My almost venture into LTC! Verrrrrrrry long!

Nurses Safety

Published

Specializes in Everything except surgery.

My Per Deim positions is nearing an end, as it doesn't offer enough hours. So I have been looking for a good reg PT position.

So I see this ad for a PT position in what is state to be one of the "facility of the year". So I check it out, and go for an interview. The money is good $25/hr until 2pm and then another $1/hr. But I'm not quite sure this is the place for me. So the NM and I agree on my shadowing a nurse, who is doing this Med/Tx position in a 20 bed TCU "supposedly"

Well the morning comes finally after the facility had to cancel d/t the nurse calling in sick, and so I rescheluded the date. Well I go in, and everyone seems very nice, but just a little too glad to see me! I notice somethings that bother me, but I just toss if off.

Then I meet this wonderful nurse who I'm to shadow! She looks professional, and was very knowledgeable. She states she LOVES working at this facility, and it is her PT position. The other place she works is a dump, and she admits it, but has been there since graduated 10yrs ago. So to her this place is a gem.

But as we go along, I soon discover, this is NOT the place for me! I'm not there 2 hrs, before I'm almost running ummm walking out the door! That is after this very sweet nurse finally let go of my arm:chuckle!!! She was pleading for me to stay, and telling the NM to offer me more money! But I'm sorry it's not all about the money!

I found out, that my duties not only were to be on this 20 bed unit, but that I would be responsible for treatments on another wing, that made the DFW phone book look small!! Not only that most of the orders were in cursor, and not even printed!!

One of the treatments was to wash under this lady's breast, dry it, and place a dry cloth there???? Another problem were skin assessments of pts. when most are already up by the time they were to take place. Second I watched her be called by a CNA to give a PRN to a pt on this hall, while the nurse was on break. Yet there was an RN who was sitting at the desk who could've given it, and who was doing nothing but yada...yada...about nothing!

Then we went to get supplies to do another tx. You got it, not there, but guess what was not there??? NO NASAL cannulas..NONE!!! Then we went into a room where a total care, very large man, was lying in urine, with a draw sheet waaaay up his back!! The CNA who answered the call bell, stated" just do the treatment, and will get him up, as "his" aide was on break!!! This man needed to be cleaned NOW!!!

How do you go on break and leave someone like that?? And the fact that his member was outside of his brief looked to me, like someone was in too big of a hurry, since the man had no use of his hands!

Now here is one more reason why I ran ...umm walk out the door. This large book of treatments was to be done in only two hours! After seeing the frequent amount of interruptions this nurse had during the hour that I was there, and seeing that that she had only been able to get to 3 or 4 pts during that time, I asked her what happens with the treatments that don't get done?? She said...they don't get done,and she doesn't sign them off, and "they" know about it!

Yes there were some unneccessary stuff, but I asked her if it frustrated her to not be able to do what needed to be done. She said it did, but that this place was a lot better than the other place she worked. And I will say, that I'm glad that she is there, at least PT. I'm glad these pts. have someone at least. But I couldn't be one of them!:o

Considering the money, would anyone else have taken this position??? I would have been working three days a week Mon -Thurs 10a to 6p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MS Home Health.

Brownie your scaring me........I start on a vent unit Monday/60 beds/5 RNs/10 pcas/all total care................wish me luck. Glad you shadowed and ran.

renerian

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Everything except surgery.

Sorry didn't mean to! But you know 6o beds and only 5 RN?? Lord what happens if one doesn't come in??? Is this a Kindred hospital??? :eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Sounds like LTC facilities everywhere to me. That's why I don't work in geriatrics anymore.....those poor elderly, frail people who have paid into the system for decades aren't getting the care they need and deserve, and it makes me mad enough to bite a rock!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sounds like the LTC facility I left was one of the better ones. That just sucks! I have instructed my husband that if I am ever in a postition to be in one to just shoot me instead it would be more loving.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ER.

It's so funny you mentioned that. I'm still in nursing school (until next May) and applied for a job as a GNA at a nursing home near my home. Well needless to say 4 hrs into my on unit orientation, I straight up walked out the door, girl!

At this equally well reputed facility, there was one LPN per 30-40 pt floor. Ouch.

Two days thereafter, I gave my husband the exact same directive that angelbear did!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Everything except surgery.
Originally posted by mjlrn97

Sounds like LTC facilities everywhere to me. That's why I don't work in geriatrics anymore.....those poor elderly, frail people who have paid into the system for decades aren't getting the care they need and deserve, and it makes me mad enough to bite a rock!!

mj and angelbear, thanks for the reply. I have told my kids, to never put in one of those places! I think it is a shame and a disgrace that this is where our seniors end up! I really need to find a decent job, but I couldn't in good conscious work in such a place:o

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This story grossed me out. It also makes me want to ask if you can call dept. of elderly affairs to investigate.

This is a horrible situation. I would have never gone back because it would have made me too mad and sick to my stomach.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Everything except surgery.

EastCoast they just were state inspected in July, and received 9 deficiences, which except for one other place, is the lowest of any other facility. Two of them were a (3) meaniing potential harm.

I felt bad not staying, d/t the fact that if someone doesn't stay, then these pts. won't ever get the care they need. But I just couldn't be the one to help them. I couldn't go to work each day knowing that I couldn't even begin to give the care that I should. Just couldn't do it no matter how much they offered!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MS Home Health.

I will find out tomorrow. Hope it goes okay. renerian

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Not all LTC facilities are like the one you visited. Before walk into a interview at a LTC you should do a little research at the place. Much like a family would who is about to place their family member. There is a great deal of information on the Internet about each facilities current and past survey results. I think you did the smart thing by spending a day shadowing a nurse to see what it is like at "ground zero". A try it before you buy it approach to a job search is smart and may improve retention.

I have found that most corporate owned and family owned facilities are not very good to work for and the staff is exploited. Those run by religious or fraternal organizations and the like are much better.

Also because many of theses facilities are small benefits and compensation are not as good as that you would receive at a larger company. It is all a trade off.

The problem with ancillary staff, and by this I mean nursing assistants, is that they have to be well screened before hire and closely supervised after. If licensed nursing is swamped with work this cannot happen. If nursing administration fails to back up a licensed nurse who reports sub-standard care by an aid and fails to take disciplinary action then the aids get the attitude that substandard care is acceptable and get the attitude that nothing will happen to them. This makes for a very difficult working situation on the floor.

I learned a lot of this stuff through trial and error but did succeed in finding a job in long term care that I like and hope to continue at.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I too am sorry your experience wass that terrible.

Not all LTC is like that.

I reacently started at a LTC.

It is a wonderful challenging job.

Yes somedays you are overwhelmed, and there is no time for breaks etc. You have to be special to work in LTC just like you have to be special to work psyc.

today for instance I was the Charge nurse for one floor. there was a care conference that ran overtime by 1/2h then the Resident doc shows up. Orders to process residents to assess family members to deal with. etc.

On weekdays there are usually 3 RN One per floor and 3 RPN one per floor and 24 HCA divided among the 3 floors we have 157 residents when we are full.

The Admin staff are great and you don't have to worry about going to anyone in the office for direction or to ask for help.

on Evenings there is an RN ( nurse supervisor) and 3 RPN's plus a float RPN ( srictly to do unfinished treatments on all 3 floors) On nights there is an RN ( nurse supervisor) 1 RPN and 5 HCA we work as a team and everyone gets the care they need.

If you really think you would enjoy the elderly and the truly need nurses that have a great deal of patience try another facility I can't believe that the Treatments aren't signed off to the next shift scary stuff. If we don't get something done we simply tell the on coming shift and they see to it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment