Amount of residents responsible for in a day?

interceptinglight, CNA · Mar 10, 2011

I have about 18 people on my hall, which is a little less than usual (one is out at the hospital, another recently passed, etc.) I have a partner to work with though. Routine & teamwork are the secrets. We will split up for some. With the others that are lifts, I usually get them ready as much as possible alone, lift pads underneath, dressed, etc. Then go get the lift and help and pop them all up quickly since the work is done. Same with 2-person transfers. I dress them in bed with briefs & pants up to their knees and we go back and finish up. I am always willing to help others so they will come and help me. The ones that won't/don't help out are the ones I don't go out of my way for.
As for feeding, we also feed about 3 or 4 at once. We have big U shaped tables and the CNAs sit on the inside. Give one a bite, then the next. Some of them are fully capable of feeding themselves, but are used to being fed so they don't. You might see if that's true for some of your residents.

That's interesting about the U-shaped tables. We used to have them at the LTC facility where I work, but 'The State' made us do away with them because it was considered a 'dignity' issue..... we were told that they 'look too institutional.' Like....huh? You've got total care people who drool out their food, are sitting in geri-chairs, have visible alarms on their clothing, and they are being hand-fed by a CNA , but 'The State' worries about U-shaped tables compromising these people's dignity. Whatever. :uhoh3:

Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 11, 2011

You've got total care people who drool out their food, are sitting in geri-chairs, have visible alarms on their clothing, and they are being hand-fed by a CNA , but 'The State' worries about U-shaped tables compromising these people's dignity. Whatever.

Some of the state's rules are completely stupid and unrealistic. This is one of them. Are you supposed to sit them all at round tables and walk around them to feed? Really? Like we aren't exhausted already. I know I look at mealtimes as a sort of break to get off of my feet for a while.

How do you feed now?

yousoldtheworld · Mar 11, 2011

The circular-kind of c-shaped tables would be a dream for us! We have five residents who can feed themselves, but beyond that, we are required to feed the rest of our residents one by one. They sit at small square tables that can fit only two residents, and if management is there, we get in trouble for trying to feed more than one resident at once. I know it's a state issue, but still.

(Don't even get me started on some of State's policies and rules, ugh.)

When there are 41 residents to feed between 4-6 aides, you'd think that would be the least of their concerns.

interceptinglight, CNA · Mar 11, 2011

Some of the state's rules are completely stupid and unrealistic. This is one of them. Are you supposed to sit them all at round tables and walk around them to feed? Really? Like we aren't exhausted already. I know I look at mealtimes as a sort of break to get off of my feet for a while.
How do you feed now?

Oh NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!! We are not to stand and feed people EVER !! We get severely chewed out if they see us do that. So yeah, you're supposed to sit on a rolling chair and just roll around the table feeding people and giving them drinks. Yep. Somehow that's more professional and 'dignified' than using a U-shaped table. Uh-huh. Yeah.

Poi Dog · Mar 11, 2011

I have about 18 people on my hall, which is a little less than usual (one is out at the hospital, another recently passed, etc.) I have a partner to work with though. Routine & teamwork are the secrets. We will split up for some. With the others that are lifts, I usually get them ready as much as possible alone, lift pads underneath, dressed, etc. Then go get the lift and help and pop them all up quickly since the work is done. Same with 2-person transfers. I dress them in bed with briefs & pants up to their knees and we go back and finish up. I am always willing to help others so they will come and help me. The ones that won't/don't help out are the ones I don't go out of my way for.
As for feeding, we also feed about 3 or 4 at once. We have big U shaped tables and the CNAs sit on the inside. Give one a bite, then the next. Some of them are fully capable of feeding themselves, but are used to being fed so they don't. You might see if that's true for some of your residents.

I want to work with you!

At my last place we were told to use hand sanitizer between feeding each resident. Interestingly enough, I observed the DON feeding and she did not use sanitizer. Lead by example much? I wanted to write her up!!!! :smokin:

2ndyearstudent, CNA · Mar 11, 2011

In my opinion, I don't think that is possible, without someone being neglected.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of many residents I had as a CNA and nurses I worked under, your opinion is valid.

CoffeemateCNA · Mar 11, 2011

Some of the state's rules are completely stupid and unrealistic. This is one of them. Are you supposed to sit them all at round tables and walk around them to feed? Really? Like we aren't exhausted already. I know I look at mealtimes as a sort of break to get off of my feet for a while.
How do you feed now?

Don't even get me started on those frenzied lunatics. We're not allowed to use clothing protectors anymore. Apparently it's a heck of a lot more dignified to be wheeled around with dried drool and crusted over spaghetti sauce and sugar-free cupcake icing all over your mouth and clothes.

MurrR · Mar 11, 2011

At my last job I was assigned to 50 residents. When my co-worker or I went on break, the one who was still on the floor would cover the other 50.

This was in an assisted living facility. The thing about it was that even though they have a checklist of things that residents must be able to do independently before they move in, there's nothing that forces them to move to a higher acuity setting when they start to lose some of those things or when their health worsens so people end up staying there long after they should. That's my :twocents: on that anyway.

One shift just before I quit, my co-worker had 11 showers to do. I spent a lot of that night covering her folks since she spent about half the shift in rooms showering people.

LaterAlligator · Mar 11, 2011

I'm so glad to hear that not everyone hates the horseshoe tables! We use them (and shirt savers too, ha!) at my facility and I LOVE them! We can each feed 4 people at a time that way, and you're able to chat with your residents and feed one while the last is still chewing.

At the facility I'm doing my clinicals at, they do the small square tables with 1-2 people at them and expect the CNA's to roll around on stools feeding everyone. And my instructor went on and on about how that's so much more dignified than the horseshoe tables.

Ridiculous. At my job everyone is fed and gets attention and it only takes an hour which leaves more time for HS care & more frequent toileting. At my clinical facility dinner goes for at least an hour and a half and the residents aren't changed as often as they should be.

Queen Tiye, CNA · Mar 13, 2011

in my clinical experience i saw that cna's are under pressure to get residents fed, toileted, and showered . . . there were guests waiting in line in the hall to reserve their shower space . . . dependent residents need their bed baths. . .and all the other stuff in between . . . but i hope that we always remember to consider our charges' dignity.

cogath · Mar 17, 2011

Only 9 ... hehe you are lucky! Days when I work in skilled nursing unit, I can have 12-14. When I work in board & care I have 30 and four baths!