budget crisis-how is it effecting you and your residents?

[ktwlpn]

We ran out of sugar last week.Ran out of foley drainage bags a few weeks ago.Every dept. is tightening up their par stock but HELLO-you can't run out of foley drainage bags! Can't take the elevator-it costs a few dollars each trip. Must turn off lights/tv etc which does make sense-that no different then your own home.I have a recurring dream that we must start turning off the lights at 10 am and can not turn them on again until sundown .I guess they'll issue miner's helmets on rainy days.I know they won't switch over to the AC until Independence day-we'll roast...I know the economy is in trouble but let's cut down a few mangerial positions.Why should the resident suffer? (is that the proper use of "effect? I never get that affect/effect thing right.......)

[noc4senuf]

Management for a 100 bed facility? Myself (DON), ADON, 3 Nurse managers, a ED Nurse. I have a hiring freeze as our census dropped for a while. We closed a unit and realigned the staff thru-out the building and advised that if hours were cut it would be by seniority. So far, no hours have been cut as our census has went back up. Management took a 5% pay cut but, not the floor staff as we did not want to lose them. We do not use agency. I frown on OT and open shifts have been picked up by the casual and PT staff. Though a lot of our staff depend on OT, we need to survive as a facility.

I do look over our expenses very carefully and make sure there is not waste. I would never run out of any needed supplies and ensure that anything a resident needs is available. I have decided not to take any short term rehab residents with wound vacs at this time as the $3-4K per month cost is too much. I also have been scrutinizing my CMI to make sure it is as high as can be.

I keep thinking... this too shall pass.

[achot chavi]

Unfortunately, agency staff is necessary for most of us. I have a very small facility AND a union. With one nurse out with an injury and one on vacation (and don't tell me not to grant them) I have no 'extra' staff.

I would never tell you NOT to grant your nurses their much needed and deserved vacation, but i would possibly advise you to have on staff one more nurse than you need in order to cover vacations.

Do you pay overtime? the extra nurse will help cut back on that

Won't that be cheaper than your budget for the agency nurses? and provide better care?

My experience with agency nurses is that they are glorified babysitters and the work falls on our home nurses anyway.

Perhaps you have a better pool of agency nurses than I have seen.

I am not questioning your policy. Every facility has its own way of balancing the budget.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I have one per diem nurse. That's it. My facility is out in the middle of practically nowhere...okay so it's a resort community and spectacularly beautiful but that doesn't mean we have lots of nurses out here. I always take staff,even overtime, over agency but I can't have my nurses working 70+hours a week!

[achot chavi]

Can't beat spectacularly beautiful, but way off topic,

We are griping over lack of supplies due to the poor economy.

Any other suggestions for steamlining the budget?