It's Tuesday

However, for some folks, it's Friday. Forever. One of our retirees came in for the last time and left today. Sadness.

Tuesday for me means patient appointments (if someone doesn't cancel them at the last minute) and meetings. Fun meetings where people who insist that it start at one time (0800) casually stroll in at 0815 and throw off the folks who have to come in at 0830 from another site for a short report.

Our coordinator called some of them on it. I don't really think it will stick or embarrass anyone enough to show up on time. It's the Hotel way, and they (the Hotel "team") aren't going to change for anyone. Even if it is terribly inconvenient and they are the first people who think the meeting is going too slowly.

I'm all for locking the doors and deducting the time from their pay, but unfortunately, management doesn't feel the same. We should ALL suffer together.

Just another reason why I hate team building exercises. A few divas always screw it up.

What's NOT right with the world

1.  I could not believe this when I read it. Charging a victim of rape for a rape kit? Really? Add insult to injury and a little financial burden, why don't you?

2. Product branding in the age of social media savvy terrorism. No, I don't think I'd change the name of my product.

3. I feel the same way about the weather. When will it really be fall...for two days in November?

That is all. Monday will be over soon enough. Just felt the need to vent....ah!

'Tis the season...to retire

Not me (I wish!) but certainly a lot of people around the Hotel are retiring. More than a few messages have appeared in my mailbox for parties for people leaving at the beginning or the end of the month.

It's even happening at the Hotel. A couple of our folks are retiring. They are looking forward to lives where THEY dictate what the schedule looks like. I can't say that I blame them. Others, such as one of our NPs, can't wait to be a grandma (any minute really!).  What perfect timing...retire and spend as much time as you want with your grandchild. Another is working on his/her golf game and the travel associated with it.

Our boss really wants to retire, but since we can't find a replacement, he/she will have to set a date and retire and let the Manglement of the Hotel figure it all out. Waiting for years (yes, it's true) is really not fun.

It's too bad the Hotel only does lip service to succession planning. It might make the transition easier.

One of these days, they'll wake up...and someone will figure it out.

But I'm not sure if that will happen before I retire (many years down the road).

More to come...

Yes, it's non-formulary at the Hotel

And no, contrary to popular belief, we don't supply it, either, but this order was entertaining:

MARIJUANA (MEDICAL) AS DIRECTED INHALATION AS  NEEDED

I always tell the flower children to go to the state next door (since they wrote this character's script.)

Alas, they continue to patronize our local drug dealers, even if it means we'll kick them out and some of our surgeons will refuse to operate on them if they need it.

Just a thought.

More later...

Family reunion fun

All of the nurses myself included (a retired CRNA, retired COHN and a peds nurse) talk about disgusting stuff while eating BBQ. Pressure sores somehow seemed to be one of the big topics. Even the peds nurse (newly engaged) had a gross story. Her fiance went to talk to the cousin who was doing the cooking.

Thank goodness our family has a (warped) sense of humor. Everyone has been through some horror (or two) and survived.

Makes things very entertaining along with that snow cone machine my cousin brings every year.

Never a dull moment.

Stay tuned...

Old school communication

Call me a dinosaur, but I still love my e-mails. Especially stuff from the listservs I'm on.

Rehab nurses who rarely speak out about anything will have long, torrid discussions via listserv about the best way to put on a leg bag and how many times a night to turn patients.

It may be old, but it is still highly entertaining.

Never forget

I won't. Ever.

Harbinger of things to come?

Sunday started with a migraine, which did not go away. It just subsided here and there until the migraine drugs came out (thankfully, no nausea and vomiting!)

Went over by the Hotel and saw one of my coworkers, F., getting ready for the night shift. Long discussion. Had to cut it short to do what I had to do and get two friends to bring home for Dahey and Bubba.

Those friends: Ben & Jerry. Yes, we ran out of ice cream (found this out yesterday) and you would have thought the world would indeed end.

But alas, as I'm leaving I saw it. The harvest moon. 

I hope F. has a really boring night.

That is all. Stay tuned...the night (and the week) is young.

Only in my dreams

Only in my dreams could we get a Hotel Rehab as "smart" and "accessible" as this new one going up in Nebraska.

I'm kind of worried about those gestures turning on and off appliances, lights, etc.

What do I do with the guy who has spasms whenever we turn him (or whenever he tilts just right in his wheelchair)?

It could get REALLY interesting.

Just sayin'...stay tuned. (I'd love to be there when it opens!)

The perils of rehab

While I was at my rehab conference, I talked to lots of folks. One of the biggest issues was reimbursement.

Now I know why there are issues. If companies only hire for a bare minimum set of qualifications for their staff (see below), it's no wonder why all the case managers in the audience said they were coloring their hair due to it turning white prematurely.

Clinical Appeals Reviewer 
Job Description:

Primary Responsibilities:

    Provide expertise or general support in reviewing, researching, investigating,and resolving all types of appeals.
    Communicate issues, implications, and decisions with appropriate parties.
    Analyze and identify trends for Appeals.


Job Requirements:
Required Qualifications:

    High School Diploma/GED.
    1+ year of Telephonic Customer Service experience.
    1+ year of Healthcare Insurance experience.
    Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel, including the ability to create spreadsheets and filter data.

Preferred Qualifications:
    Familiarity with Medical Terminology

Funny, but no where did it say this person ought to be a nurse. You get what you pay for...just sayin'

More to come...

Another t-shirt moment

I love conferences, since you get to see people you haven't seen in ages and learn new stuff.

But I really hate it when you are so tired, you want to pass out, because you've been trapped in freezing cold rooms and staying up late.

Thank goodness I convinced the boss I need time to recoup (aka vacation). I might not be going anywhere, but being stationary, is a very good thing.

Stay tuned.