DOES anyone find that Management in LTC is a problem?

I totally agree with you there johnson001. It doesn't stop with those things either, also includes WHO you are, WHO you're related to, and don't even get me started on the DON! LOL.
Our DON is the most pathetic Nurse I have ever seen work the floor at our facility! When reminded that so-and-so hadn't received their 4p meds yet (and this was at 8p.) her reply was "Well as long as they get them sometime during this shift, does it really matter?" EXCUSE ME??!! If that had been any other nurse, she would have fired them right then and there, in fact, she has! When we punch out at 10, she is just finishing up med pass from 4/8p. Guess that is one of the "perks" of being the boss, who's gonna fire/write you up? And they wonder why I am leaving?

PJ

Yes it seems that once I think I have learned "all the rules" the rules start changing.

Absolutely a problem! I have been at my facility only a year and a half and we are on our 3rd DON now. And this one...as someone else stated ..they play favorites ...she is write up crazy...and keeps changing rules and paperwork...They cant retain staff and now she has turned it around that "we arent being nice to the new nurses". What a load of crock! Everyone is tempted to call corporate regarding the condescending attitude, but is scared to make even an anonymous call. And also feel it wouldnt do any good? Anyone in a SNF ever call corporate and get positive results???

OH MY PJ Marie...You sound like you work at my facility...I love working with the elderly..I really do, but I have had it with Administrators who think they can make nursing judgements, and DON's who love to fire and write people up, but are so careless, and lazy when the work the floor! My administrator will take anyone to keep the beds full...and I mean anyone.

DOES anyone find that Management in LTC is a problem?

yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're in one of those phases where 'cleaning out the deadwood' has turned in to a witch-hunt. It seems that 50% of the folks who I've known as DONs were absolutely unsuitable for the job, but probably got there because no one else would have anything to with the position.

Have worked both sides of the coin I can sympathize with both the floor nurse and the role of the DON's and management as everyone knows. Just as there are good and bad floor nurses there's good and bad DON's. If DON is changing the rules all the time it may be due to the rules changing on them. Also the problems created by the floor nurses may be causing the rules to change. Many DON's change things to fix something instead of staying with the system reinforcing it so that everyone is on the same page. It's a common mistake, unfortunately many DON's don't realize they are doing it and will continue down that path until they have even more problems on their hands. I have been on the receiving end of DON's changing things on me all the time and having a 5 new DON's in 2 years. Each changed the systems and those of us one floor got more upset because just as we got one system poof the DON disappeared and a new one was there with again changes. They never understood why we didn't greet them with smiles we knew what was coming. Having been a DON now I do understand more why they do what they do, but again I see both sides. I also learned I hate being a DON and chose to go back to floor nursing it's just too hard to make every one happy.

And some organizations are worse then others-so much so that one might suspect that the nurses whom are complaining about managment and their dirty tricks are maybe a little nuts themselves...Nothing surprises me any longer....I am so thankful that the Queen Butthole at my facility is GONE!!!!! whoop DE DOO....She made my life a living H#ll ...She was a co-ADON and very insecure in her own skills and was the queen of the vendetta.If she felt you "questioned her judgement" in any way she had you in the DON's office....And "questioning" meant offering any input at all into any resident care dilema because SHE was the EXPERT...How dare I go out of my way to educate myself and try to learn about my resident's and their problems? She did get me before she left and I got my first and only real verbal warning (what a trumped up pile of ***** it was) but I took it like a professional and moved on....and I am STILL THERE.....

PJ-you sound like you work with me!

Is it the staff or the multiple personalities that take over the management?

My fav-the folks who talk about how much they care and let staff walk all over them, give substandard care to residents and then get by with it. No one is perfect but at least the management can be human and compassionate

I know what you mean, but with my job it's just the opposite! (you can refer to the post I'm fixing to make, for more details!!!) I work 11-7 in LTC and we are shooooort staffed. We've hired 2 new night nurses, but the day nurses keep running them off! One of them, the first girl, on her first night working alone 11-7 she was running a little behind when the 7-3 nurse arrived and was "ready to count"....so she basically belittled the new nurse right in front of the CNA's. Told her off good, up one side and down the other. Problem was, the 7-3 nurse had even come in late...and if all the other nurses could do it, we'd fire this certain 7-3 nurse in a minute. She's awful! Takes 3 hours to do her 7am morning med pass, etc. I could go into more details, but I'm going to put it all in a message soon. Perhaps you all can tell me how to deal with this situation.