Any LTC DONs out there??

carolek · Oct 1, 2001

HI, glad to hear other LTC DON's want to talk. I have been in geriatrics for nearly 30 years now. Currently working in Florida, DON tor 120 bed facility and just finished survey!! Actually did really well this year and cleared the only nursing tags (3) on follow up visit. Good for another year I hope.

We are moving back to NY where I will finish my BS degree. Will go back to a Nurse Manager position and move back up as time allows. I am from NY and miss my family. No one in acute care appreciates all we go through. I have lots of experience and glad to share.

thanks for the opportunity

dedicated geriatric nuse - Carol

MaineNurse67 · Oct 1, 2001

LTC DONs need love, too!!

Great to hear from you all!

We should start our own website, eh???

Tim

Dona · Oct 2, 2001

Hi Tim

I am also a DON. I have been in a long term care facility for the past 3 years. My facility is in Indiana. According to the NADONA Association the average length of stay for a DON in Indiana is approximately 8 months. I must admit I am a little burned out. Any suggestions for survival?

peter73 · Oct 2, 2001

Hey all,

I'm a ADON in a 120 bed LTC facility in NC. Same problems as every one else. Can't compete with agency, nursing shortage, the ever rotating staff from one facility to the next. We have tried a bonus program for CNAs. 50 cents per hour bonus for no write ups, no unexcused absences, no missed documentaion and a positive attatude. This is reviewed monthly. We had a grand total of 4 CNAs qualify last month and 4 this month. The biggest response to the bonus was " only 50 cents, it's not worth it."

We tried employee recognition with an extra credit board in the main enterance. Residents, family or staff can spotlight the extra effort an employee gives. This was popular for about two weeks, then the nominations stopped. Ladder program for CNAs; refused to participate. Every one wants a couple bucks more an hour, but no can do. Especially if I have to argue with you to do oral cares, or wipe food off someones face when your done feeding, or follow crushed meds with a drink.

I have run out of ideas, any suggestions???

:confused: ok i'm done venting now, and feel better i think

peter

MaineNurse67 · Oct 3, 2001

Peter73... I feel your pain! :)

I am up against most of the same issues. Good to know it is no different everywhere else. I just keep trying... have not given up yet!

Good to hear from you ALL!

Tim

marymack57 · Oct 6, 2001

peter...what a thought, at least i am glad to know that i'm not the only one fighting these day to day battles! if i had a dollar for everytime i have said, "what did you do oral care with? silly putty?" i would be a rich woman. a reality check i came up with about a year into my stint as don---about half of my staff actually cares about the resident, the other half doesn't, but cheer up, the ones that don't care will be gone shortly. if you could actually cheer up about something like that. all i can say now, after three years, is thank God for the half that cares. :)

betts · Oct 8, 2001

Tim,

I've been a DON in LTC for 8+ years w/MFA. Started out in Fl relocated to Indiana, now VA. Cherrydale LTC is located across the Potomac from the Pentagon! MFA has relocated me too Bowling Green,VA. Newer facility w/120 beds

peter73 · Oct 11, 2001

o k how loud does every one else have to yell to get supplies and equipment? and not get the blame for the effect of not having them?

I have been bugging my admin for four months for shower chairs. We have 2 and 120 beds. I finally got the ok to order them today after getting cited on our anual last week for not promoting tioleting for 2 residents that could maintain contenence if able to get to the tiolet and were CP for this. We were not cited for the ones not CP for tioleet use, even though they could in my opinion be contenent if tioleted. I told her when i took this position that this is a wide spread prolem in the facility and we would be cited if i didn't get the supplies for staff to use. That a bedside comode was not an option in every room, not enough of them. That some of our resident can't be manuvered into the bathroom if not on wheels, and shower chairs are a good bet because when not used for tioleting they can be used jfor what else getting the showers done! 2 birds one stone. ( the bathrooms are small and funky shaped, hard to impossible for a 2 person transfer with any safty at all)

Now, after 4 months of begging and complainig and being put off, It is ALL NURSINGS FAULT! My performance and effectivness is being judged by these tags that I well informed them of and told them what I needed to fix them and was denied months before the survey. Is this short term memory loss common? Did I not stress the importance of the issues?

How does every one else get the things nursing needs to prevent a tag? Should I be snotty and tell the owner I DID predict the tags and have been asking for 4 months for the things we needed to fix it, the next performance = tag # speech?

:confused:

Why is there a wall and why do I keep hitting it?????

what a crappy week!

peter

zuchRN · Oct 15, 2001

I am A LTC DON also. I would really love to talk with others dealing with the same problems I am dealing with.

At this time, I am dealing with a staffing problem. The noc shift nurse has called in 4 weeks solid due to knee problems....grrrr. Because of FMLA, I cannot term her. It is burning me and the other nurses right out. I can only work so many night shifts. We cannot use agency. So it has been the Adon and me covering shifts. To make things worse, The weekend night shift nurse is off for an extended period of time due to CA. I feel so bad being upset that these shifts need covered...esp because it is not the nurses fault. oh well...hopefully things will look up.

Anyone can email me anytime. Thanks for listening.

OneThunder, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2001

I have always tried to "pad" my staff with at least 10% part time or per diem people. Having your own "pool" of nurses helps, but the wage must reflect this. Advantage is they are employees of the facility and not the agency. Also creating a "12 hour" shift with the second shift doing four hours over and the first shift coming in 4 hours early could help in a pinch. If you think this FLMA will last a while, perhaps advertise for a "temp" nurse with possibility of full time. My budget allowed for a 2nd and 3rd shift supervisor, (with 3 out of 4 days working the shift). With so many people using (or abusing) the FMLA it is wise to suggest a policy from the administration or corporation. Good Luck!

AGI · Nov 3, 2001

I'm a LTC DON........isn't it great!! Actually, it is "ok".....4 1/2 yrs doing this, sure have been lots of ups and downs but I manage to get through it. So much I want to do, so much that could be done, just not the time. I find myself so torn as to where I should be, out and about? behind my desk? I know there has to be a balance, just haven't found it! Am excited to be part of this board!:

squaw nurse · Nov 7, 2001

Hey Guys!

I just found this site tonight and am so glad to see some communication between LTC DON's. I've been in LTC for 20+ years and have always felt the need for a way to communicate with other DON's to share information and ideas. I'm glad to see the number of new DON's- we need you with your fresh new ideas. Yes, it is frustrating many times, but always rewarding. As you leave work each day just think of the special contribution you have made to someone's life.

I am DON at a 98 bed facility in a rural area of North Louisiana. Since reimbursement in Louisiana is nearly the lowest in the nation, we must constantly look for innovative and inexpensive ways to provide care. So I can really empathize with you Peter. After years of begging and screaming for needed supplies I found the solution. First I decide if the item is really a need or a luxury item. It it really is a need, I mention it once to the administrator. If I do not receive a response in a timely fashion, I then send the request in memo form (keeping a copy of course). Since I regularly communicate messages to my staff with memos, it does not appear I am acting in revenge, but rather as a reminder. Works most of the time. However, when it doesn't, I have the copy of the memo to refer to. Somehow things always get more attention when placed in writing.

Hope to hear lots of ideas from you guys.