Are there any good LTC's out there??

[JLForever]

I'm just wondering. I read so many bad stories on here. I quit my job today. They had me working as a supervisor and also occasionally working a cart. Which isn't so bad except that I received little to no training working the cart, and am a new grad. I worked last weekend and didn't finish morning med pass until 2-3 pm, including realizing too late that some of my patients had insulin ordered for 7:30am! I also had no idea what to do as a supervisor after they oriented me for a little over a day for that position. After being asked to cover a cart again this weekend I realized that the "supervisor" position was really more of a backup floor nurse position, because of the call-ins that happen quite often. I would have no problem working the floor, if I were properly oriented and not just thrown out there, putting patient safety and my sanity at risk. I would actually prefer being a floor nurse where I could work the same hall and know all my patients and not have to deal with family concerns, patient complaints, PR, administrative, employee conduct, etc. The place I worked at (up until today!) is one of the nicer LTC facilities in the area but I was shocked at the lack of proper equipment and staffing. It is hard to know what to tell aggravated patients/family members when some of their complaints are directly related to the way things are run at that facility. I did alot of beating around the bush and smoothing things over temporarily, band-aid treatment. Not how I like to handle things. I walked away from this job feeling discouraged and like a failure even though the patients have all loved me and many told me they wished I was their nurse every day. Maybe that is my time management issue- I take too much time treating them like real people! Having left them to fend for themselves in that place I feel somewhat guilty, because I will not be there to try and advocate for them.

Are ALL LTC facilities like this? I actually have developed an interest in geriatrics through this experience and would love to work in a place that was run a little better and didn't treat their employees like chattel. Somewhere where I could get to know the residents, develop my skills and base knowledge as an RN, etc. Although I know hospital experience is better for developing skills and whatnot...but hospital jobs are very hard to come by especially part-time which is what I need.

Thankfully we are blessed with a great income from my husband's job and are able to afford for me to walk away from this job to avoid all this stress and the possibility of losing my license. For now I'm going to focus on being a mom to my two little ones and see if I can find a part-time job at a doctor's office or hospital. I am afraid to try another LTC!

[JenniferSews]

If you're looking for hospital like ratios and supplies, then no, it likely won't happen. If you worked the floor it does get easier and you get into a groove. But you have to do that first before you can be a supervisor and expect to work a cart with no problems or issues. It takes a good six months in most cases to learn how to work in ltc, just like any other area.

But the overall reality is that to be profitable or at least break even, LTC facilities must run a pretty tight ship. Which means higher nurse to patient and CNA ratios. A good facility will have supplies, but not necessarily an unending source of brand name supplies.

[2126]

On medicare.gov there is a search for LTC facilities and they are all rated there. I'm still a student, so I haven't seriously looked into any of them, but someone passed this site on to me. I hope it's of some help! Good luck!!

http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Questions/SearchCriteriaNEW.asp?version=default&browser=Firefox|3.6|Windows+7&language=English&defaultstatus=0&pagelist=Home&CookiesEnabledStatus=True

[Bella'sMyBaby]

I would have to say from my personal experience, the LTC Facilities owned by the LTC Corporations, (which are most of the them) are very difficult to work for..... and some are worse than others..... :icon_roll

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

To be honest I am afraid to go to another long term care facility because I actually do like where I work.

The facility is small, 100 patients. The workload is small enough to be maintainable but us LPN's are busy all shift. Theres help if we need it, nobody is rude or nasty, the residents are great(although sometimes there are a few who drive me up the wall).

If you do decide to go back to LTC. Check the medicare website for the facilities in your area. It is very accurate for the ones I have been to(clinicals, my current facility, the facility my grandmother was in etc)

[0hnoes85]

Honestly- the amount of LTCs that you may find favorable are far and few. I, too, am in that position currently- except I don't have a husband who can pay for my bills :x , and secondly I would prefer the cart over being the supervisor. But, depending on your personality, you may want to aim for a regular 8-5 like a clinic or doctor's office... But you usually see MAs in doctor's offices and NPs because 80% of the time the MD is in the office (so they do the assessments), and when he/she isn't there.. the NP/PA is.

[king_of_the_hill_fan]

Woah, that medicare link is crazy. The LTC/SNF I work in got an average overall of 2 stars (below average) and the nursing home my grandma is in got 1 star overall! (well below average) Yikes!

[Nurse_RaRa]

WOW! They made u a supervisor and a cart? that is plain stupid! I don't blame you for quitting. My very first RN job was at a SNF - I had 28 or so pts and was so behind in my very first med pass that the outgoing RN AND the DON stayed to help me (embarrassing but i learned quickly that the passes are horendous -2 hours long)! and that was the first floor! (with 11 alzhiemer pts in a locked area)!! I can feel your pain. this is why I wish EVERY RN would commplain to their STATE BOARD and get what Claifornia has - the patient to RN ratio! Good for you for quitting. That is too much to put on a New grad who wants to do well. Recently I was given 10 days orientation for a home health case manager job - guess who ended up on probation for telling the truth months later? yeah. honey - it all comes down to finding the right people to work with and work for.

I lean towards geriatrics also and it will be interesting to see in the coming years how the gov is going to handle the impending medicare crisis with 10,000 baby boomers A DAY turning 65yrs old.

It's a trial and error life dear, until you find the right fit for you and your personality/life/kids/etc. I have worked a small rural hospital, a 33 bed cardiac fllor in a large hospital, med surg tele on a travellers DUMP floor in a large hospital in California, and home health (which i HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND with all the changes coming down the pike. (lots of new tiny hoops to jump through and if you don't document it correctly - Medicare won't pay)..I'd rather travel nurse. Good luck and hug those babies often!!! ( I had 4 and always made "Alone time w mommy" for each.) :):redbeathe

[Leelee2]

My best LTC experience was with Genesis Health, they were great to work for.

Decent ratio, good management, and a selective admissions team!

[JLForever]

Thanks for the encouragement, and the medicare link. At least I don't feel like a total failure having read some other stories and your responses. We are trying for our 3rd baby so maybe this is just a good time for me to focus on parenting for awhile. I just really love nursing though (still) and have hopes of finding something to keep my foot in the door. All I can do is keep searching and take with me the insight I have gained from this experience. :)

[Riseupandnurse]

There are some very sad situations going on in nursing homes. I did some research in a number of nursing homes and in quite a few the minute I walked in a door with a clipboard all the residents who could ran up to me saying, "Are you from the state? Are you here to help us from the state??" It was sad. The Alzheimers units were the worst. One of my relatives was in an outstanding nursing home where she was very well cared for and the staff were not over worked. The catch? They didn't take public aid and it cost her son a half a million dollars in the five years she stayed there. Luckily, he could afford it, but still... I shudder to think what awaits us baby boomers. This is an area of nursing that HAS to be addressed.