Last Day at the Grady Clinic
Today was my last day at my Grady Clinic. I leave with sadness and relief. Of course I'll probably be back, filling in for an ill colleague or when someone is on vacation, but it won't be the same, won't be women I know unless they're back for another baby.
As it turned out the clinic was very un-busy today. I did postpartum rounds (including a lovely Mexican lady having her 6th baby whom I took care of in my old clinic at Lindbergh for her second!). Then I saw a woman whom I have cared for all through her pregnancy and is now at term. She comes with her 2 year old daughter whom I have come to enjoy and who has come to trust me. The daughter offered to share her bag of chips with me today. Her mom is not happy that I will not be there for her after this. I ended up giving her my cell phone number and telling her to call me when she had the baby. She's already contracting some and slightly dilated. It probably won't be long. her first was born at 30 weeks and spent several weeks in the intensive care unit, so we were both very happy that this baby has stayed in past 36 weeks. This should be a healthy child. With any luck she'll be in active labor between Saturday night and Monday night when there is a midwife on duty. It is so frustrating that our clients have to be handed over to the residents between Monday night and Saturday night. They just don't get the care they deserve. Another postpartum I visited this morning had a cesarean for a failed induction -- induced because she was 2 days past her due date. Insanity.
Our clinic assistant told me today that they have been informed by the "Grady Restructuring Team" that they will no longer be buying pens for the staff to use, that the Chux will be signed out and only one Chux per patient is allowed, that other supplies will also have to be signed out, that severe restrictions are being imposed on all supplies, etc. etc. While I am sure that there is waste in the Grady system, I doubt is is from buying pens.
More concerning is the lack of commitment to primary care and I fear the satellite clinics are in jeopardy. Time will tell.
So I was home by 11 AM and stayed busy with Frontier work all day long. I did get out for a walk today, though, and that is part of my bargain with myself. I will walk every day now that I'm not going to Grady of Fridays. Surely I can squeeze in a 30 minute walk!
As it turned out the clinic was very un-busy today. I did postpartum rounds (including a lovely Mexican lady having her 6th baby whom I took care of in my old clinic at Lindbergh for her second!). Then I saw a woman whom I have cared for all through her pregnancy and is now at term. She comes with her 2 year old daughter whom I have come to enjoy and who has come to trust me. The daughter offered to share her bag of chips with me today. Her mom is not happy that I will not be there for her after this. I ended up giving her my cell phone number and telling her to call me when she had the baby. She's already contracting some and slightly dilated. It probably won't be long. her first was born at 30 weeks and spent several weeks in the intensive care unit, so we were both very happy that this baby has stayed in past 36 weeks. This should be a healthy child. With any luck she'll be in active labor between Saturday night and Monday night when there is a midwife on duty. It is so frustrating that our clients have to be handed over to the residents between Monday night and Saturday night. They just don't get the care they deserve. Another postpartum I visited this morning had a cesarean for a failed induction -- induced because she was 2 days past her due date. Insanity.
Our clinic assistant told me today that they have been informed by the "Grady Restructuring Team" that they will no longer be buying pens for the staff to use, that the Chux will be signed out and only one Chux per patient is allowed, that other supplies will also have to be signed out, that severe restrictions are being imposed on all supplies, etc. etc. While I am sure that there is waste in the Grady system, I doubt is is from buying pens.
More concerning is the lack of commitment to primary care and I fear the satellite clinics are in jeopardy. Time will tell.
So I was home by 11 AM and stayed busy with Frontier work all day long. I did get out for a walk today, though, and that is part of my bargain with myself. I will walk every day now that I'm not going to Grady of Fridays. Surely I can squeeze in a 30 minute walk!