Introductions--It's all about YOU!

[NurseExec]

I'm new here, and would love to hear about you and your facilities--I'll start :)

I'm a 45 y.o. DNS, running a 120 bed SNF in FL with a large Medicare short-term population (50-60). My background is open-heart recovery and trauma ICU (8 yrs), OR (3 years), and I've working in the same SNF now for 5 years. I left hospital nursing burned out and sick of the whole profession, and found my soul, and a new direction as a charge nurse on the long-term wing. I was promoted after a year to Risk Management, and after 2 years in that job, I promoted to DNS (after being interim more than once, LOL!). My administrator had to drag me kicking and screaming into the job, and now, I can't imagine ever doing anything else!

I'm married, my husband is a full time student (thank you economy), I've got a dog, two cats, and no children.

[noc4senuf]

Six years as DON (current facility is 2 yrs and previous facility 4 years). I have a 100 bed facility of which 28 beds are TCU, all rooms are private. This is a non-profit, Catholic building (of which i am not). I have one ADON, 3 nurse managers, one MDS nurse, one medicare nurse, one education nurse. We stay quite busy.

I am a 48 y.o. mom of 4, ages 18-29 and granny of two ages 6 & 8. I live with my S.O. of 16+ years. We both ride Harleys, go to our trailer on the lake on the weekends and basically like living by ourselves after all the years of a houseful.

Welcome to allnurses!!

[ColetteFL]

Hi there,

I'm a new DON of an ALF in Florida. 125 beds, currently 98 residents, staff of 30. Staff are all aides and med techs, I'm the only nurse.

Corporate demands are significant, way above State requirements, but that's ok because I know everything will be covered when State comes in. Still, it becomes frustraiting that there is so much reporting.

I've got a corporate nurse that requires notification of almost everything; sometimes it's a pain, but once again, I know it protects me in the long run. And the corporate regional team over-all are very supportive.

It does become crazy, what with residents, families, staff, MD's, HH nurses, vendors, and other staff members all coming at you at once. I've had to do a lot of behavior modification! And sometimes I just have to close my door and put up a sign: "The nurse is in session; please do no disturb".

My staff is great, but there are a lot of call-offs. Marketing Director expects me to drop everything and go run do an assessment (they are on commission). I have a Memory Care Unit (Alzheimers) with a Director but she is an aide, not a nurse. MY ED is fabulous; she has a very positive attitude and everything is "fixable". Plus she is willling to help me out when the load gets too heavy.

Oh, and I'm on-call 24/7! Sometimes I get a lot of calls, sometimes not. Currently no SO and kids are grown and gone, so calls at 2 am only bug me, not someone else!

Blessings to all in this line of work! We carry a heavy load!:monkeydance:

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

Hey all. I am 36 and just started in LTCF specializing in alz/dementia. I have 10 yrs hospital medsurg exp and was really burned out. Walmart sounded better than nursing. So i just started this and we will see...

[familychick, BSN]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to allnurses too, and not sure exactly where I fit in. I've been an RN for 13 years and have done a little of everything including: med/surg, plasma center, L&D, peds, and of course LTC. Everytime I go someplace else, I keep coming back to LTC. I have to say though, I am officially burned out on it now. The regulations and expectations and lack of staff are too much for me. I have recently switched gears and am now the DON of the state women's prison. This particular prison is where all the pregnant, geriatic, and chronically ill female convicted offenders are sent. I'm excited...no medicare, no insurance of any type, no dealing with family members on a daily basis, no CNA's who call off every other day....

Anyway, I'm 44 y.o. have a 6 and 16 y.o and recently ran off to CA to elope with my s.o.!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Hi there,

I'm a new DON of an ALF in Florida. 125 beds, currently 98 residents, staff of 30. Staff are all aides and med techs, I'm the only nurse.

Corporate demands are significant, way above State requirements, but that's ok because I know everything will be covered when State comes in. Still, it becomes frustraiting that there is so much reporting.

I've got a corporate nurse that requires notification of almost everything; sometimes it's a pain, but once again, I know it protects me in the long run. And the corporate regional team over-all are very supportive.

It does become crazy, what with residents, families, staff, MD's, HH nurses, vendors, and other staff members all coming at you at once. I've had to do a lot of behavior modification! And sometimes I just have to close my door and put up a sign: "The nurse is in session; please do no disturb".

My staff is great, but there are a lot of call-offs. Marketing Director expects me to drop everything and go run do an assessment (they are on commission). I have a Memory Care Unit (Alzheimers) with a Director but she is an aide, not a nurse. MY ED is fabulous; she has a very positive attitude and everything is "fixable". Plus she is willling to help me out when the load gets too heavy.

Oh, and I'm on-call 24/7! Sometimes I get a lot of calls, sometimes not. Currently no SO and kids are grown and gone, so calls at 2 am only bug me, not someone else!

Blessings to all in this line of work! We carry a heavy load!:monkeydance:

Sounds like my job!! I wonder if we work for the same corporation?:)

I love my work though, no matter how much of a zoo the community can be at times. I too have a wonderful ED and we are putting together a top-notch management team (all of us, except the Marketing Director, are new), which is in the process of 'jelling'. I'm also O/C 24/7, which I'm used to because I've been an ALF director of nursing for years now. I'll be 50 in January, so I'm older than almost everyone on the staff, but I think my life experience helps a lot when things are crazy---I know that "this, too, shall pass".

My husband of 28 years and I have four grown children and three grandsons, a 62-year-old sister, four cats, and a dog, and we live in a big old rambling house on 2.75 acres of woods. It is our sanctuary when we get home from work (hubby is a maintenance technician in the same ALF I work in) and I grow flowers and vegetables in my garden.....it's the best stress reliever I know of.

[RoadwearyRN]

Hi there,

New to Allnurses as well. I am 47, married with 4 grown children, 7 grandchildren with 2 more on the way. I started my career in nursing in LTC and even though have strayed at times (med-surg, ortho, vent unit, physician office) LTC is my passion. I worked as a floor nurse, MDS coordinator, case manager, Utilization coordinator, ADON and DON in a 235 bed facility over the span of 10 years for a VERY large coporation. I learned something everyday and still do. It was very hectic, my family expected every holiday to be interrupted and it generally was! I work for another smaller coporation now in a consulting role and have the opportunity to mentor several DONs and absolutely love it!

[littlebit1]

I'm new in my DON position. I have not been involved in LTC for over 10 years and I am amazed at some of the changes. For everyone I'm sure it is a challenge but I have inherited some major issues. Mostly "families who have been extremely upset over the care thier residents have recieved in the past." I am trying to build thier trust but they are very leery and can't really let go of problems they have experienced in the past. So far I am still uncertain of my role - apparently past DON's have spent thier days in thier office with the door closed or maybe not even there. I am so busy monitoring situations out on the floor that I am there for 10-12 hours a day as I can't get my own work done. Hopefully with patience and guidance I can help to make some changes. Overall though - I still enjoy going to work :nuke: Only one month under my belt.