WorldWide Drilling Resource

63 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JUNE 2013 been approved by the physician with the assurance to Porky and the advo- cate these were approved, authorized, ready for prescriptions to be ordered. This is where these weary advocates left for home and rest, knowing they had left their precious Porky in good hands. Many months prior to Porky’s decision for surgery, Barbara and I scheduled our annual retreat to North Carolina. This is a good reason to have more than one advocate - to ensure a breakdown of communication of health care is less likely. Piglet is also named on the living will registered with the state. Barbara and I had a wonderful week of much-needed rest knowing Porky was getting excellent medical and therapeutic care - further, that Porky had a second advocate who would speak for him. The statements and comments in this article are my own and are based on information and references believed to be true and factual. If you have any questions or comments, please forward them to me in care of WWDR . Let us continue next month. Bess Bess Cutter may be contacted via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com Your View by Bess Cutter Advocate ( Webster Dictionary ): A person who pleads the cause of another person. Advocacy: The act of speaking for, or supporting a policy, a cause. Bess’s definition: To serve as liaison for Porky during surgery and occupa- tional therapy following knee replace- ment surgery. Advocacy for a family member (or another) while they are a patient in a medical facility is not an easy task; how- ever, it is “a must”. Your advocate serves as liaison between you and the medical facility. Sometimes this means between you and your family, should they have different beliefs than yourself. This in- cludes the medical staff and housekeep- ing. The medical facility advocates a high-quality standard of care. It there- fore became “my” responsibility to ensure that standard of care was upheld on behalf of my very special Porky. I must state the nursing care was superb. Sometimes the goals of high standard are not immediately met, and determi- nations are required as to what course of action is required. Who must you ad- dress, and to what degree? Your family member is at risk! What resources do you have at your fingertips? The next step “a must,” is to draft a living will. This appoints who you, the patient, choose to advocate for you. This is not always a family member, but someone you know will ensure your wishes are carried out. Once filled out, make several copies for your general physician (family doctor), your surgeon, the hospital, rehab (therapy) facility, your family, and lastly your advocate. The final step is to file this very impor- tant form with the living will registry within your state. The living will form you obtain should contain this informa- tion. Advocacy begins the moment you, along with your advocate(s), meet with the general physician to schedule for surgery. Once scheduled, an orientation for surgery is scheduled, informing you of your responsibilities in preparation for surgery, to include post-surgery in- structions. It is important for this advo- cate to sit in on all medical visits required during your care. Should your advo- cate(s) or yourself encounter a break- down of health care, contact patient and family advocacy to assist with your par- ticular complaint. Returning to orientation, prior to dismissal, following surgery, there is the option for at-home therapy or a list of occupational therapy providers. It is your responsibility to research, choose, and provide this information to the direc- tor of nursing which follows up for you. Porky chose provider therapy because he had to navigate - count them - four- teen steps to crawl into his bed. I said, ”You have to be able to walk up those steps before you can come home.” Since we had a close friend, Barbara Lester, who works at Westminster Canterbury and reassured us they had a high-quality therapeutic center, we had the hospital make a reservation for Porky. Insurance will not pay for transfer from the hospi- tal unless there is risk, and since Porky was high risk, an ambulance was re- served by the attending registered nurse. This is where the advocate packs up the personal possessions and follows the ambulance for transfer. This advo- cate had previously also made an ap- pointment with Westminster Canterbury to do a walk-through of the “Porky Room”, therapy facilities, and personnel. Porky had another advocate, son (Chris) Piglet who assisted in all phases of this advo- cacy. Upon arrival of the ambulance at the hospital for transfer, the attending regis- tered nurse signs off on Porky, transfer- ring all medical records with him. The ambulance, upon arrival at Westminster Canterbury, transfers both Porky and all medical records over to the facility of record. Porky is signed into the room. Shortly, the attending nurse, as well as the resident physician, enter the “Porky Room” to review the medical records, specifically the current list of medications he is taking, while noting the timeline and amount of dosage. It is imperative the advocate knows this information to ensure proper administration. This is an important time for the “must-have advocate” as the pain thresh- old is pretty high, thus pain medication ensures the patient “Porky”, was pretty much out of it. The medical records had Six states produce nearly 50% of all the cement made in America. They are Alabama, Cal ifornia, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas. How much conc r e t e i s i n t he Hoover Dam? There are 4,360,000 cubic yards of concrete in the dam, power plant, and other faci l ities.