New DON

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I've been a RN for 4 years, before that I was a Med aide and a CNA for 10 years working in the nursing home. When I became a RN I worked in cardiac critical care . A few months ago I decides to work in the nursing home part time due to I missed working with elderly. Well the Don left and I was ask if I would be interim DON for 30 days and I accepted, after 30 days I was ask to stay on as the DON. I thought sure ill try it I would like to make a difference right. Well I can positively say my POSITIVE ATTITUDE did change the morale in the building. I am very hands on and I have filled in every position from CNA to charge nurse and because of this I believe I gained their respect and trust. My staff has become very POSITIVE and really put our residents FIRST. I am so glad a took a chance and made a difference. I LOVE MY JOB

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

I did MDS's for 10 years and loved it. Got a wild hair up my rear and got this crazy notion that I needed to prove to myself that I was capable of being a DON and thought it would look good on my resume as well. The plan was to go find a DON job, do it for ONE year and then go back into a MDS position or maybe find a regional MDS position.

Well it's been over that ONE year - love my job - can't ever imagine going back to that lonely old closet they called an office and doing MDS's all day. Guess we are the lucky ones that find a job they actually like.

Specializes in hospice.

Congrats, and a request from a CNA. Please don't forget where you came from! Too many LTCs seem to think their CNAs are cyborgs who can handle any workload. They also seem to think that elderly folk are not harmed by being stuck in 20 to 1 care ratios, or else they don't care because their concern is with profit. Please remember to respect the humanity of all involved when making staffing decisions.

Specializes in Cardiac, Critical Care, LTC.
Congrats, and a request from a CNA. Please don't forget where you came from! Too many LTCs seem to think their CNAs are cyborgs who can handle any workload. They also seem to think that elderly folk are not harmed by being stuck in 20 to 1 care ratios, or else they don't care because their concern is with profit. Please remember to respect the humanity of all involved when making staffing decisions.

CNAs are the back bone of LTC. Even in the hospital I worked in critical care and we did not have aides so I did total care. Believe me when I tell you I don't care about the initials behind my name or anybody else's name all I care about is the residents getting take care of. If that means me or the other nurses giving a shower, changing a depend, turning a resident, taking a resident to the restroom that what will be done. I don't like to over work my staff, right now I am actually over staffed LOL.

I know it seems like I'm selling a dream but its all true. If my staff is happy then my residents are taken care of and happy.

Thanks everyone I will continue to stay positive and doing my best to keep everything going well.

Specializes in NICU.

Congrats on your new found position. You seem as if you are very experienced in the healthcare field and I don't know you but seems like you deserve that position. My goal is to be a DON, I hope I get lucky like you lol but can I just ask you what do you do on a daily basis as a DON. I have read the job description and my Cna instructor was the DON but what is it like everyday. It it stressful? Thank you.

Specializes in NICU.

Also if you don't mind me asking, do you have a masters degree. I hear that is what is needed to become a DON. Sorry if that is too personal I'm jus excited to hear your positive story. My goal is to go for my BSN but if my masters is needed then I will go for it. Sometime I read job postings and some say you need your BSN and others say masters for DON.

Congratulations to you, and this is a story that should be shared to many nurses because it is inspiring and motivational. I hope that many more people will be like you in our profession.

Specializes in Psych/ RAC-CT (MDS).

Want a job in IL? :)

Specializes in Cardiac, Critical Care, LTC.
Also if you don't mind me asking, do you have a masters degree. I hear that is what is needed to become a DON. Sorry if that is too personal I'm jus excited to hear your positive story. My goal is to go for my BSN but if my masters is needed then I will go for it. Sometime I read job postings and some say you need your BSN and others say masters for DON.

I don't have neither I have my associate degree. I actually believe if I had applied I wouldn't have got the position. It was a blessing that I worked there part-time already. We are a 60 bed facility so my duties include supervising the staff, monthly pain assessment, quarterly assessment, admission, infection control, weekly akin assessment (we have a tx nurse and a wound care dr comes in every week), doing rounds with the NP and dr when they round, chart audits, reviewing and signing off on MDS and care plans (which are done by the ADON), handling day to day issues, staffing, interviews, hiring, education. You name it i do it lol and I live every minute of it even stressful days like today lol.

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