Stable Vent Patients in LTC

It stinks that graduation is so far away but if you absolutely have to stay in this job then you will just have to suck it up. I really hate where I work but I like you have to work those 16 hours weekend shifts to make ends meet and keep my health care. The past year has been stressful and exhausting but it's almost over in a few short weeks. If I did it you can too! What kept me halfway sane was realizing that I wasn't going to have to work in that hell hole for the rest of my working life.

I don't like what your facility is trying to do but maybe it will work out. Sorry to say this but you can only do what is humanly possible for one nurse to do on a shift. If the outcomes are poor then the state will start to look at your facility and staffing ratios as well as that decision to not hire an RT will have to be re-evaluated. It sucks that facilities will take chances with people's lives but dollars always come first to administration.

Surely a patient's family will look at some guidelines before allowing even a stable vent to be treated at a facillity without a RT http://www.ardsusa.org/inpatientrehab.htm If not, the facillity should be aware of the recommendations of organizations on vents patients. I am also assuming there are state and federal guidelines for LTC's with vent patients though may be assuming wrong. I would be concerned for my license depending on training and staff help however. There is a lot that can go wrong in this situation.