Can we feed the Family?

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Specializes in LTC.

I work in LTC - and have a resident whose wife comes in right after breakfast and stays with her husband until after supper. She wanted to keep him at home but was not able to do his occasional episodes of confusion, but while she is there she prefers to care for him herself and asks for help very rarely - she lets me know when she feels he need pain medication or his blood sugars are low. In my facility we are given a half hour for lunch and offered the same menu as thr residents for "free" - even though we lose that half hour of work time. My GNA's and myself had been skipping lunch, making out a request for a tray and giving it to this lady, because she is there and we do not feel that she should have to pay for it when we want to give it to her so she does not have to pay 3 dollars for a guest tray, which is also the same foods the residents have for that meal. Today my adminstrator tells me that I am not allowed to do this anymore, that she will have to pay for her meals. I can tell from observation that these folks do not have lots of money to spend, and my feeling is that if she is there caring for her husband, the least we can do is feed her lunch. I am a little peeved at this - and not sure why if I get a lunch and I dont want it why it is not right for her to have it instead of my tossing it in the garbage - which is what I did with it today. How do other facilities handle this situation, and do you think I am wrong for giving this lady something to eat?

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I work in LTC - and have a resident whose wife comes in right after breakfast and stays with her husband until after supper. She wanted to keep him at home but was not able to do his occasional episodes of confusion, but while she is there she prefers to care for him herself and asks for help very rarely - she lets me know when she feels he need pain medication or his blood sugars are low. In my facility we are given a half hour for lunch and offered the same menu as thr residents for "free" - even though we lose that half hour of work time. My GNA's and myself had been skipping lunch, making out a request for a tray and giving it to this lady, because she is there and we do not feel that she should have to pay for it when we want to give it to her so she does not have to pay 3 dollars for a guest tray, which is also the same foods the residents have for that meal. Today my adminstrator tells me that I am not allowed to do this anymore, that she will have to pay for her meals. I can tell from observation that these folks do not have lots of money to spend, and my feeling is that if she is there caring for her husband, the least we can do is feed her lunch. I am a little peeved at this - and not sure why if I get a lunch and I dont want it why it is not right for her to have it instead of my tossing it in the garbage - which is what I did with it today. How do other facilities handle this situation, and do you think I am wrong for giving this lady something to eat?

Just take up a "collection" between the staff each day, say 50 cents each, then pay for the meal. That way you stay in the good graces of your I-have-no-compassion adminstrator.

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.

Some facilities right here in New York City do that.

Of course, most do not. To the administrator, they lose $$$$ by doing it, so you cannot really blame him for doing it inasmuch as part of his job is to cut cost.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

What you are doing is very nice and thoughtful. I don't see why some administrators have to grow horns. How'd they even know you were doing it?

I think if it's your lunch, you can give it whomever you want to.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
Some facilities right here in New York City do that.

Of course, most do not. To the administrator, they lose $$$$ by doing it, so you cannot really blame him for doing it inasmuch as part of his job is to cut cost.

Yeah, I'm sure someone is gonna be on the street for givin this one woman a tray. :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.
Yeah, I'm sure someone is gonna be on the street for givin this one woman a tray. :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

That is the reality. Every penny he saves will do the trick!!!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

What is the world coming to. Everything is about M O N E Y.

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.
What is the world coming to. Everything is about M O N E Y.

When people say things like this, it kind of irks me (not a personal attack against you :) ). However, I wish people would take a business or healthcare finance class. Facilities (whether they be LTC, hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician offices, etc.) NEED to pinch costs. We are in a time where all healthcare professionals are DEMANDING wage increases (including nurses -- heck, nurses account for the majority of the wages in a hospital). If nurses are demanding $X an hour with full benefits, along with other allied health professionals in the facility, they need to pinch costs to pay out these wages.

And yes it is sad to think that everything comes down to money; but one must understand that money drives everything. Without the motivation of money, our world wouldn't exist as it is today.

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When people say things like this, it kind of irks me (not a personal attack against you :) ). However, I wish people would take a business or healthcare finance class. Facilities (whether they be LTC, hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician offices, etc.) NEED to pinch costs. We are in a time where all healthcare professionals are DEMANDING wage increases (including nurses -- heck, nurses account for the majority of the wages in a hospital). If nurses are demanding $X an hour with full benefits, along with other allied health professionals in the facility, they need to pinch costs to pay out these wages.

And yes it is sad to think that everything comes down to money; but one must understand that money drives everything. Without the motivation of money, our world wouldn't exist as it is today.

So what is the difference for the administration, whether nurse ate her lunch, gave it to someone else or threw it in a trash can? Or if she ate only a half, should she give $1.5 back? Nice benefit of free food by the way!

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.
So what is the difference for the administration, whether nurse ate her lunch, gave it to someone else or threw it in a trash can? Or if she ate only a half, should she give $1.5 back? Nice benefit of free food by the way!

Oh I totally agree on the OP's position -- I don't understand why administration is throwing a big fit about it (although if you look it from administration point of view -- if they were to charge this lady $3 a day 7 days a week, that is a potential profit of $21 a week which would pay the hourly wage of some employee).

But my comment wasn't directed toward the OP (sorry if I confused you :) ). I was commenting on the poster who said "It is sad that everything comes down to M O N E Y".

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.
Yeah, I'm sure someone is gonna be on the street for givin this one woman a tray. :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

The problem is this...if you make an exception for a lady, then you also have to make exception for other people who have similar situation. one lady's lunch costs $3, and 10 ladies equal to $30 a day or $210 a week or $840 a month. Anyone who wants to try the cost for the whole year?

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
When people say things like this, it kind of irks me (not a personal attack against you :) ). However, I wish people would take a business or healthcare finance class. Facilities (whether they be LTC, hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician offices, etc.) NEED to pinch costs. We are in a time where all healthcare professionals are DEMANDING wage increases (including nurses -- heck, nurses account for the majority of the wages in a hospital). If nurses are demanding $X an hour with full benefits, along with other allied health professionals in the facility, they need to pinch costs to pay out these wages.

And yes it is sad to think that everything comes down to money; but one must understand that money drives everything. Without the motivation of money, our world wouldn't exist as it is today.

In this case, it is silly for it to be about money. The facility offers free lunches to its employees. I don't see what difference it makes as to whose mouth it goes into. It wasn't like she was ordering two lunches; she gave hers up.

It's like the administration is worried about the potential to make some money, but they weren't losing anyhting that they weren't offering in the first place.

That's why it's sad.

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