what is an acceptable response time to call bell in ltc?

[jrbl77]

:confused:My mom is a resident of a ltc for approx 3 yrs. This problem arises every so often and I don't know the answer. I thought maybe some of you could be of help. What is an acceptable or appropriate time to wait for a responce to a call bell in LTC. I received a call from the LTC today that my mom has been getting out of bed by herself. She is of sound mind, but doesn't move very well. Upon further disscussion with family members, I find that she has been waiting a half an hour to get help to the bathroom. Tonight she needed help getting up to her w/c for supper and a CNA came by and told her she would be right back. Meanwhile a 1/2 hr later she hasn't retunred. My sister helped my mom to the w/c, but my sister doesn't feel that she is trained to do this. I can move my mom, but it has been getting more difficult and I don't want to hurt my already old nurses back moving my mom. I am planning on talking to the DON, but in the past has not been helpful. My family doesn't want to move my mom. Tonight my mom told me that staff tells her that they are so short of staff when they do come to help her. Maybe I'm from the old school, but I never felt it was right to tell the pts that the staff was not adequate. As an RN, I have alwasys worked in the acute setting, but have helped more than my share of pts to the bathroom and been informed by familes when it has not been done quickly enough. This is a double edge sword for me, I have been on both sides of the fence. How long should residents have to wait to get help with toileting and other cares and concerns?

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

thanks for all the responses. I suppose there is no one answer. My mom is already supposed to be on a q 2hr bathroom routine and I am 99% sure that doesn't happen. She is also supposed to be walked in the hall daily and that doesn't happen either. Talking to the DON and administrator are like talking to the wall. The DON is always right and the administrator backs her up. I did talk to the LPN that cares for my mom the most and explained our concerns. She told me they are trying to make adjustments to the schedule for tolieting etc. I really hate being put in the middle of this, because as a nurse I understand, you can't be every where at once, but what makes one person more important than another espically when that person is your mom. The LTC is very convient for our family and moving mom would probably open another can of worms. I really think that you have to pick your battles. I just try to be as opened minded as possible. :redpinkhe

Again, I appreciate your understanding and looking at this from a nurse's point of view. BUT, don't lose site of the fact that you were this woman's daughter L O N G before you were a nurse. Stick up for your Mom if you need to. If you don't who will.