Are most LTC understaffed? Are most nurses in LTC overworked, understaffed?

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I am a recent grad and my first job was in a LTC facility..I have to say that the facility was understaffed..The nurse who worked there even told me that it is an understaffed facility..I know the owner or organization wants to make money so they hire less people..But that is not right at all..Is this the reason why most LTC facilites are understaffed..I dont want to mention anything bad about the faclity I was working in but because of the understaffing, it lead to a lot of negative things..

Anyway, please tell me that in some LTC, there is adequate staff..I already was let go from the LTC facility and I dont want to to back..

Specializes in Geriatrics, WCC.

I have worked in facilities where it feels that it is understaffed and in facilities where the staffing is wonderful with less actual numbers of employees. IT all comes down to acquity. On one of my LTC floors with 35 residents, I have one nurse, a TMA and 4 CNA's. But, on the TCU (transitional care unit) I have 2 nurses and 3 CNA's for 28 residents. It all has to be looked at as to how much care is required of each resident (or their family). Each of these floors also has a nurse manager on it.

If the acquity raises, then i add staff.

I hire both new grad and seasoned nurses. Not surprisingly, some of the new grads do much better than the others. Time management is the key to it all and that is not always sometning that you can teach someone.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

Yes most LTC facilities are overworked and understaffed, but isn't that a general rule in healthcare? Someone made the comment in regards to running your butt off all day in LTC. Yes, you do, and that's okay with me, it keeps my butt small. (ha!) My days fly by and before I know it, it's time to go home. I justed started working at my second LTC facility and no it isn't much different than the first one I worked at. I have 35 residents (4 tubefeeders, 6 diabetics, most incontinent of B&B, Medicare charting, I &O's, V/S) and so on. But it's that simple "Thank You" or smile from my residents that make it all worth wild. Why, because I didn't go into nursing to sit on my A--, I went into nursing to take care of people, from head to toe, inside and out. When and if you ever get the opportunity to look into the eyes of a geriatric patient who never asks for anything, just stares because they can't talk, who lays in the same position until someone moves them, who lays in their own urine and feces until someone changes then, who goes hungry until someone feeds them, do it, just wonder what they are thinking and then try and treat them the way you would want to be treated if that were you laying there. LTC isn't a cake walk, but if you find a facility that treats you good, and you can go home and feel like you made a difference in one if not more residents life, even just for that day, then you tend to forget about the understaffing and being overworked. And for us that do LTC for a living, we will hopefully have nurses like us taking care of us when we get old and frail. For the nurses that think LTC nurses aren't real nurses or that LTC isn't real nursing, than don't ever come to LTC care as a resident when your old, because we (LTC nurses) won't know what we are doing. Sorry this is so long, but I love to vent.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Two nights ago we had 2 CNA's show up for work! There are supposed to be 8. Three on locked unit and six on the floor (112 residents). The DON was called and FINALLY came in. She stated she couldn't get anyone to come into work. She sat in the nurses station all night! The other LPN and I did our job PLUS get the residents to bed, made rounds, cleaned, positioned, passed meds, did nursing duties, etc. for 12 hours. The a.m. CNA's had to get everyone up because we just didn't have time. I was exhausted when I finally got home.

This place is terrible about hiring anyone who walks in off the street. I've worked with some EXCELLENT CNA's and some lazy ones. They will write these people up and do nothing else. I just get so frustated! I heard last night that the same crew was no call no show again. Guess they wanted to Mardi Gras.

Sorry, just had to vent!

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yes, aalllll ltc facilities are understaffed. minimal staffing by regulation is based on levels set in the nursing home reform act in the omnibus budget reconciliation act (obra) of 1987

:hlk:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, WCC.

Nurse Timothy;

You need to get out there in the workforce to more facilities to make a statement like that. My TCU has 28 beds, 2 nurses, 3 CNA's, and a nurse manager. Not bad for long term care. My NHA just moved to a new facility d/t location and she has a floor of 36 residents with 2 nurses, 6 CNA's, 2 bath aides, and 2 restorative aides. Not bad either.

I admit there is poor staffing out there in many facilities but, there are also facilities that staff in the opposite direction.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

I want to work where the last thread person works. Today I had 35 residents with 2 CNA's. And no they are no assisted living patients. (3 hoyes, 6 tubefeeders, 6 diabetics, at least 10 feeders, almost all incontinent of B&B) and in the middle of morning med pass one guy has multiple seizures, and 1 hour later I had to send a lady out for possible stroke. I worked 2 hours overtime because I was a nurse and alot CNA today. I know there are better places, but I know that for today I made a difference (risked my license) but that is why I went into nursing is to make a difference whether it be small or large. Oh and yes I did say alot of cuss words under my breath, because I am afterall human. God bless the geriatric population, because most other people won't. My motto is "Do your best and bless the rest." I may not get everything done everyday, but I do my very best and I would hope that is all that is asked of me.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

What did you do that 'risked your license'? You assessed several ill people and sent them to the hospital. Sounds appropriate to me.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I accepted a job working NOC shift (10pm to 6am) at a typical nursing home, where I'll be responsible for nearly 70 patients.

Yes, many LTCFs are terribly understaffed.

Yep, many LTCF employees are tremendously overworked and definitely underpaid!

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Specializes in LTC +.
Time management is the key to it all...

Exactly! (AND- I would add....Attitude!)

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CapeCodMermaid ---- God Bless You!!! I don't know how you do it---

I am an agency LPN, and the past 2 3-11 shifts(and I had 3 CNA's) I did were on a dementia unit.... 34 residents, every single one got meds at 1600 and 2000 ---- most DID NOT want to take their meds, I spent half my time trying to keep residents from hurting each other (most were not trying to hurt each other, but trying to help one another, pushing wheel chairs, trying to help undo lapbuddies, or other such things) then there was the one who can't walk by herself but keeps trying to, oh, and then the 3 phone calls from family members who want to talk to "mom" --- so I have to track Mom down, hold the phone to her ear because she has NO IDEA how to use the phone...... all the while trying to get meds passed so I can use the computerized charting system to to MDS stuff, on residents that I do not know......

OK..... you tell me..... how in the world would you suggest that I do this ALL BY MYSELF????

If I had split the floor with another nurse..... I could probably have mangaged..... I left in tears.... and will probably NOT go back there again!!! (and I do like the residents there, and the DON is a friend from a long time ago..... but this place is big business.... they only look at the bottom line)

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