Feeling Frustrated

[GhostGal1996, CNA]

Hello everyone.

Currently, I work an ALF that has two buildings, one for memory care and one for frail elderly. I work in the latter, and we have a woman who most definitely needs to be next door, but that's another story. Anyway, most residents have a call button that will make our pagers go off. Lately I've been having problems with second shift not giving this resident her pendant before putting her to bed because she is always playing with it. This results in her calling out for help at night and having her neighbor in the room next to her to cuss at me and my partner at night because we can't hear her calling out. I've been constantly writing notes in our charting system to remind 2nd shift to give this resident her pendant before bed, and lately they haven't. I'm going to talk my boss, but I was wondering if I should call state because this keeps happening and I don't think my boss will do anything because this company seems to have a lot of issues going on. I'm just afraid that if I call state I might get fired.

I'm just feeling frustrated that this keeps happening and the resident who yells at me and my partner makes me not want to come into work. I love my residents and don't want to quit, but there's just a lot of issues going on that make me dislike the company even more. I'd appreciate any advice you have, as I've only been working as a CNA for almost 8 months. Thanks!

EDIT: I talked to my boss, and this resident will move to memory care in a few weeks, but she told me they take away her pendant because she has dementia and told me a lot of residents with dementia tend to play with their pendants/call lights. I still don't feel that is right but I took her word for it.

[Missingyou, CNA]

I've never seen these pendants your talking about but, I do know that someone with dementia probably would play with it not knowing what it's for. I wonder if labeling it somehow is doable? Even just a tag on it saying "help" or something like that.

If they take the pendant away, maybe you can make checks on her on a regular basis. The nursing home I work in would require visual checks every 15 minutes on her so that you can meet her need before she calls out. If we can can do it in a LTC facility, it's doable in assisted living.

[GhostGal1996, CNA]

Yeah, after talking with my boss we're doing 15-30 minute checks on her until we can get her moved over to memory care. She's usually fine once we toilet her and move her to a recliner in her room in the living room. My boss did say that residents with dementia do tend to play with them. They usually take it away when she's out of her room or keep it on her nightstand if she's playing with it inappropriately.

[Missingyou, CNA]

Well, it may not seem right to take the pendant away from her if she plays with it or constantly turns it on but, think of it this way, the boy who cried wolf too often was eventually ignored. By having regular visual checks th ere is no risk of her needs being ignored.

[GhostGal1996, CNA]

Thanks for your insight! The check ups we do every half an hour seem to work. Haven't had any complaints from any other residents!