Sorry state of nursing homes in Georgia

Nurses General Nursing

Published

The Atlanta Journal- Constitution is running a special series of articles about the state of nursing homes in the state. I was reading the first in the series this past Sunday and was really just appalled. There investigation seems to conclude that there is a inverse correlation between the profit margins and quality of care. Okay, I guess this is no real surprise, but the state of things here is pretty bad. I mean, the State has incentives for nursing home operators that minimize costs. There are no corresponding incentives to those nursing homes that have the fewest demerits. I'd be interested if this is just a problem that exists in GA or is this rampant throughtout the country. For those interested in reading for yourself, check out the following URL:

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/nursinghomes/index.html

Specializes in Critical Care.

I know terrible conditions exist in nursing homes but why is it families can blame the homes and sue them but they won't take care of grandma at home? I know how hard it is because I went through that with 4 grandparents them my own parents. Some of the patients in those homes are very aggressive towards staff and other patients, you can clean them and they s--t themselves when you are done and working on another patient. The families are angry but don't help. This is why I worked only 1 week in a nursing home many years ago. God Bless the nursing home workers they are truly under appreciated, some of those patients are the worst and most difficult that their own families don't want to deal with them but are quick to blame others for their care, let the family stay and help if they truly care.

Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

The nursing home I worked in for six years was not-for-profit - excellent care given, saw one or two bedsores in the whole time I was there (and those actually started when the resident went to the hospital and were quickly cleared up upon their return.) Absolutely if profit is the motive, then the care is second and problems arise. We always "broke even" and everyone was happy. No for-profit place has ever compared, and I have seen many ECFs in my travels.

This is not to disparage the many hard working LTC providers - just acknowledging the fact that the corporations leave you horrendously understaffed because ultimately they are beholden to the stockholder before the patient.

Thanks for sharing this information about GA nursing homes. My experience with the nursing home system here in GA.......ended in a tragic and preventable loss to us.

Believe me.........it isn't just in Georgia !!!!!!!!

Specializes in MDS Coordinator, CWS.

nurse ratched is right on the $$$$. I worked for corporations in the past. They are looking for the almighty dollar. Short staffed, sending in regional consultants who don't know squat. I work for a non-profit facility now and vow I will never work for a corporation again. In fact I just turned down an offer of 50 grand/year for a corporation run facility. In my area, we have a facility that is corporate run, during their survey, they were put on moratorium, resulting in their other sister facilities in surrounding counties being surveyed too before they were due. I got this information from their medical director who is a good friend. It is not just in Georgia. It's everywhere. :o

I suspect they're the same everywhere. Just finished my clinical rotation (nursing junior in Little Rock) at a facility that was considered one of the better and was a for-profit operation. Instructor kept reminding us that this one of the better ones and that you only had to visit one from the opposite end of the sprectrum to quickly realize that. My own memories of my grandfather's home (mid-70s) kept me out of homes until recently.

Some of my fellow students thought this home "wasn't too good" because of some smells here and there. I and another older student had to continually remind them of our own experiences elsewhere and to put things into perspective--this place wasn't bad at all.

Despite our overall favorable impression, we found some "holes". One student group discovered their assigned client had feces encrusted findernails (how many days old?) and hadn't any peroneal care aside from wiping in days.

We observed a client's wife carrying around a hand-written paper detailing treatments and care not executed. She even queried us as to why we were doing treatments today and not previously. We informed her that we were students only doing what was supposed to be done and couldn't account for previous days (quickly extricating ourselves).

These folks (or someone in their stead) on average were paying at least $127.50 per day which we felt bought "okay care." A previous reply noted he/she worked at a non-profit facility and they provided overall good care. If that can be acheived, I could consider working in a similiar environment.

the problem is wordwide! Many individuals opened up nursing homes in the uk back in the 80's, as it was a sure way to make a fast buck. Well these people did make their money but at what cost to the families that placed their loved ones in their supposed care?

Don't get me wrong, one cannot tar everyone with the same brush but it's a sad state of affairs.

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