Are you able to provide "ideal" nursing care for your patients?

[Anita_novice]

I am curious how the reality of the kind of nursing care you can provide for your patients compares to the standards of care set up by your organization or that you learned in nursing school. Do you have any specific examples of the gap.

[This message has been edited by Anita_novice (edited December 15, 2000).]

[Acol29]

I have been employed in all aspects of long-term care. I started as a CNA in 1989, when I finished LPN school in 1995 I took a position as a relief charge/treatment nurse, when I got my ADN in 1998 I took a position as a Clinical Nurse Manager and quickly was promoted to Staff Development Coordinator. I train CNA's. I love what I do. It is very easy to fall into the old buzzword trap "burnout" to avoid this pitfall I ask myself daily--"What can the Staff Development Coordinator do to overcome what the staff will not do. Then I refer to a passage in Corinthians "precept upon precept line upon line, here a little there a little"

that is how I make it through my day. I seem to fill many positions, somedays train staff, somedays pass drugs, somedays employee health nurse, some days CNA etc. I am concerned about the anticipated nursing shortage. At our home I developed a career path for CNA staff. The path is called CNA Specialist. It is a training program for a mentor. This has helped me to feel pro-active. Administration approved this program because in the "Power Point" plan I presented I spit their help wanted ad back out at them--progressive environment-- Our CNA Specialist upon completion of this program earn $1.00 more per hour. They assist newly trained CNA staff to get their 'groove on' and do interpersonal review with the CNA's so we know what areas of dissatisfaction exist and I am able to address their thoughts and feelings. It has helped. I am in the process of developing another career path for CNA's I will call it the "Hydrotherapy Team" I think I can sell it to Administration because if they allow this team to function there will never be an inhouse aquired decubitus without full awareness of the staff and immediate attention. Also there will never be an inhouse contracture without immediate PT/OT intervention and we can possibly drive the "part B" reimbursement up. We have a restorative CNA department who will be free as a result of this new path I'm planning to implement more restorative dining interventions and more aggressive ambulation programs. I have seen many hard days in LTC in my career, but I love Geriatrics and staying pro-active has helped me stay in the field. It is sad to hear so many new nurses feel so disappointed. In long-term care you must look for the small rewards! GET PROACTIVE!