is the
Director of Client Relations;
Director of Risk Management;
Director of Patient Care Quality;
Acting Director of At Home Support;
Acting Director of Complex Care.
There is no law that says he can't forfeit his holidays for the greater good like the 1,000,000 people he should be answering to.
Watch what will happen. A new VCH policy will be put in place saying that management will no long tell anyone that they are going on holidays as it would destablize the public's faith in what is going on by their extensive leaves. When they are on holidays the public will just be told that the person is not available.
I was absolutely amazed on Friday. I had Randy with me at my place. When it is hot I make sure that he is always in a cool place away from the sun and now that I cannot have access to the shade which my neighbour has blocked with her red cement blocks, Randy was inside. He was acting very combatively. He kept pointing randomly around my one-room residence. I was beginning to think he had no more brain cells. I finally gave him a pointer so he could point better than with his hand. He kept pointing everywhere. He was manic. He was pointing at the floor area. Then I realized what he wanted. He wanted me to unclutter my living space. Do you want me to cleanup my apartment, I asked, and he nodded yes. It is rather hard to unclutter a 450 square foot apartment that is the home to two doggies who like to play/distribute all my things. It would be a lot easier if the agent for the property would force the lady with the red steps to give up some of her storage space as she has a crawl space, two storage lockers, a extra small room that used to be for caretakers equipment, and a garage for her new black convertible (MB) but that will never happen. The lady with the red steps lives in a two bedroom duplex by herself and I stress by herself. And she isn't even a pack rat, she is very very neat and orderly to the point of it from my observation being an obsession. What she claims is hers is hers. No sharing allowed. Same rational as the head nurse from George Person Centre. I am engulfed by these mindsets.
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And as for George Pearson Centre, the gentleman (Bob Chapman) who signed my banning letter in February 2011 is going on holidays for three weeks. Although he is entitled to holidays I do not know how he can afford to take the time away from Vancouver Coastal Health as as he is the
Director of Client Relations;
Director of Risk Management;
Director of Patient Care Quality;
Acting Director of At Home Support;
Acting Director of Complex Care.
There is no law that says he can't forfeit his holidays for the greater good like the 1,000,000 people he should be answering to.
Watch what will happen. A new VCH policy will be put in place saying that management will no long tell anyone that they are going on holidays as it would destablize the public's faith in what is going on by their extensive leaves. When they are on holidays the public will just be told that the person is not available.
I was absolutely amazed on Friday. I had Randy with me at my place. When it is hot I make sure that he is always in a cool place away from the sun and now that I cannot have access to the shade which my neighbour has blocked with her red cement blocks, Randy was inside. He was acting very combatively. He kept pointing randomly around my one-room residence. I was beginning to think he had no more brain cells. I finally gave him a pointer so he could point better than with his hand. He kept pointing everywhere. He was manic. He was pointing at the floor area. Then I realized what he wanted. He wanted me to unclutter my living space. Do you want me to cleanup my apartment, I asked, and he nodded yes. It is rather hard to unclutter a 450 square foot apartment that is the home to two doggies who like to play/distribute all my things. It would be a lot easier if the agent for the property would force the lady with the red steps to give up some of her storage space as she has a crawl space, two storage lockers, a extra small room that used to be for caretakers equipment, and a garage for her new black convertible (MB) but that will never happen. The lady with the red steps lives in a two bedroom duplex by herself and I stress by herself. And she isn't even a pack rat, she is very very neat and orderly to the point of it from my observation being an obsession. What she claims is hers is hers. No sharing allowed. Same rational as the head nurse from George Person Centre. I am engulfed by these mindsets.
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Sunday, August 5, 2012
Anniversary of Code Blue
Saturday was Randy's anniversary of his Code Blue in 2011.
And it was like most days it was an awful day. I woke up to the barking of my neighbour's dog and when I looked out to see why the dog was in distress I saw my neighbour cementing blocks on the common sidewalk in front of her unit in order to inhibit access of Randy's wheelchair to the front of my unit. This woman is a piece of work.
Although on Friday I left a note on Randy's wheelchair asking that Randy's penis condone be checked before I arrived for leakage it wasn't done. It was even worse than that. Randy didn't want to get out of bed so the casual RN suggested that I go down and talk to him in an effort to change his mind. He kept pointing to his leg and I did not know what he meant. I said if I put on his white shoes would be get up and he said nodded yes but he was really trying to tell me something else. I checked his condone and I could see it was leaking and I could smell the ammonia from his diaper so he must have been laying in his urine for a long time. The casual RN was not aware of his condition as she was not his day nurse. But she changed him cheerfully and lifted him out of his bed to his chair.
This urine thing has been going on for a month now. Each time I change Randy at home (with great difficulty) (and wash his clothes) I date and bag the diapers and I now have a large garbage bag full. Randy is paying $15,000 a month for this care... GPC is a residential care hospital that controls each resident's bowel movements. There is no reason for any resident to have an "accident" due to improper technique.
I really do not know if they are shorthanded or not but I just read from the minutes of the latest Residents Council meeting that a full-time VCH employee from management's Improvement Process Team (Peter) had given the Council a talk about how GPC was going more lean with continuous improvement. Only an administration full of academics would come up with this garbage to convince the residents that the nurses that treat them are slaggards. Napolean Ostrow and his COO Josephine therefore must believe GPC is overstaffed.
Since problem solving is very expensive, GPC should put a huge sign at its entrance saying this to explain why GPC 's policy is to ban/restrict visitors from its property. This past year four persons have been banned/restricted from GPC. How many others were verbally banned without paperwork.
And it was like most days it was an awful day. I woke up to the barking of my neighbour's dog and when I looked out to see why the dog was in distress I saw my neighbour cementing blocks on the common sidewalk in front of her unit in order to inhibit access of Randy's wheelchair to the front of my unit. This woman is a piece of work.
Although on Friday I left a note on Randy's wheelchair asking that Randy's penis condone be checked before I arrived for leakage it wasn't done. It was even worse than that. Randy didn't want to get out of bed so the casual RN suggested that I go down and talk to him in an effort to change his mind. He kept pointing to his leg and I did not know what he meant. I said if I put on his white shoes would be get up and he said nodded yes but he was really trying to tell me something else. I checked his condone and I could see it was leaking and I could smell the ammonia from his diaper so he must have been laying in his urine for a long time. The casual RN was not aware of his condition as she was not his day nurse. But she changed him cheerfully and lifted him out of his bed to his chair.
This urine thing has been going on for a month now. Each time I change Randy at home (with great difficulty) (and wash his clothes) I date and bag the diapers and I now have a large garbage bag full. Randy is paying $15,000 a month for this care... GPC is a residential care hospital that controls each resident's bowel movements. There is no reason for any resident to have an "accident" due to improper technique.
I really do not know if they are shorthanded or not but I just read from the minutes of the latest Residents Council meeting that a full-time VCH employee from management's Improvement Process Team (Peter) had given the Council a talk about how GPC was going more lean with continuous improvement. Only an administration full of academics would come up with this garbage to convince the residents that the nurses that treat them are slaggards. Napolean Ostrow and his COO Josephine therefore must believe GPC is overstaffed.
Since problem solving is very expensive, GPC should put a huge sign at its entrance saying this to explain why GPC 's policy is to ban/restrict visitors from its property. This past year four persons have been banned/restricted from GPC. How many others were verbally banned without paperwork.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
November 17 2011 Thursday
I am totally frustrated with GPC. I wanted to leave some flowers on the wards today and was told by the nursing staff they are not allowed to take them and security also said that it couldn't take them. What a simple thing and yet no one wants to assist. What is a person suppose to do drop them at the front door and hope no one steals them or they freeze because of the cold weather. This isn't the first time such requests were denied. I have never been in an environment where staff has been so uncooperative. Their unionized job descriptions are so strict rendering them near useless in our modern multitasking society. A job so clearly defined that one doesn't have to think or learn anything else after being hired. Just get hired and then retire with pay. This also extends to even giving Randy a chalkboard so he can scribble on it. Unless I am there apparently no stimulation is given except for the tv. I dread to know how other residents are treated or not treated. I was told that there is a shortage of volunteers at GPC. Maybe it is because the volunteers are told to see nothing and say nothing and above all do not get personal with any resident and stay away from those that can't talk or defend themselves. Isolated to the point where the residents are conditioned so even the most vocal and those treated unjustly are silenced. I ask them to speak out and am told by the residents and family members that if they do the standard of care of their caring friend or family member will be lessened. Take away stimulation; take away brain function; take away caring friends. Take away life. See You Tube: BC's Health Authorities on How to Effectively Communicate with the Public. Up to the time I came across this video I felt that I was a pawn in a script with staff orchestrating my pain until it was too much and I would go away. Too bad Randy is a fighter and an American who believes in fighting for justice. He is now the most important person in this dialogue and I am his caring friend and advocate.
I wasn't able to visit with Randy in the piano room Thursday afternoon. When I went into the ward for my allotted few minutes he said he didn't want to get out of bed because his head hurt. This is the first time he ever said his head hurt. I showed him the new AC/DC monopoly board I just purchased and could he play monopoly and he said yes. I asked him if he could go home would he get up. He said yes. I told him on Friday we could play the board game.
I told him that because I was an old lady (approaching seventy) that if I took him home without GPC's consent GPC would get the police (a restraining order) and I would never see him again. It would be evidence that I was a risk to him. I was told GPC could make sure that if I did not do whatever GPC wanted I would never see Randy again. I suspect this means that the Public Trustee would take over and make GPC his committee and GPC would totally ban me forever. Even this afternoon when I was talking to Bob Chapman I could heard him type in every word I said. In other words if I wanted a crumb I would have to suck up to each one of them (please do not kill Randy by removing his will to live) or suffer the consequences. Thank you Napolean (Ostrow). Thank you Josephine (MARY). Thank you Dr/MLA Moira Stilwell
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I wasn't able to visit with Randy in the piano room Thursday afternoon. When I went into the ward for my allotted few minutes he said he didn't want to get out of bed because his head hurt. This is the first time he ever said his head hurt. I showed him the new AC/DC monopoly board I just purchased and could he play monopoly and he said yes. I asked him if he could go home would he get up. He said yes. I told him on Friday we could play the board game.
I told him that because I was an old lady (approaching seventy) that if I took him home without GPC's consent GPC would get the police (a restraining order) and I would never see him again. It would be evidence that I was a risk to him. I was told GPC could make sure that if I did not do whatever GPC wanted I would never see Randy again. I suspect this means that the Public Trustee would take over and make GPC his committee and GPC would totally ban me forever. Even this afternoon when I was talking to Bob Chapman I could heard him type in every word I said. In other words if I wanted a crumb I would have to suck up to each one of them (please do not kill Randy by removing his will to live) or suffer the consequences. Thank you Napolean (Ostrow). Thank you Josephine (MARY). Thank you Dr/MLA Moira Stilwell
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Thursday, June 9, 2011
VCHA Open Board Meeting June 8 2010
Yesterday I went to the Vancouver Coastal Health Board Meeting. It was one of three open board meetings which are open to the public each year. I think it should have monthly open board meetings as there is so much material and if the board meetings happen more often (same date and time and place each month) more people will come. These board meetings should be set up so that they are educational vehicles for the public to learn, to understand, to participate. And the presenters and the Board members and staff should stand not sit when they talk. Sitting hiding behind microphones so no one except the first row can see you is not what I expected. I would like to see who is talking and they all should have name tags. Whispering to someone (security) next to you "who is speaking" is unsettling. I remember getting up in the Q&A period and starting with ... I am closer in age to 70 than 60 but I still can have a voice (or something like that).
I was able to secure a promise from Kip Woodward, the Chairman of the Board, that on the VCHA web page www.vch.ca on the Board Members' page that all the directors' email addresses will be posted bypassing the long hierarchical command of the CEO. He agreed. One victory but then we will have to see how long it takes for it to happen. Napoleon Ostrow (Ostrow looks like Napoleon -- short and stocky)is really in charge as he is the CEO and it will be interesting to see how long since Kip decided this at the Board meeting that this will in deed happen. It is now 30 hours and still no directors' email addresses on the web. D1 is in progress: delay, delay, delay.
Did I mention that I was the only public at the Open Board Meeting although the audience was full of presenters (senior management). Speaking to the converted. It must mean that 1 million people in the Greater Vancouver area is happy with the Health Authority. Happy, happy, happy. This is what I was told by the nursing staff at George Pearson Centre as Randy repeatedly pulls out his trach. I am banned from seeing Randy at his bedside so I do not know how many times he has pulled out his trach or why. But the nurses assured me that when they leave Randy with me for our visits they do not worry about Randy as Randy never pulls out his trach when I visit. One of the nurses also told me that with three visits a week that at least now Randy gets out of his bed three times a week. Does that mean he is confined to his bed when I am not visiting. I asked for a video survilliance but I was told that it was impossible. Why is that in New York State the public interest is paramount to the private interest of employees in nursing homes and cameras are being installed. If I am not allowed to see Randy at his bedside I should at least be able to view him on a webcam.
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I was able to secure a promise from Kip Woodward, the Chairman of the Board, that on the VCHA web page www.vch.ca on the Board Members' page that all the directors' email addresses will be posted bypassing the long hierarchical command of the CEO. He agreed. One victory but then we will have to see how long it takes for it to happen. Napoleon Ostrow (Ostrow looks like Napoleon -- short and stocky)is really in charge as he is the CEO and it will be interesting to see how long since Kip decided this at the Board meeting that this will in deed happen. It is now 30 hours and still no directors' email addresses on the web. D1 is in progress: delay, delay, delay.
Did I mention that I was the only public at the Open Board Meeting although the audience was full of presenters (senior management). Speaking to the converted. It must mean that 1 million people in the Greater Vancouver area is happy with the Health Authority. Happy, happy, happy. This is what I was told by the nursing staff at George Pearson Centre as Randy repeatedly pulls out his trach. I am banned from seeing Randy at his bedside so I do not know how many times he has pulled out his trach or why. But the nurses assured me that when they leave Randy with me for our visits they do not worry about Randy as Randy never pulls out his trach when I visit. One of the nurses also told me that with three visits a week that at least now Randy gets out of his bed three times a week. Does that mean he is confined to his bed when I am not visiting. I asked for a video survilliance but I was told that it was impossible. Why is that in New York State the public interest is paramount to the private interest of employees in nursing homes and cameras are being installed. If I am not allowed to see Randy at his bedside I should at least be able to view him on a webcam.
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