This has been a hellish couple of weeks, both in the workload at work AND in what's happened to one of our staff members. I'm not even going to get into the workload issue. Suffice it to say that we ARE approaching the end of the year, and folks need to use up the $$$ in their flexible spending accounts before next year AND they want their elective surgeries completed so they can be outta there and ready to celebrate the upcoming holiday season with their families. Yes, we ARE busy! If only we had the staff to deal with it, but we *never* do. Hell, they've known MONTHS ago that we'd have three nurses AND a CNA all on maternity leave at the same time, and did they make ANY preparations in advance for the resulting shortage? NO! Ditto for them dragging their feet on replacing nurses who have either quit, gone PRN or been fired. Same stuff, different day. Now, on to the subject that's REALLY been bothering me these past few days.
One of our CNAs, Rose, has called off sick these past couple of weeks. I worked with her last two weeks ago yesterday, and she was feeling punky at that time. Yes, I knew that her foot hurt like Hell (she's had a non-healing diabetic foot ulcer for almost the past YEAR), and she had a respiratory infection (at that time, which I, too, caught) on top of it all. Needless to say, we'd all been worried about her, because Rose never calls off -- and I do mean NEVER!! Found out at the end of last week what had been going on. Rose had decided to let our supervisor inform the rest of the staff what's been going on with her. Guess it wasn't enough that she had her toe amputated earlier this year...apparently, THAT didn't heal properly, and she was in the hospital after having gone septic from an untreated infection in her "bad" foot. As far as our supervisor knew, she was going to have a good part of her foot amputated. She went in for surgery on Saturday morning, and I visited her this morning following my shift at work. WELL! They did a bit more than amputate her foot -- she had an ABOVE THE KNEE amputation because of that godawful foot ulcer which had NOT been properly treated! That's right, folks, she's lost the majority of her left leg and with it, more than likely, her ability to function as a CNA. Even WITH a prosthesis (which she won't even be able to be FITTED for until her stump is healed and all of the swelling has gone down -- probably a good three months, at least!), it's highly doubtful that she'll EVER again be able to pound the floor for a 12-hour shift. I can only hope that administration will find SOMETHING for her to do when she's healthy enough to return to work. Our unit secretary just got promoted...perhaps they can hold THAT position open for her, or find someplace for her in patient registration? Most folks, after having lost their leg, would say that the LEAST of their worries was being able to return to work, but not Rose! Rose is 58 years old, has never married and, as a CNA (among the lowest-paid of the health professionals), has always been financially strapped and lives from paycheck to paycheck. Further, since she's never had a family of her own and most of her immediate family has long since passed away, Rose looks to her co-workers and her patients (along with her dog, Harley) for the majority of her socialization, and has pretty much centered her life around our facility, picking up overtime whenever and wherever she's needed, even picking up shifts during the day if they needed her then! As she told me this morning, her co-workers are the closest thing to "family" that she has, and she cried as she told me how much she misses all of us. I admit that I was crying, too, as I left to come home...
I must say that I've been proud of my co-workers for coming through for Rose during this difficult time. It appears that I'm not the only one who's been visiting her. It seems as though almost everyone on our shift has done so! EVERYBODY loves Rose, as grumpy and ornery as she can be! Yes, she's a grump, but she's a grump with a heart of gold and one of the kindest people I've ever known. Our patients, almost without exception, have positively adored her, even though she tends to be loud, as well as somewhat crude with her speech and her sense of humor, but as I said, she's kind-hearted AND she gives excellent care! She's been very much missed, not only on her shift (nights), but throughout the entire hospital, as she's one of the few employees who have been there ever since the day it opened. All I can say is, shame on administration if they DON'T give her a position to return to, once she feels as though she's well enough to work again! Since she relies upon us for so much of her human interaction, to leave her isolated and on disability (which she probably wouldn't even be able to collect for MONTHS) would be BEYOND shameful...
Rose...
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Topics should be about experiences, comments, and observations from our members' personal lives.
Topics should be about experiences, comments, and observations from our members' personal lives.
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Icey
Re: Rose...
OMG. The poor woman! I DO hope that her leg heals enough for her to do some work again with a positive attitude, but Cindy, how's your own foot ulcer? I hope it NEVER gets as bad as Rose's obviously did.
I don't know how things work over there, but I've known 2 people to have their legs amputated above the knee and to've returned to work. OK., it was to desk jobs, but people have to feel useful or they might as well give up.
I hope Rose gets the support she needs if she DOES have to go onto some sort of disability allowance. Over here, you can claim it pretty quickly once you're assessed as needing the extra money. You're allowed to work AND receive the payment, but only if your hours are part-time, and only up to earnings of so much per week or month. Having the 2 together can sometimes work out better financially for the claimant though, because disability allowance often gives way to further benefit entitlements that working full-time wouldn't.
It's awful to hear that the woman has no family or anyone at home that she could rely on, but with fabulous co-workers like yourselves, I'm sure that she won't just be abandoned. I also hope that folk put in a word for her about returning to some position that she could manage from a sitting position or didn't require much walking or standing around. Companies USUALLY try to help their staff, especially those who've put in many years' service, but things could well be different over there. Just because a person has a disablement, it doesn't mean that they're incapable of adding something to society or to their jobs.
I wish her the best of luck - and look after yourself as well.
I don't know how things work over there, but I've known 2 people to have their legs amputated above the knee and to've returned to work. OK., it was to desk jobs, but people have to feel useful or they might as well give up.
I hope Rose gets the support she needs if she DOES have to go onto some sort of disability allowance. Over here, you can claim it pretty quickly once you're assessed as needing the extra money. You're allowed to work AND receive the payment, but only if your hours are part-time, and only up to earnings of so much per week or month. Having the 2 together can sometimes work out better financially for the claimant though, because disability allowance often gives way to further benefit entitlements that working full-time wouldn't.
It's awful to hear that the woman has no family or anyone at home that she could rely on, but with fabulous co-workers like yourselves, I'm sure that she won't just be abandoned. I also hope that folk put in a word for her about returning to some position that she could manage from a sitting position or didn't require much walking or standing around. Companies USUALLY try to help their staff, especially those who've put in many years' service, but things could well be different over there. Just because a person has a disablement, it doesn't mean that they're incapable of adding something to society or to their jobs.
I wish her the best of luck - and look after yourself as well.
Last edited by Icey on 17 Nov 2015, 10:26, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Rose...
My own ulcer is well-healed, Icey, thanks for asking. It helps that I'm not diabetic and that I'm OFF those freaking steroids at the moment! Steroids always mess with wound healing. I'm fortunate that it didn't get worse than it was before I noticed it, AND that I got immediate medical attention for it.
Regarding Rose, I've managed to get the ear of one person in management re: not filling that unit secretary position until Rose is capable of coming back to work. I've half a mind to remain in that place (as a PRN staff member) after I leave my full-time position in January, if only to bend ears and twist arms and otherwise put the pressure on until Rose is able to come back to work. I really fear for her if they won't give her SOMETHING to come back to. I know that our facility offers short-term disability insurance to staff members (for which they have to pay premiums via payroll deduction), as well as long-term disability, which is paid for by the company. Unfortunately, the company paid long-term disability insurance doesn't kick in until a staff member has been off work for at least 90 days. Whether Rose opted for the short-term disability insurance when she enrolled in her benefits, I don't know. For the moment, she should be OK. We all have EIT (extended illness time, or sick time) which starts paying immediately if you are hospitalized. I know she used some of that when she had her foot surgery earlier this year, but she should have some of that left. Once her EIT is exhausted, whatever PTO (i.e., vacation time) she has left will be used. She should be OK for at least a few weeks and I know that several staff members (myself included) have donated a number of hours of our own PTO to be transferred over to Rose, in order to help her out financially. Still, if she DIDN'T opt for short-term disability benefits, everything she has left in her EIT and PTO will probably be exhausted before the first of next year, and things will be difficult for her, because government disability (SSI) usually takes MONTHS to get approved before it begins to pay (and they usually try to DENY benefits the first time you apply, if they can possibly get away with it). I do worry about her, as I do for Harley (her dog) who is really depressed without his Mom.
Regarding Rose, I've managed to get the ear of one person in management re: not filling that unit secretary position until Rose is capable of coming back to work. I've half a mind to remain in that place (as a PRN staff member) after I leave my full-time position in January, if only to bend ears and twist arms and otherwise put the pressure on until Rose is able to come back to work. I really fear for her if they won't give her SOMETHING to come back to. I know that our facility offers short-term disability insurance to staff members (for which they have to pay premiums via payroll deduction), as well as long-term disability, which is paid for by the company. Unfortunately, the company paid long-term disability insurance doesn't kick in until a staff member has been off work for at least 90 days. Whether Rose opted for the short-term disability insurance when she enrolled in her benefits, I don't know. For the moment, she should be OK. We all have EIT (extended illness time, or sick time) which starts paying immediately if you are hospitalized. I know she used some of that when she had her foot surgery earlier this year, but she should have some of that left. Once her EIT is exhausted, whatever PTO (i.e., vacation time) she has left will be used. She should be OK for at least a few weeks and I know that several staff members (myself included) have donated a number of hours of our own PTO to be transferred over to Rose, in order to help her out financially. Still, if she DIDN'T opt for short-term disability benefits, everything she has left in her EIT and PTO will probably be exhausted before the first of next year, and things will be difficult for her, because government disability (SSI) usually takes MONTHS to get approved before it begins to pay (and they usually try to DENY benefits the first time you apply, if they can possibly get away with it). I do worry about her, as I do for Harley (her dog) who is really depressed without his Mom.
"The miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have." -- Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)
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Icey
Re: Rose...
Cindy, you've rendered me almost speechless (a feat in itself!).
You'd actually consider staying on at the place as a PRN staff member just to help your colleagues and maybe others? Well knowing how you've felt about the huge workload there and further issues, I can only say that you have a heart of gold!
If the worst comes to the worst, and Rose isn't reinstated in some capacity, I hope that she doesn't live too far away that she can't be visited, and that folk stay in contact with her, but it's still possible that, with her experience, she could find another job anyway, even if only part-time. I don't know how your law stands, but over here, companies're encouraged to take on so many disabled employees, and can be taken to court if someone feels that they've been passed by and not even received an interview, because it's discriminatory.
My nephew's wife's now permanently disabled through having a cancerous lump removed from her thigh bone and flesh. She'll always require walking aids to get her about, and was off work for months while she underwent various treatments, but perhaps she was lucky in that she's a doctor and her job remained safe.
Shortly after the completion of treatment, she returned to her job on a part-time but shift basis, and then found that she was expecting a baby. This was more important to her than her job, since she'd been told that the chances of conceiving were minimal, due to the intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy she'd had to undergo, but as luck'd have it, my nephew applied for a job back up north and got it. It meant more money and better prospects (he's also a doctor), so he's now able to keep the 3 of them. Their little girl was born in May, healthy and with no complications. When the child's a bit older though, Catherine wishes to return to work, and feels that she'll be able to get a job, as the NHS are crying out for oncologists in which line she was coincidentally working. As with yourself and your friend Rose, I think that many of those working in the medical line work above and beyond their required duties, including gruelling hours, and it's credit due to your profession that you're willing to do this in order to help others.
I wish your colleague all the best, and I'm pleased that your foot's alright now Cindy.
You'd actually consider staying on at the place as a PRN staff member just to help your colleagues and maybe others? Well knowing how you've felt about the huge workload there and further issues, I can only say that you have a heart of gold!
If the worst comes to the worst, and Rose isn't reinstated in some capacity, I hope that she doesn't live too far away that she can't be visited, and that folk stay in contact with her, but it's still possible that, with her experience, she could find another job anyway, even if only part-time. I don't know how your law stands, but over here, companies're encouraged to take on so many disabled employees, and can be taken to court if someone feels that they've been passed by and not even received an interview, because it's discriminatory.
My nephew's wife's now permanently disabled through having a cancerous lump removed from her thigh bone and flesh. She'll always require walking aids to get her about, and was off work for months while she underwent various treatments, but perhaps she was lucky in that she's a doctor and her job remained safe.
Shortly after the completion of treatment, she returned to her job on a part-time but shift basis, and then found that she was expecting a baby. This was more important to her than her job, since she'd been told that the chances of conceiving were minimal, due to the intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy she'd had to undergo, but as luck'd have it, my nephew applied for a job back up north and got it. It meant more money and better prospects (he's also a doctor), so he's now able to keep the 3 of them. Their little girl was born in May, healthy and with no complications. When the child's a bit older though, Catherine wishes to return to work, and feels that she'll be able to get a job, as the NHS are crying out for oncologists in which line she was coincidentally working. As with yourself and your friend Rose, I think that many of those working in the medical line work above and beyond their required duties, including gruelling hours, and it's credit due to your profession that you're willing to do this in order to help others.
I wish your colleague all the best, and I'm pleased that your foot's alright now Cindy.
Re: Rose...
and you, cindy, are a rara avis indeed.
be careful now that you don't render yourself extinct.
if you send me rose's snail mail address, i'll send her a card. about all I can think of for now.
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Icey
Re: Rose...
I'd offer to do the same, but she'd probably think: who's this weird English woman??!! : )
Re: Rose...
Thanks for offering to send cards, ladies, I'm certain that Rose would be thrilled to have a couple of new "pen pals." I will get her snail mail from her the next time I visit her (probably not until tomorrow a.m. after work, and maybe even tomorrow evening), and PM you with the info. It's been effing CRAZY this week, especially now, with us being bombarded with surgeries and with Denise on maternity leave and Rose being disabled, we have NOT ONE SINGLE FULL-TIME AIDE to help us carry the workload on night shift. I'm effing dead (well, not literally!) and ready to crash. Hope that your day is an awesome one. I'm hoping to SLEEP through most of mine, at least until it's time to get up and get ready for work again...
"The miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have." -- Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015)
Re: Rose...
...um...gee...what...to...do...now....?
the first day you have no idea what to do, although you really should be doing everything that had been neglected. then it's back to work, and you're like 'but, but, I have so much to do!'