Put off by LTC

Ok so I'm a big mouth and have gotten way over the new-grad shivers over time. Try this, if you really don't mind looking for another job if you have to.

Keep track for a shift of what you do. How many dressings, how many diaper changes, how many pills you passed (exactly how many, not how many patients), how many g-tubes you cleared, how many people you turned, how many folks you picked up from nearly falling on the floor, how many aids you had to search for and how many times, you get the picture.

Then the moment someone tells you you slept, whip out your list. "Look, last night I passed 1,354 pills, crushed 927 of them, changed 19 dressings, cleaned 38 butts, made 16 beds, searched for 2 aids 19 times, found them 6 times, peed for a total of 2.4 minutes, ate for 1.7 minutes, charted on 37 people in handwriting you can read, called 4 doctors, called 3 doctors AGAIN, took out 8 bags of trash, bathed 8 people, two of them twice and did it all in EIGHT hours. If you do'nt think I did enough, YOU try it. Here's report, have a nice day <sweet smile>.

That should shut 'em up. Folks will stamp on you if you let them. If you know you're doing everything you can and doing a good job, stand up for it. If they never get off your back, despite your good job, bow out and let them find someone else who wants to do all of the above!

Good luck!

Oh I feel so bad for you! Have you tried speaking to your unit mgr and discussing the issues you are having. I am a unit mgr in a LTC facility and it is rough. This is my first expereince in LTC nad it is quite different. Although people tell me that all LTC facilities are not bad. Get the experience and then leave or find another position, but don't quit.

I would find another job stat. This kind of attitude comes from above and it will not change.

Originally Posted by Suesquatch I would find another job stat. This kind of attitude comes from above and it will not change.

I totally agree, dont' take the obuse! You're too valuable as a new nurse to hang with such a tough go. Get out now and find something amenable to you.

ok quitting with notice is not bailing out
write out with names and dates everything and hand it to don as a exit interview...
find another job, [before you quit] . .go back to school..it will pay off in the end

Yes, I agree, LPNs are a dying breed, I know Im going to get nay sayers here, but it is harder to find jobs , even in LTC.

Please don't give up on ltc!! there are better facilities out there. Where I work, disappearing aides is NOT tolerated. In fact, last night two of my aides were ticked cause they thought the third one had left the floor w/o telling anyone==turns out she was busy taking vitals. And if I ask them to do something, they darn well better do it, or expect a write up! I know they're busy and I try to only ask for stuff that would put me behind too much if I did it, like taking 20 pulse ox's and two full sets of vitals nightly. They know that I'll help them too, answering a lite or putting a bottom on a bedpan. It's all about give and take. Trust and respect. There ARE certain aides I prefer to work with, and those I do not. But all of them know what their job is and know the consequences of not doing it.

Med times aren't changed without good reason.... 7-3 has the bulk of the meds, 3-11 next. Not that many meds get scheduled for me on 11-7 since I have twice as many residents. Dressing changes? Rarely. Usually only if it's supposed to be changed q shift.

It sounds like you're in a toxic environment that can't be helped with a write up to an aide or a complaint to management. My advice is to start interviewing for other facilities, and ask LOTS of questions. Pay close attention to what they say, and what they DON"T say. One place I interviewed for prior to my current job, the manager interviewing me said "We're training new aides on night shift CONSTANTLY." Not exactly a good sign.


whether you decide to give LTC another shot or not, I wish you the best. May many blessings come your way.


k

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