What lies were you told when you were first hired in LTC?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I was told that I was hired to work on one specific unit only. I then discovered one day that I was actually the "float nurse." No one bothered to tell me that I was now the "float nurse." I was told that I was going to make a certain amount of money per hour. When I got my paycheck it was $2 an hour less then what I was told. I had to "fight" to finally get the wages I was promised. So what about you? What kind of lies were you told?

Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.
In my facility all staff do answer call lights but that is the extent of it. For instance, if the secretary walks in and answers a call light, she simply comes out and tells the nearest Nurse or CNA what the resident needs/wants. This can happen over and over. One of the reasons I prefer nightshifts, lol!

I worked the activities dept. while I was in nursing school. I tried as much as I could to get call lights when I could, but that seemed to be the case for me as well. I'd have to go find someone to do whatever it was they needed. So then I'm delayed in my task, and the nurse or CNA was irritated w me for bothering them (or be flat out nasty), often w something they already knew about or lower on their priority list at that very moment.

However, if I did NOT answer call bells, (which sometimes I was guilty of, I did actually have tasks to do that needed to be completed) a couple of smarmy CNAs would mutter under their breaths about it (no shock they were the same ones who would be irritated w me when I DID go to them with c/b requests). Years later one in particular decided to throw this in my face when I was her nurse supervisor and I asked her to please answer a call bell.

There's absolutely no pleasing malcontents.

In my facility all staff do answer call lights but that is the extent of it. For instance, if the secretary walks in and answers a call light, she simply comes out and tells the nearest Nurse or CNA what the resident needs/wants. This can happen over and over. One of the reasons I prefer nightshifts,lol!

Our facility only hires CNAs as ward secretaries. It's great. If there's no orders to note or appointments to schedule or whatever, the secretary can help on the floor. They can help feed at meals, toilet people if they have a chance or ambulate people. Of course, it can be hard to juggle two roles, but look at how many hats nurses wear. Share the wealth! I don't know why all facilities don't do this.

With that said, I agree with cloudySue hay some CNAs will never be satisfied. If I'm too busy with meds to answer a call light they mutter that I'm lazy. If I answer it and tell them mrs Jones is wet, I'm still lazy. And if I stop my med pass and change her myself , they are suspicious that I'm trying to make them look bad or something. Some people will find something to b**** about no matter what.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
They told me they actually cared about the residents. Turns out that was a big fat lie.

Ditto. ;>)

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

"Our nurses have plenty of time to get their work done. It just takes learning how to prioritize."

Sure.

With that said, I agree with cloudySue hay some CNAs will never be satisfied. If I'm too busy with meds to answer a call light they mutter that I'm lazy. If I answer it and tell them mrs Jones is wet, I'm still lazy. And if I stop my med pass and change her myself , they are suspicious that I'm trying to make them look bad or something. Some people will find something to b**** about no matter what.

This is so true you hit the nail right on the head! It's also true in any workplace besides healthcare.

Thanks to all for your great comments. I just thought of a lie I hear every month. It is "All of the MAR's and TAR's are completed and ready for changeover for the first day of the month." Thank GOD I am going to a party tonight instead of going to work tonight for the "changeover nightmare." Good luck to all who have to work tonight.

As a 3-11 nurse, if I notice that the MARs aren't done as the end of the month approaches, I'll try to do a few on my downtime. It's dumb to think its just a 11-7 duty.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
As a 3-11 nurse, if I notice that the MARs aren't done as the end of the month approaches, I'll try to do a few on my downtime...

"Downtime on 3-11"???

What the heck is that??? Sorry... never heard of it.

If a place with that exists, I definitely need to start my job search! Please tell me... where do I apply!

Thanks!

"Downtime on 3-11"???What the heck is that??? Sorry... never heard of it.If a place with that exists I definitely need to start my job search! Please tell me... where do I apply!Thanks![/quote']If I have a RN charge nurse working with me, I usually have at least an hour of downtime each shift. If she's off and Im charge as well as meds, I'm lucky to get a pee break.
Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.
If I have a RN charge nurse working with me, I usually have at least an hour of downtime each shift. If she's off and Im charge as well as meds, I'm lucky to get a pee break.
You have 2 nurses that work 3-11? And one of them is at times an RN?
Specializes in Assisted Living nursing, LTC/SNF nursing.

Along with that, your doing medcart change over for 60 also, no CMA to help, you can only hope the Mar/Tar's have been looked over in time, updated, ect. but priority is changing the carts out. I just hate it and have asked if they could change the medcart change over to say, a different start date monthly and of course, no. Corporate won't let them, a phrase that is said so often and you just give up asking of anything. If you don't dedicate your life to them, your raise will be affected even if you never miss work and have been faithful to the residents and staff, trying to tie up loose ends everywhere if seen, trying to be accountable for all my actions. If you don't pick up extra shifts at a moments notice when they get in too many skilled, higher acuity (needy) residents and know they can't staff for them and always someone quitting and needing more staff, then your looked down upon. Three days a week is all I can muster up these days and with the healthcare changing now, no one really knows how it will affect the NH and always seems that a cut has to be made somewhere but it just seems that they are running out of somewhere's to cut. Depressing actually.

You have 2 nurses that work 3-11? And one of them is at times an RN?
Sometimes. If she (the RN) is there, then I'm the "med nurse" and she's the "charge nurse". It's nice, cause I can concentrate on meds and tx and she handles everything else. If she's off, I'm "promoted" to filling both roles.
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