People come out of the woodwork!!!

[greeniebean]

Why is it that when state isn't around 3 nurse aides are trying to take care of 40 residents by themselves, but as soon as state steps through the door, people show up that you don't even know to help pass trays and give baths, etc...

It's ridiculous! on state days all the nurse aides on my hall are walking around like do I know you?

I'm grateful for the help but not when it's all for show. Does anyone else's facility act like that around state?

[Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN]

I thought this post was going to be about people lurking on the forum!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately, many for-profit facilities do not want to spend the money to keep the place adequately staffed unless they are forced to (read: unannounced state surveyors walk into the building).

[yousoldtheworld]

Yep. Lovely phenomenon, isn't it?

[ctmed]

Unfortunately, many for-profit facilities do not want to spend the money to keep the place adequately staffed unless they are forced to (read: unannounced state surveyors walk into the building).

Ah yes, Joint Commission! One agency I worked for, we would make many

hours after JCHO would come thru because most LTC facilities will rather

temporarily pay agency thru the nose rather than actually hire and

pay folks a non Micky D's wage. Of course, when the wrath of the

inspectors are satiated those facilities stop calling agency and return

to thier old ways.

Plus, LTC is alot of hands-on with difficult patients that will never get

better. Most medical folks I know signed up to help folks get actually

better! Not watch someone go down in a cramped room with 1 to 3 others

consistently covered in thier own waste. Alot of the lack of staffing comes

from the fact LTC isn't one of the "cool, trendy" areas of nursing where

advances are being made. Combine that with the bad culture I have

seen most nursing homes where CNAs are overworked and sometimes

treated like something scraped off a shoe...and lord forbid anyone LPN or

above even touch a patient...there you go.

It makes me sad.

[sonomala]

If it wasn't for my lpns and rns I would at least mention rumors of a state visit to get my coworkers moving. We get calls from other ltcs around and we know that we are within our "window" for state. But I had one rn told me she'd have my back if I robbed a bank lol and almost all of them go 150 percent out of the way. My fellow cnas never say thanks but my nurses always do. Still I love the window for state its the best month on the job period.