Are there any LPNs that find 40 person med pass workable?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I would like to hear from other LPNs that are doing a 40 person med pass in SNF without having to stay past your shift to finish paper work or work though lunch to finish assignment. Is there something about your facility setup, schedule or procedures that helps? How many aids do you have? What do you do personally that has made it do-able? :confused:

Specializes in Long term care.

I hate those little love notes about holes in the mars...I got a verbal write up the other day for like 8 holes from the night before....which was a horrible night...and I was trying to hurry to get off the clock so I would not get overtime...

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

yeah, i do it 5 days a week....same hall...same crap every day. And since corporate thinks we can work with only 5 cnas for 60 people and the nurses do their duties + cna duties, its not easy. and paperwork on top of that.

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Specializes in SNF, 2 year s hospital.

All of my experience has been in the SNF on the medicare floor working the 7-3 shift :crying2: So I know exactly how you feel. Sadly to be honest, the way I best made it out on time was to break the rules. I would pass my medications early before the unit manager or management got there ot medicate in the dining room. Im just not sure if there's any other way to do it? Ive now been in a rehab hospital for a year and its fast paced but I like it better

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"I agree some residents take forever !!! "

That's true. That's because they're people, not robots. I guess you could do a lot of residents if they were all standing still at one spot and all you had to do was throw the pills in their mouthes. Unfortunately, with that many people you have to hurry along...

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I have almost 40 residents to pass meds on day shift, but there are more like 60 residents that I respond to prn. At my assisted living, there are so many interruptions like phone calls, outside providers needing to discuss residents, families calling, aides calling,...I must stay organized with my pass because of all the interruptions. And I sign out as I go because I don't have time to go back even if I wanted to. I start my day early, as if I don't, I'm behind if I'm "on time". I have become very steady with route and plan for each day...I do certain med carts at certain times, treatments at a certain times, charting and some calls over lunch, etc. I carry a clipboard around with me, with a list of residents on a sheet, and mark down any specifics in which I need to follow-up or ANYTHING unique, etc. Sometimes I take the last sheet of the nurse's notes out of the chart and carry that on my clipboard for any "down" moment of writing. Also, I carry the 24h notes with me and write as I go. It's very rare that I get out on time. I usually write in my time, rather than write the actual time I left. There's no way I'd be paid or allowed to stay over with the consistency of time that I do.

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Yes that does help, I can see I am going to need a real plan of attack. 3 minutes per person is not realistic, even if they were standing in line!!! I thank you all for the tips.

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Whew! This is helping me feel better about my shift at the SNF I work at! It's crazy hard sometimes and expectations are unrealistic a lot of the time. Luckily, we get paid overtime, but excessive OT is frowned upon.

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Specializes in LTC.
Yes that does help, I can see I am going to need a real plan of attack. 3 minutes per person is not realistic, even if they were standing in line!!! I thank you all for the tips.

No its not. And its not going to happen. You will go over the so called "time limit" on your medpass. You have to in LTC.

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Specializes in behavioral health.

In 1997,I believe that my very first attempt in nursing home was about that amount, and it took me forever to pass meds. This was my very first nursing job. I left after 6 weeks.

Decided to attempt nursing home again in 2009. I had approximately 20-25 residents. I think even that amount is too much.

I think that it is ridiculous staffing. I would never want a family member in a nursing home, unless someone could be with them most of the time. That would be our very last resort. Something needs to be done about the riduclous patient load. I remember the DON telling me in interview, that she did not approve of shortcuts. They all take shortcuts. It cannot possibly all be done, and you must clock out by 11. I clocked out and went back and charted. I love working with the geriatric population, but I don't think that I could ever handle the stress of too many patients.

God bless all of you working in LTC! I wish that I was able to handle it, as that is where most of the jobs are for LPNs.

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Specializes in LTC/Dementia/Woundcare.

I take care of 32 residents during the day shift. We can have 5, 4, or 3 LPNs, depending on who calls in sick. They do not replace the first sick call. We have 155 residents at our facility. I have the dubious pleasure of having 32 residents with 16 on one side of the blding and 16 on the other side. I am on sick leave at the moment with depression, anxiety and stress. I am attempting to get my doc to give me LTD, she is very reluctant to do so. I am also in danger of losing my licence. Trying to explain everything to anyone who will listen does not help. They try to make me think that I am the only one having this difficulty. Any ideas, strung out.:bluecry1:

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Specializes in Long Term Care, Dementia, Neuro-Psychiat.

Try to utilize a med aid around meal times if possible, corral residents who you know like to self transfer in activities area if they want to go, if cnas are chatty\gossiping at the desks have them converse with residents that are fall risks, have cnas go on hall patrol lol, have aids start getting residents ready for meals a hour early, etc.. Some tips that help my nurse. New admits are definitely time for med aids if you have them.

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Specializes in LTC/Dementia/Woundcare.

This sounds like good advice, unfortunately I am it. We have no medication aids, we have HCA's, but they are busy getting resident's up or into the dining room. We are also expected to do doctors rounds and medication reviews, during med passes. This means we get interrupted a lot. When I c/o about this to management they stated I should be able to handle interruptions. That is part of my job. Well enough said. I do not think it is going to change anytime soon. The best we can do is try and come up with strategies to meet these interruptions and perform perfectly inspite of them, which is expected. By the way why are the nurses the only ones expected to be perfect. Everyone else Docs, etc can make mistakes and say opps, sorry about that and still maintain their licence. Question # 2 - In the case of having too many residents to look after, where is the accountability for the management at these facilities. Why is it that we have to perform perfectly regardless of company policy.:jester: Okay so that was Question # 3. I think I have said enough, thanks for the input.:confused:

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