I'll be giving inservices on falls, leaving hazardous items available to residents, general issues with poor care. Do you have stories that would relate to these issues that may "shock" the nurses.

Such as deaths from these things, serious injuries, etc.

If I can get them to relate actions to specific residents they may start to think more safely.

The nurses and aides are not practicing safe care procedures.

Thank you for your help. It's really appreciated.

I've seen dead people, smelled the stench of death, observed brain matter on the linoleum floor after the patient fell, walked onto units that reek of feces and urine, and so forth. The list goes on and on like a broken record.

After a few years of working in LTC, nothing shocks me anymore.

There are plenty of such stories on this LTC forum, just peruse some of the threads. I think that the thing that is the most dangerous and causes the most nurses to make mistakes is being overworked by under staffing, rushing, being distracted because there are a million and one things she needs to do and not enough hands or hours in the shift to get them done.What is shocking is that the state and or federal government has done nothing to mandate safe staffing ratios in LTC.

How about these?

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2007/mar/mar28a_07.html

http://www.lopez1.com/lopez/clinical.cases/092699.htm

I worked in a facility that used gel air fresheners that came in a cup. The gel was red. After a resident was found eating it, they switched to another form. It DID look like Jello, I guess!