[chimama]

Originally Posted by nursemid02

Hi I am im great need of information regarding DON's how to deal with staff that wont listen and people who wont work as a team is there anything i can do to help improve our quality of patient care?? I have been working my hardest but have been pretty much doing it myself!!! Im pretty much tired of doing and am to the point i could just walk away with a different job!!! If anyone can help please let me know!!! THANKS SO MUCH

I have been DON in three LTC facilities. The only thing that is going to change the "culture" of where you work is for you to be able to pay your staff more and start over. That is not going to happen. LTC is a lose-lose situation.You will have no life as long as you are there and when the state comes in they will treat you like a criminal who only went into LTC to abuse and neglect the elderly. I advise people to never go to a Nursing Home. Go on welfare and keep your loved one at home.Do something, anything but a NH. And you should turn in your resignation today. You are in for a miserable time untill you do.

[alintanurse]

Originally Posted by nursemid02

Hi I am im great need of information regarding DON's how to deal with staff that wont listen and people who wont work as a team is there anything i can do to help improve our quality of patient care?? I have been working my hardest but have been pretty much doing it myself!!! Im pretty much tired of doing and am to the point i could just walk away with a different job!!! If anyone can help please let me know!!! THANKS SO MUCH

I agree,I went to many meetings with management and the cna's-to try to correct their behaviors(not answering callights,being rude to pts. etc.) they were given monetary rewards and recognition,but I never saw these efforts affect the "core" group-who were very lazy and arrogant. After I left,one of the nurses I had worked with told me she was being "set up" by the cna's to get fired' They would tell her that pts. were requesting pain inj. so she would prepare the shots and go into the room and the pt. would tell her they had never asked for it. She would then have to waste the med( at the facilities expense)-and because LTC watches every dime-she was called in by Administration and told she would be fired if it continued to happen. She told me she then decided to have each cna state the request for pain inj. and sign their name in the pts. chart just so that she would have documentation supporting her case. She also was desperately looking for another job. LTC was a nightmare--get out of there!

[Malt123]

thanks that site really helped, wish I had this info before my problems got out of hand

[Blackcat99]

Originally Posted by chimama

I have been DON in three LTC facilities. The only thing that is going to change the "culture" of where you work is for you to be able to pay your staff more and start over. That is not going to happen. LTC is a lose-lose situation.You will have no life as long as you are there and when the state comes in they will treat you like a criminal who only went into LTC to abuse and neglect the elderly. I advise people to never go to a Nursing Home. Go on welfare and keep your loved one at home.Do something, anything but a NH. And you should turn in your resignation today. You are in for a miserable time untill you do.

I've never been a DON but I agree with you 100%. Thanks for telling it like it is.

[michelle126]

What I did was simple. Held a meet and greet. Laid down my expectations of the staff. Basically...do your job. And told them what they can expect from me. Leadership, team work, etc....This helped. Also an open door policy. Monthly meetings/vent sessions. Praise when its due. These things take time..but it can work!

[CapeCodMermaid]

Originally Posted by alintanurse

I agree,I went to many meetings with management and the cna's-to try to correct their behaviors(not answering callights,being rude to pts. etc.) they were given monetary rewards and recognition,but I never saw these efforts affect the "core" group-who were very lazy and arrogant. After I left,one of the nurses I had worked with told me she was being "set up" by the cna's to get fired' They would tell her that pts. were requesting pain inj. so she would prepare the shots and go into the room and the pt. would tell her they had never asked for it. She would then have to waste the med( at the facilities expense)-and because LTC watches every dime-she was called in by Administration and told she would be fired if it continued to happen. She told me she then decided to have each cna state the request for pain inj. and sign their name in the pts. chart just so that she would have documentation supporting her case. She also was desperately looking for another job. LTC was a nightmare--get out of there!

OK...first off...I really like most of the CNA's who work at my facility and I trust most of them, but why would a licensed person, RN or LPN, go get pain medicine without ASSESSING the patient herself??? Surely all y'all don't rely on your CNA's to do pain assessments.

[Blackcat99]

If you want to be a well-liked DON don't have weekly mandatory meetings and don't expect your noc shift to ruin their sleep by having to attend meetings at 2pm. I wish you the best of luck.

[Kandee Roses]

I am a LPN in LTC. I ALWAYS do a pain assessment when one of my CNAs come to me about a resident in pain. When I do my documentation on the resident I gave the pain meds to, I always put the name of the CNA who reported the resident's pain, the findings of my assessment, which drug was given (even Tylenol), and if the pain med was effective. I also document if I did any other comfort measures, for example, repositioned resident( I ask my CNAs to help with that too), provide a back rub, or give a hot pack if its order. I am lucky to have CNAs that work as a team with me on taking care of our residents. I use to be one of those CNAs. Now, since I am a nurse, I have to trust those CNAs to help me "get the job done." If I feel that I can not, then I take aside the CNA and ask what the problem is and see if we can work it out. I love working in the LTC setting. I don't think I would want to work anywhere else. Oh by the way, did I mention that the LTC facility I work for is a small one? I feel sometimes that seems to help with the staffing when everyone who works together in a small facility seems to get along and wants to do a good job for our residents.

[kesneysmom]

Originally Posted by chimama

I have been DON in three LTC facilities. The only thing that is going to change the "culture" of where you work is for you to be able to pay your staff more and start over. That is not going to happen. LTC is a lose-lose situation.You will have no life as long as you are there and when the state comes in they will treat you like a criminal who only went into LTC to abuse and neglect the elderly. I advise people to never go to a Nursing Home. Go on welfare and keep your loved one at home.Do something, anything but a NH. And you should turn in your resignation today. You are in for a miserable time untill you do.

What you have said has horrified me it is a good thing you left LTC. I love LTC yes there is obstacles and hardship but that comes with every nursing job I have ever been in. LTC has its ups and downs but I have been touched by patients and families in LTC that made all of the bull$#!& worth it. For me LTC is a win-win situation if you get the right mind set and dedication. I will agree some are bad but there are good LTC facilites out there.

[kesneysmom]

How long have you been a nurse? I just noticed your screen name had 02. Do you have a ADON to brainstorm with or even an HR person?