Sit back folks as I bring you the latest from the mind of Ms. Complainy McBitcherson. I'm really frustrated. I am not a fan of change (who is?), but this one definitely takes the cake. I bring all of you back to the day (almost a year ago) that I was hired to work on a new research project. I remind you all that the research project did not start on time and began merely 3 months ago. In that time, we have managed to receive 120 referrals from the agency that we are working for and out of those 120, we only have 13 patients on the program. This is not from a lack of trying. As project director, you may think that I'm slightly retarded in that I have not been able to enroll more patients on our program. Did I mention that it's not from lack of trying. This is how things go once we get referrals from state agency that I will not name:
1. Give Carlye a list of 120 member ID numbers
2. State agency makes Carlye come to their offices to input member ID numbers into database to get contact information because state agency has been too lazy to hold up their end of the deal and install state agency's database program at Carlye's office
3. State agency does not have room for Carlye in the office and makes her (me) sit around like a dumbass for 3 hours while they get their shit together.
4. Make Carlye create a spreadsheet and subsequently get all of the information that she needs (name, address, phone numbers, ages, name of primary physician) - I swear this could have been done by state agency.
5. Carlye realizes that only 50% of the referrals given are eligible (the other 50% are either: no longer receiving state agency's insurance, already receiving state agency's poor version of case management or are dead).
6. Carlye makes phone calls to all of the referrals and finds that 75% of the numbers are disconnected.
7. Carlye makes 2 additional phone calls to the people with actual phone numbers.
8. After getting no response from the phone calls, Carlye knocks on ALL referrals' doors - and usually gets no response.
9. After hitting the streets and still not getting patients enrolled, letters are sent.
10. People call back and get enrolled in the program.
11. Enrolled patients begin to make Carlye's life miserable because their requests are astronomically unattainable and they expect that they are Carlye's ONLY patient and therefore are entitled to care at any time, day or night.
So due to the shitty enrollment numbers, it has been decided by the higher ups at my office that this may not be a viable program. They plan to have a meeting with the higher ups at the state agency and if the state agency can't get their shit together and play nice, the program will be dumped, shut down, finito!
And where does this leave me, you ask? I have no fucking idea!
Reasons Carlye is pissed:
1. The raise that I was promised has been taken off of the table, so all of the work that I have done as project director over the last 8 months will continue to be uncompensated and unrecognized.
2. Decisions are being made above me and I'm not being included.
3. Did I mention all of the unrecognized hard work?
4. The patients will be dumped (as per my supervisor's request) after being promised that we will help them for one year.
5. Ethical dilemmas arise - can I really dump these patients after I have gained their trust?
6. Carlye will have to go back to being stuffed into random programs that are in need of staffing.
And as if all of this wasn't enough drama, I will now share the cherry on top of the shit sundae, the most surprising and shocking aspect....
My supervisor is leaving on December 22nd. My supervisor that has come into our department and fired/pushed out 10 social workers over the last year. My supervisor that promised that he would retire within this company. My supervisor who has blown smoke up my ass for the last several months, promising me a $10,000 a year raise along with more recognition. The person who built this department up and gave us all confidence and comfort in our positions is now ditching us and moving cross-country to a bigger and better position and will leave us all behind.
I hate change! I hate kinks in already-strong teams. I hate feeling comfortable and having to have that all pulled out from under me. I hate my job, because if my program shuts down, I could be out of a job. However, I was told that I could always "apply" to be a Hospice social worker. Are you kidding me?! Apply for the job that I am already doing, because try as I may, I still haven't been able to shake my Hospice and Palliative Care patients.
What a clusterfuck! All of this as I near my one-year anniversary at my job. The question is - where do I go from here?
Sorry for the 3rd person recount, but it seemed fitting. I don't feel like myself anymore. Can this really be happening?
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6 comments:
And we wonder why you don't have time to blog??? Life in Carlye's world sounds WAY stressful right now - wish I could be there to punch that supervisor's lights out and to make that stupid state agency spreadsheet for you - They wouldn't hurt a VERY pregnant woman would they?
We had our self-appraisals for our end-of-year review to turn in today and I really wanted to write in that I needed to take an anger management course to deal with my super frustrating co-worker. I didn't do that - aren't you proud of me.
Maybe we can sign up for a crash course to take together when you come down to Texas next week :)
Can't wait to see you for your much needed vacation - Spring Rolls anyone?
Carlye, thanks for the birth notice, but...I heard! My mom was AT THE BIRTH (she thoughtfully works at the same hospital Brenda went to, and Brenda thoughtfully came at the end of her shift!). So exciting! Mazal tov!
Unfortunately, supervisor has a PhD and 10 years of Hospice experience. Even though I think I kick ass, I can't even apply to be middle management until I have 2 more years under my belt. Getting the project director position was a complete fluke! Thanks for the support though.
OOH! Sorry, I deleted my comment b/c I didn't use English syntax, and I was going to re-post but then my internet went nuts until just now...
Too bad you can't have his job! They should definitely still give you a raise though, considering how much work you've been doing.
I'm sorry your life is going so roughly. It's been so long since I've talked to you, so I figure that I'm way overdue. If it makes you feel any better, though, I managed to lacerate myself with a 3/4-inch bit on a cordless drill! Nothing exciting really, since injuries are about the only interesting thing that ever happens here. Well, I love you, and in you feel the need to come visit (hint, hint!), by all means please do. Good luck as Ms. Complainy McBitcherson!
Love, Brian
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