Hello Everyone,
I am a brand new LPN grad, a brand new LPN in LTC, and brand new to allnurses. I love this site! It has been so comforting to me as a student and now as a new nurse. I have a few questions and would really appreciate any feedback.
Does your LTC facililty expect you to work as an aide to cover a shift when an aide calls out? I am brand new on my job (3 weeks) but I hear the aides on the phone when an aide has called out for a shift trying to get someone to cover. They first call all the aides, who usually say they can not come in to cover. And then the aide starts calling the nurses to see if they can come in to cover the aide's shift. They do pay the nurses their LPN salary to work the shift as an aide. This is on an Assisted Living floor and the aides are not certified. I was really surprised when I heard the aide, not my administrator, calling nurses to come in to cover. I think the aides burn out because they don't have enough help and they rely on the nurses to help them, rather than the nurses being able to delegate some responsibilities to the aides. P.S.- the nurses' are overwhelmed and overworked as well, but try to take on as much as they can because there just don't seem to be enough aides for all the resident's many needs.
Also, when I work my shift on the work on the Dementia floor, I am expected to give my early morning meds, shower and dress 3 people and get them to breakfast. In the afternoon, I am to "toilet" 3 or 4 residents and either help with making beds and replacing towels in the rooms, or help clean the tables off after lunch. My first day was rough. I did my meds, and got my first resident showered and dressed and I heard a resident screaming, he had fallen. Of course, I immediately went to him. In between helping the aides, I had meds, assessments, calls to the MD, dressing changes, speaking with families, incident report, 24-hr report, my shift report and nursing notes. I have to say they have 2 aides on for 15 dementia residents. These aides must shower, serve food, clean up, do activities, toilet...all of it. So, I dont' believe the aides are lazy, just overwhelmed and need and expect help from the nurse on duty.
Being completely new to this field, I am asking...is this a normal practice?? Thanks so much in advance for any feedback!!!!