I'm a new LVN that works at a LTC facility. I am having trouble with my CNA's. I am very familiar to the facility I am in, working there as an aide for 3 years. This time around, I work a different shift and everyone is different except for one or two so we never worked together. I actually don't have any issue with the ones I knew. It is the other ones. I get repeated complaints from morning shift that residents are double diapered, dirty, chux dry with soaking wet bed sheets, etc.
We also have a resident who gets OOB multiple times during the night. He has a pressure alarm, and there's no doubt anyone can hear it anywhere in the facility. I was doing med pass when I heard it go off, so I asked the aide to please go check on him. He told me that his alarm "his wiring problems" and goes off even if he stays still. I was a little weary, but I said ok because I had tons of synthroids to pass. After coming out of two more rooms the alarm was still going off. I went to the room to find the resident across the room. Thank God he hadn't fallen yet.
I know it is my responsibility to check residents when alarms are going off, but I worry I will be doing a g tube feeding and they will be in the break room yukking it up while a poor resident is on the floor. I have also had them drop someone and fail to tell me-another resident went to the DON and told her that his roommate was dropped and nobody did anything! Needless to say I was furious. I also tell them multiple times how to position residents in the broda chairs, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. How can I handle this professionally? I feel so useless
Since it is highly unlikely that a CNA will go to another person's assigned resident to double diaper them, do a write-up. If the person is terminated, sooner or later some of the employees will figure things out. Same for everything else. Take the time to write them up after verbally counselling them. When faces start to disappear, those who want to keep their jobs will come around. Meanwhile, it is your job to counsel them verbally and in writing, whether or not management does anything about it. If you go to another facility you are likely to find the same conditions, so think twice, before just chucking the job for the next one.
pedicurn, LPN, RN
696 Posts
Pleased to see you are not unwell after all .... I was worried about 'aids giving you trouble'.
Just the aides .... that helps get it all in perspective.
Best wishes to you