I'm breathing fire tonight/morning. Little background, I work 10pm to 6am at an ALF. Our little establishment was bought recently by a nation wide company. I thought things would get better (i.e., better standards, better care for residents, maybe a little bump in pay for us....a girl can dream right?) and they've gotten worse. The girls on our shift (there are 4 of us that work full time.) all get along. Things move smoothly, we all help each other out, there is no gossiping or starting rumors. The other shifts however do not have that luxury. They are constantly gossiping and complaining about everything and everyone including talking nastily about other co-workers families and children!
This company does not tolerate rumors or gossip according to their handbook. Yet at the last two mandatory meetings, the executive director has spent the better part of the meeting talking about how to treat each other and stop talking trash (paraphrasing). The last meeting she went as far to say "work it out amongst yourselves, I don't want to hear anymore". The ED is well aware who the main offenders are, but does nothing because its her management staff! People she has worked with for years and years and years.
The only rumors that dealt with our shift has been regarding leaving people wet, especially in the locked down unit. My reply is usually, "well of course they're going to be wet. I check and change residents starting at 5 am and if you aren't checking again until several hours later then no *******' wonder they're wet." Also, we run short staffed constantly and some nights it will be just me and one other CNA in the building. 2 : 75 RESIDENTS. When morning crew comes in they get all upset that residents weren't all dressed. I looked at one lady and said "I'm one person, not superman." I'm going off topic here.........anyway the latest rumor involves me and my supervisor. On some nights, I have brought my lap top to use during my break, on the nights that I know I'm going to get a break. The supervisor sometimes uses it to show me her family photos. I can count the number of times I've brought it with me on one hand. Anyway, the rumor is, we're watching porn movies on it!
I heard that and LOST MY MIND. The supervisor during the morning shift has been asking the other girls on our shift including a caregiver for another resident, if they've seen me and the supervisor watching porn movies. They all said they said no, that we've looked at family photos or I'll use it during my break. No one has asked me what I'm doing with my machine. Which I'd be more than happy to tell them. There is nothing in the company handbook that prohibits the use of laptops at the job as long as its on your own time. They do prohibit the use of THEIR computers.
I'm thinking about calling corporate and singing like a bird. I dread going there every night. I know I'm walking into a mess. We have a meeting on Tuesday that is mandatory. Now people that speak out against the management or the ED's Pets, suddenly disappear. I'm thinking about saying something during the meeting. Something long the lines of "if you, and you know who you are, took half the energy you use gossiping, complaining, moaning and groaning and making up lies about your co-workers, just half the energy, these residents would be getting their meds on time, paperwork would be done, meds would be counted, and the books would be right, among other things." Then further adding to the ED "The company I'm sure has protocal for dealing with gossiping. You know its a problem, what are you going to do to fix it or shall I go higher since you seem unable to do anything?"
I HATE THAT PLACE! Please tell me not all facilities are like this.
If you read this far, thanks for reading. I just had to get that off my chest.
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Very Angry, About to go POSTAL!! (long vent)
