Can you really change a bad LTC?

[lisa41rn]

I worked in acute care and truly wanted to change to LTC, but for the last six months it has been crazy! I shed many tears shortly after taking my LTC job as I was not trained as promised and my corporate boss did not get along with the person training me at my LTC facility. The place was and still is chaotic with staff not caring about a darn thing! I was basically stuck in the middle of two people not wanting to train me - it was the "other one's job" so I ended up training myself. I've come to truly care about many of the residents so that has made me want to stay. My place is part.of a big LTC company. I had hoped to be able to move up the chain as I have my RN BSN MS, but to no avail. I think with all the garbage going on, and no one in Corporate truly knowing all the facts, I may appear to not be doing very well in my position when in fact it has more to do with the facility than my ability.

The last state survey was terrible; one of the worst in the state. No one seems to care and want change. There is a new DON. She is nearing retirement, just wanting to hang out until she does retire and has no interest in making change. Any problem she is confronted with is brushed off. The new administrator (probably about the 4th one in the past year) sits in his office all day talking to his girlfriend on the phone; never leaves the office to check things out, talk to staff or residents. There's tons of issues going on but if anyone speaks up they are viewed as a trouble maker.

I really feel like I want to speak with the VP about these issues, but know I will probably lose my job. I'm fed up with keeping my mouth shut. I want change and believe these residents deserve it. Does anyone have suggestions? I've only been in LTC for a short time; maybe this is more the norm than I expect, but I hope not! Thx.

[mykrosphere]

i worked in an inner city ltc that i thought was the absolute worst in the world.

apparently there are quite a few like such around the us/ world.

i took the job because i needed a job. i managed to stay there for a year and a month until one day when i drove into the parking lot.....i just could not force myself to go in.

my opinion is that no, you cant change a bad situation. the only time i have seen this happen is when a completely different company buys out the bad one, and sometimes that only makes it worse.

the nursing home i worked for thankfully got bought by someone unknown company and has been shut down completely.

its too bad for the patients in a way, because there was a subacute side and where i worked took long term vent pts and now there options are extremely limited to different cities, but maybe it will work out for them.

one thing i can say is that in my ten years as a nurse, and a couple as an aide, i have never learned as much as i did there.

that was one good thing that came out of it anyway.

it seems to be all about the buck in ltc and thats too bad because that business is going to explode in a few years and older people really are awesome

[mykrosphere]

this is how we treat those who have sacrificed for us.......?!!??

how sad.

and wrong

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

I have a SDC who stirs the pot with the stnas and 1 housekeeper they really keep the poop flying.

Clarification, please:

What is a Stna(s)?

What's a SDC?

I just stopped working at a place that had no employee handbook. I'm a new nurse, but older, and thinking I might be interested in administration. I'd like to know what is in an employee handbook.

[peggynurse]

If you find one with a great don, things will go better !!! I have left many places because the don was...how should i say this..crazy. Sad but true. Keep searching.

[VeronicaWileyRN]

I have worked as a DON in several places. I worked in one facility where the administrator started having the beginning symptoms of dementia. I worked with another administrator that totally had no clue what was happening. If it didn't happen on the computer screen too bad. I found that I had to follow the employee hand book closely. To terminate someone even the Staff Development person, you need to document what she/he is doing, or not doing. You need to document the information on all your trouble makers. Write them up by using your Handbook. In the state I work in you don't have to have a good reason to fire someone. You need to set down with the administrator several times a day. Make him see that you two are a team, keep him always in the loop and support him when he needs it. It is hard at the top. If he is new, like never done this before assist him. If he is the type person who knows it all, then go to him and ask for assistance. Start with something small. Good luck.

[peggynurse]

Yes anything is possible. First you have to get rid of the cancer. Or it will eat your facility alive. It takes time. If you and the administ. Are on the same page that is a good start. Make sure you include all the rn's and weekend rn and adon's in your mission to make the facility better!! Any rn's at night?? Include them too...

[PammyRN,CEN]

sdc = staff development coordinator

[PammyRN,CEN]

Yes he is soooooooo new to LTC. He has lots of years in hospital administration, but so naive to happenings in LTC. There is no comparison. He impedes me from being able to do my job, so I have secured another position and chose to leave. I have met with him extensively, and it is just not 75% of the staff nurses and stnas have brought compliants about the sdc have even had the regional manager involved to no avail she continues to bully staff talks to them like dogs etc..manipulates their schedules etc... I threw in the towel. Done! I met with the administrator for 2 hours last week over some issues.. he just doesn't get it! NOW in my absence he will surely sink fast!