Unassuming

Another person was discharged from a nursing home - under my watch yesterday. Actually, I verified the transition via phone. An achievement, or at least a number. Perhaps a number that will enrich or allow for someone else (unnamed agency) to soak in the glory. Fine for them, but as for me, I am satisfied in the small part I play. Numbers vs outcomes, both important in the grand scheme. However, I am content to let the others bask while I merely coordinate...

Ready, aim, etc

All seems a little better – the consumer is being discharged today. All confusion seemed to be in a change in home care agencies, but it ought to happen without fanfare.

I did send a secure e-mail to the main (unnamed) agency. My contact had no idea of this impending discharge, no approved budget or other approved paperwork. Much like “I have no idea what you are talking about” is the theme.  Of course I am irritated, I do have CYA copies of every piece of paper including myriad e-mails. Grumbling, I prepared a fax, not a missive but pointed. Should I get mad, even or neither? The latter is a better course of action…I got an apology shortly after that, no doubt proving no culpability.

I guess the process often goes like this: 1.) READY; 2.) FIRE; 3.) AIM, not the usual cliché we were told (much like the old standby ‘Measure twice, cut once’). I can merely observe here, recognizing what I can actually make happen on my own – not expecting others to do what they ought to…

Job Description

I seem to be in a fog as to what is going on with some consumers I work with, and the care plan agencies that administer these plans. On Friday, a scheduled day off, I spoke with a care planner who has set up their home care agency home evaluation. Mind you, the date of discharge was set for 1 November and this eval was happening on the last possible day. Further, I called (on my day off) the planner who advised that the apartment might not allow for a ‘safe’ discharge.

I was polite, but thinking all along: the person is question uses a manual wheelchair, and yet I have been in the apartment with my power wheelchair, so I can’t imagine the safety being an issue. I spoke with the management company and they installed a 17” high toilet and bathtub cut – both for issues of safety, and I am cognizant about making safe transfers from a ‘chair.. I am annoyed at the way this sounded. Okay, it was Friday – forget the job until Monday and be prepared for a delightful or disappointing day then. It gnaws at me  how the details are not attended to by everyone else…

Clarifications

Regarding my previous post, I probably ought to clarify a few points bout this blog so as to keep me focused onto my greater ambition, which is the ultimate independence, which is working for myself.

• Being involved with people in nursing homes, I am bound to pay attention to HIPAA privacy rules (the acronym stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). I do not use any names, nursing homes, or medical conditions regarding any individual consumers I work with. So I keep the subject of nursing homes and residents quite bland  
• I keep the names of state agencies unnamed, one of these a very well known acronym. As well as the individuals who act egregiously. 
• There are state employees who have worked professionally, too. So I wouldn’t want to imply that the (union) workers are in the cause of the majority of the workers. 
• Given that anonymous persons and agencies are cited, the situations change slightly in actual context, but not scope. I am not anti-union, nor against bargaining units for the employees. But things like not being able to attend meetings ‘because I couldn’t get a state car’ type excuses are vexing, even if the state car is in the contract…

So I write about what I know in the attempt to keep me focused on the next phase of my independence in career. I want to remember the incidents that will compel me to work for myself, to succeed or fail on my merits, work ethic, on what I did (or failed to do). That’s all.

If any reader remembers the Dragnet TV series (1967-1970) the stern voice on the intro would say something that I have paraphrased as follows: ‘The post you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent guilty’  As Sgt. Friday might have intoned to the witness “Just the facts”

Smashing through any doubt...

Breaking through not so insurmountable barriers. Photo taken by Grandpa (Ralph I), ca. 1939

I do not care for much of what I do. I offer an example of how the frustration of the job affect my thinking about said part-time job. There is another state agency (lets call it unnamed II), and one employee I needed to work with who is a non-performer according to some. This person made three (3) scheduled appointments in a three week period. with a client, and didn't show up. The job (TC) I hold is the one where we are taken to task because we are more visible, the state employees who choose not to, well, not so much.

I was advised to contact the supervisor of the offending state employee. I was only able to leave a voice-mail missive, polite but to the point. I even used the term 'unprofessional' (I was advised later to keep opinion out of it. A fine thought, but as I had had it by then, I'll try better next time. It would be nice if all government employees worked as required). A day later without a reply, I contacted the employee and left that person a voice mail missive, polite but pointed. I received a Arrrugh message later that she "didn't appreciate my tone". So be it. This is what I have tired of, the state employee sense of entitlement. Yet I have to work with them - without the authority to make them work...

The baseball shatters the glass with ease. I need to be hitting my own line drives to move beyond my own limitations. I posted two different contractor positions on the local craigslist (here and here), but I need to sell my own abilities - to myself!