Understaffing? Your opinion

Nurses General Nursing

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I recently interviewed at a 120-bed, LTC facility. 118 beds are currently occupied; 16 are a locked Alzheimer's unit and the rest are two wings consisting of fifty + residents.

I would be working weekend option on nights.

I asked about the staffing and was told that on my wing (50 + residents), there would be a nurse (me), and 2 nurse aides.

That's it.

I feel that is ridiculous.

They should have a med tech. How in the world do they expect ONE NURSE to pass meds, PROPERLY assess, document, do Medicare charting, handle INCIDENTS (what about treatments??), and all the myriad things that pop up DURING TWELVE HOURS?

Giving meds to fifty + residents and everything else? Not to mention PRNs...

I dunno, but it seems to me they need at least a med tech........what do you all think?

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

I think I wouldn't be taking that job :D.

Seriously - the other problem is that they are telling you the staff you are *supposed* to have in a given shift - so that's your best case scenario and will likely be working short some of the time.

I won't address the med tech thing as I don't necessarily agree with that role, but, yeah, that staffing reeks. I don't know if it's *normal* and even if it is, that doesn't make it right.

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Passing meds to over fifty residents and still having all the other responsibilities?

It's crazy.

Med Tech, LPN....they need more help than that.

Yeah I'm taking a pass.

P.S.: Not only that but they told me during my interview they had recently fired a nurse....not a good sign......

I will likely be seen next hanging out the drive-thru window at your local Mickey D's...............:rotfl:

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Specializes in LTC, office, home health.

Had a job in LTC once as an LPN that sounded very much like the OP described.

Me, 3 CNAs on a good night and 65 pts!!!!! Usually only 2 CNAs and sometimes only one. The house supervisor was no help on a busy night, the supplies where in another building and the HS was afraid to go outside in the dark to get things for us to take care of the patients. I was constantly getting jumped for not changing foley's, and dressings, feeding tube bags, etc.... didn't matter that the HS won't get the needed items for the night shift nurses or let us have a key to get them ourselves. Needless to say that job didn't last long (5 weeks) went back to the LTC I had worked at for years with the hard learned lesson that more money wasn't alway worth the risk.

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:angryfire Unfortunately, it seems that this is the "usual staffing" for the LTC's I have worked in. 1 nurse-2 nurse aides-50 residents. Getting everything done was of course impossible so most nurses would have to stay over 2 extra hours to get their work done. Then of course, management would complain about having to pay the nurses overtime. :rolleyes:

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This sounds exactly like the LTC job I left four years ago. An average night would be me, two CNA and 56 residents.

The other option at that particular LTC center was working with one CNA in a locked behavior/Alzheimer wing with 28 beds.

Neither was a good option. I don't miss that job.

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Yep...it is typical of LTC. I currently work in one.

54 patients, 2 CNA's and me.

I do what I can. But until I graduate, I need a job and this pays the most and gives me the hours I need and when I need them.

I would love to get out of LTC, but right now, it's not an option.

Wish it was...

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