They're still trying to kill me

[jgibson2[$]]

I picked up an extra night at work Sunday night. The NICU was hopping and they needed extra staff -- and they pay a really nice bonus for working extra on weekends.

I got to work just before 7 and walked into -- a corridor full of latex balloons.

I hightailed it out of there in a big hurry and sat down on a bench in front of the hospital to explain why they'd have to get someone else to cover the shift.

Everybody wanted to know why I couldn't just come in through the ER. Nobody could promise me there weren't balloons there - or between the ER and the NICU.

Today I got a very apologetic email from the person who had neglected to make sure the outside organization using the hospital was aware of the hospital policy prohibiting balloons.

One more time they promise not to try to kill me any more. When I ask about signs at the front door or training the people at the front desk to JUST SAY NO TO LATEX I get snarky responses.

I'm beginning to think my allergist is right and I need to work in a latex-free hospital that has a clue.

[theworm[$]]

I'm sorry!
This is crazy already.

[pippadaisy[$]]

Judy, have you thought about filing an ADA complaint against the hospital?

With the number of latex allergies out there, it honestly surprises me that the medical industry continues to use it at all.

[jgibson2[$]]

Last time I asked, Curtis told me Latex allergy wasn't ADA. It probably still isn't.

Calling out from the front door at change of shift probably made more of a ruckus than an ADA complaint. I would love be a bug on the wall at the meetings discussing latex issues, staffing, and retention. I'd call corporate headquarters again before I filed a complaint in any case. I did that once and the vice president in charge of whatever who called me from an airport where she was snowed in was very nice.

I keep telling them they're going to kill someone -- probably not me, I carry an epi-pen and I've become very much aware of the risks of walking in the front door. I've tried to convince them that some patient or family member is going to win a HUGE lawsuit because the other hospitals in town just say no so they have essentially no defense.

[pippadaisy[$]]

How does it not qualify under ADA? My understanding is that chronic conditions that limit or impair things like breathing (which anaphylaxis certainly does) qualify. Learning impairments qualify. HIV infection qualifies. Why wouldn't life threatening allergies? (The breathing and HIV thing is right from the DOJ site).

[jgibson2[$]]

I did some searching. It appears that there are differences of opinion on the subject. The American Academy of Allergyand immunology http://www.aaaai.org/patients/public...texallergy.stm thinks Latex allergy qualifies.

The doj http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/tal795.htm isn't so sure. However, that was gloves, not balloons. There is nothing at all about latex balloons that is necessary to the operation of a hospital.

I still think contacting corporate headquarters or maybe the patient safety hotline (I forgot about them) are quicker options than filing an ADA complaint. My object is to get them to quit using the damn things permanently. This isn't just about me. It's a safety issue for a small percentage of the population.

[pippadaisy[$]]

True. I'd be TICKED if I went into a hospital and was supposed to walk through a corridor of latex. That's just plain stupid. However, odds are it's going to take something that will cost them money in order to get them to make it a set policy.

[wivabef]

Besides, Mylar balloons last longer and look so much better!

And, they don't kill Judy!

[jgibson2[$]]

If they had to bring in another agency nurse to cover my shift, it probably cost them more than a couple of $$. I need to ask someone if they don't need to pay me for a couple of hours of MY time for the inconvenience of showing up for a shift I couldn't work.

I expect the answer is no, but I'm going to cc that email to the CEO. My Nurse-manager will probably wet her pants when I do that, but I think I need to piss off a few more people. Upsetting people seems to be the most effective way to get them to change their behavior patterns.

That and I need to locate the letter from the marketing department where they say, "Yes, we know latex balloons are a problem, but they're cheaper"

Marketing doesn't buy latex balloons any more, but I'm not sure the hospital attorneys know I have that letter.

[pippadaisy[$]]

How much cheaper is it when someone sues the hospital?

[mtbat]

OMG I have an idea of what it's like, and that's just not okay. When I told a coworker at the hotel I was allergic to her perfume, she refused to stop wearing it, they refused to make her stop wearing it until I pointed out that each and every time she caused my asthma to act up I'd make them take me to the ER, and that that would be work related--eventually I got my point acorss.

I believe you are intitled to work in a non-hostile working enviorment, and keeping latex anything, knowing you are allergic would be creating a hostile environment now wouldn't it??

[jgibson2[$]]

I had more emails waiting at work when I got there explaining where the balloons came from and why THOSE people won't be doing this any more. It wasn't exactly an "outside" organization, more of a subsidiary. They just didn't know the policy. People have been educated and promises have been made. Again. At least it was a new group.

I wrote a book last night on the subject and when I went to drop it in the proper mailbox for such things, I discovered that the mailbox was locked. I don't know if that was an "oops" or if it's always locked on weekends - which would make ABSOLUTELY no sense, but then neither does decorating a healthcare facility with latex balloons. I'm going with "oops" for now, but I guess this means I'll have schlep up there one day this week to drop off the envelope. I do want to make sure it gets to the right person, so I'm not inclined to just drop it in the mail.