dumb question

[ellie123]

I was looking thorugh the want ads, and saw a LTC hiring a "treatment nurse". Is this dressing changes, or is just a more interesting way to say staff nurse? Thanks- I apparently dont work in LTC.:)

[luvmy2angels]

Treatment nurse usually means just doing treatments such as lotions, creams, oinmtments and dressing changes and wound wound care (if the facility doesn't have a wound care team). You may be asked to pass meds if they are short staffed at times. The facility we are at right now has a treatment nurse but she is also the charge nurse for that floor so she has a lot more responsiblity than just doing treatments.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Yep they do all that. I'd just be prepared to work the floor too. Oh, they might sit in on some meetings too.

[BigB]

Yes, treatment nurses can get pulled to work the floor. I have seen it happen a lot. Another thing to consider is this. When the patients wounds and preasure sores get worse because the cna's aren't turning the patients every 2 hours, its your butt that is on the line. The blame falls on the treatment nurse! Not saying this is fair, just the way it works. If you have great cna's this wont be an issuse, but with bad cna's this is a BIG issuse. You will be sitting in the DoN office, or worse... having to talk to the patients doctor, having to expalin why the wounds are worse after your treatments.

[donmomofnine]

My treatment nurse doesn't ever work the floor. She was hired specifically for wounds. She works three days a week. Since we have had her for the last year, our rate for wounds in high risk and low risk residents is near zero! Well worth the investment in her position and also letting her be "dedicated" to her position!

[JKDON]

My treatment nurse does a med cart, and all treatments not done by a medication aide. The charge nurse does charge nurse things. That way I have two professionals on the floor as well. All of my nurses are expected to help with lights and cares if need be, but unless there is an emergency we do not pull her to the floor. We'd pull rehab, or one of our other people first. Our treatment nurse is also the wound care coordinator, but not like the above post where she is responsible for th aides not doing their job. Any nurse on duty takes responsibility for what happens on their shift. The charge nurse however is IN CHARGE of the outcomes for her shift. So the ad is probably just what you thought.

[suebird3]

Yes, job is for doing dressing changes. As soon as my boss finds a "replacement" for me on 3-11, I am returning to that position. I will be called the QA nurse, as I will also be in charge of Infection Control, ALL Mantoux tests, etc. I know several other things, too. Did the job before, and will do it again. It isn't too bad, if you find the right products for the tx's....

Suebird

[dawnb70]

I was the treatment nurse for a few months in the LTC facility that I work in. I was responsible for the weekly measurements of decubs. I also determined what treatment to use if a wound showed no improvement or deteriorated in 2 weeks. Also, I called the Dr. to obtain the new tx orders, get orders for Vit C and Zinc, a nutritional supplement, and Albumin/Prealbumin levels. There really is a lot to being a treatment nurse, I believe. We have a lot of paperwork involved with our wound care program, and have a weekly wound meeting. I didn't do any other treatments besides those with decubs., but I think a treatment nurse would be responsible for that also. There is so much involved, a lot of responsibility (especially if State comes in on a wound), and there are so many different treatments to choose from. Good luck to you if you decide to go into it! :)