Nursing Home Crisis

Nurses General Nursing

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:eek: Am a C.N.A and have work in the nursing homes for many years.Their is such a shortage of nurses in the nursing homes.As i was looking thru the other comments on nursing home shortage and some one said that they do not see the people running the place like the office staff or the other nurses like the L.V.N.S and activity assistants helping us C.N.A,S out on the floor they could help answer lights,help with their makeup and other little things that we do not have the time to do or we rush and get it done and then when they see the patient they have a not so nice comment to make as if they can do it better.like I told one person so this is what you think be my guest.

Nursing home shortage is bad here in Houston,

and I do not see things getting better any time soon.In nursing homes find that noone really wants to work as a team and that is not good no matter where you work you should work as a team.It works out better for you and the rest of your co-workers.All nurses should help one another out and not think that they are to good to do that.I have to work with this one nurse daily and it is hard because she dose not want to tell me anything that I should know and when I do ask she is rude and tells me that if their was anything for me to say that she would have told me then when something happen one day nothing major anyway she said you did not ask and I said I did and you told me nothing was wrong and that you would have told me.But have notice that she dose not have a problem telling other C.N.A.S that she likes belive that she dose not like me personal which is find but she lets it get in the way of working.I have said this before you can like someone but not like what they do or how they do it.Not their to be friends their for the residents.being close friends with other workers causes lack of work with resident care.

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Stacey,

I am a cna like you and I know how you feel. Somedays I feel like I work in an assembly line and the products we are working with are humans. It is easy to feel very overwhelmed but remember you can only do your best. Your job is a very important one and you should be proud to be a cna. Remember there is no shame in a job well done and it takes all kinds to really make it work. Know to that you too can go to school if you choose to do so. Good luck!

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I am an RN but started as a CNA, then LVN. I have been DON in many nursing homes over the last 20 years, 11 in nursing homes. I work the floor every day, making beds, taking people to the toliet, and feeding meals, etc. I even give baths, etc. I have worked as the only "CNA" on 3 halls on the night shift as well. The shortage is wide spread, but everyone, including your DON is responsible for resident care. Take your concerns up the chain of command and get something done. Don't ever assume anyone knows there is a problem. I have found out that people thought I knew something was going on that I didn't more than once. So, tell them, in writing, and always keep a copy for yourself. They may thing you are a trouble maker, but you know your not, and they can't afford not to listen to you. Hopefully, here in Texas, things will change soon. There is a bill before the legislators now that should pass, if not vetoed by the governor(he thinks hes right but he ain't and we need to let him know). It will allow more money for staffing. Check it out, get involved and lets make long term care a respectable place to work again.

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REGARDING NURSING HOMES AND SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES... I HAVE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF NURSING...MANAGEMENT AND STAFF NURSE..I WILL NEVER IN NO WAY UNDERSTAND WHY THESE FACILTIES IN FLORIDA STAFF THE UNITS WITH ONE NURSE TO 60 LTC RESIDENTS. GREAT JOB WITH THE NEW AMMENDEMENT REGARDING CNA STAFFING, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NURSES??? WE HAVE TWO HOURS TO GIVE 60 PATIENTS THEIR MEDICATIONS, THAT'S TWO MINUTES A PATIENT! WHAT ABOUT COMPLICATIONS, NOT MENTION THERE NORMAL DAILY LIVING NEEDS. AND GUESS WHO ANSWERS THE PHONES? EXCUSE ME...BUT IS THE STATE PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT?

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I haven't worked long term care in over 2 yrs. now. When I quit I told them I'd never

work long term care again. It is sad to here

it hasn't gotten any better. Although there

were definetely a few "bad apples" I worked

with , nurses and aides, most tried very hard

every day. It was not unusual for the aides

to work through their breaks. But unfortunatly that wasn't even enough to provide good care. After working so hard

every day we still went home knowing it was

not enough. There are defenseless, helpless

people who are mothers and fathers and

grandmothers and grandfathers in these homes

that just do not get the care they deserver

because there just are not enough people

there to take care of them. All those of

you who are CNA's , you do a very important

job, I hope one day it will be better for

you and the people you take care of.

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I myself am leaving LTC, not only for all the reasons you mentioned, but to gain some acute care experience that I may need in the future in a skilled care facility.

I was a CNA for two years, an LPN for 10, and was just graduated from an RN program. I have worked as management as well. Let me tell you, it is fustrating, but sometimes I think there just is no answer. When I was management, I worked very hard, sometimes filling in on my days off, on-call for weekends, always helping someone, to the toilet, lifting someone, intercepting families questions, answering their concerns, and all the while working very hard on maintaining the quality of care as well as making the job of my fellow nurse and CNAs BETTER!! I am leaving because i stepped down from management to finish school and the current management does not think the staff needs to have an opinion, or a say, or needs to know what is going on behind the scenes.

I aspire to be a DON someday, maybe, but believe me, I will know enough to remember that it is OUR residents, and WE have to take care of them the best way we can, and we all need to work as a team to make it happen. There is no "I" in TEAM!

Keep trying, all you CNAs out there! here are a lot of us out here who hear you!

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