I just need to vent a little...

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Specializes in Long-term/Geriatrics, Home Health.

I normally don't post much on this forum but I feel like I just need to vent a little just to try to get these feelings off of my chest. Sorry in advance if I seem a little whiny but lately our facility is undergoing major changes and its very overwhelming. I am a newer grad and I was starting to get the hang of my job and my own hall but with the changes, I've been completely switched to a different assignment so now I have to start fresh and get acquainted with a set of new patients.

I'm also in charge of 3-4 CNAs, a med-tech, and almost 45 patients A SHIFT. And I have my own medpass and treatments for my 45 patients...with no charge nurse on most days. Meanwhile, our DON and administration are walking around, piling more work on us, and not lifting a finger to help in anyway. Please don't let anyone have an emergency, new admission or a fall, or I'll never go home.

I have some good CNAs but there are a handful that I can completely rely on them to not do their work. I have at least 1-2 falls a day or a few skin tears that I must write up. And when I talk to my supervisor about it, it's like it goes over her head and she never does anything to call these coworkers out. It's not fair for the ones that work hard and care for their residents to have to pick up their slack.

I feel like I've been thrown to the wolves, mauled, regurgitated, and then trampled over on most days. I feel so unsupported, overworked and under-appreciated. Even though I have these feelings, I still go into work everyday with the intentions of doing the best for my patients as if they were my own family. But it's hard when the bottom line is the all mighty $.

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Same story here. I have 2 more months to go to keep my promise to myself that I would stick this job out for a year. I don't think ALL LTC facilities are like this...but maybe the majority. Administrators and DON can make all the difference too. Keep your chin up!

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I too could have written this post.

Just once, I would love to follow around the administrator, DON and RCMs around to see what they do. I mean they always look very busy at their desks or in the long, all day meetings they have daily. I sometimes feel like those meetings are about, "what else can we give for the staff to do?"

My hall is ridiculously busy with treatments right now (comes in waves, doesn't it?), which is difficult because I also have to pass medications and do the txs myself. I really wish we could use our oncall nurse as a tx nurse when it's busy like this but alas, gotta save those $$.

Forget it if the res isn't getting the best possible care.

I'm stretched thin and I hate to see it affecting the res quality of care.

Here in my state, they are increasing the aides-res ratio, I believe on April 1st. I cannot WAIT!!

Of course, it doesn't help me because they can't do tx's or meds but it will be much better for my residents!

Keep your chin up, you are not alone and your res need you! Go in there, do what you can and don't be afraid to write your aides up if they aren't doing their jobs. You can do that even if you aren't charge, right?

Give them a warning the 1st time and say, "if it happens again, I'll have to write you up. This is your warning." I promise, once you follow through, they will know you mean business and comply.

It worked for me.

I also bring in cookies or something every now and again and thank them nightly for their hard work so they realize I do appreciate them too. It goes both ways.

Good luck and sorry for the rambling! haha

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

..."I still go into work everyday with the intentions of doing the best for my patients as if they were my own family"...

you call it venting

i call it inspiring

thank you for posting

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

So sorry. If there are other job options for you go for it, it sounds like the place you are in now is pretty bad. Not all LTC is like that. My place has max 24 residents per nurse and usually pretty supportive management. Falls and skin tears happen occasionally, but certainly not on a daily basis. Not all CNA's are great, but none are truly awful and I honestly can't call any staff lazy. There are decent places out there and I wish you luck in finding one.

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Specializes in nurseline,med surg, PD.

Frankly I dont know how you do it all I have done LTC but only had about 20 to 25 patients, which was ENOUGH!. I moved at the speed of light, didnt eat, I would take a can of slim fast and gulp it down when I got hungry. Then they wonder why they cant keep nurses.

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Specializes in Long-term/Geriatrics, Home Health.

Thanks everyone for your support and it's nice to see that others go through ALMOST the same thing as I do.. It's just a terrible situation. All of us nurses are running around without breaks, lunch breaks, AND staying over 1-1.5 hours AFTER our shift just to get the basics done. Meanwhile, the DON and management have eaten their lunches together and sometimes even have the time to go shopping at walmart on company time for their own personal items. It's just frustrating and overwhelming at times. And it's nice to see that others go through ALMOST the same thing as I do.

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I am very sorry to hear that. I understand how it feels for you to be staying over past your shift so you can get things done. I used to hate management and my DON before when I was a new nurse but when I became a DON myself, I have realized that I have an opportunity to make a difference. Yesterday, we had 7 admissions in one shift and with four nurses already having one admission each, I decided to stay to take one admissions. Not all managers go to Walmart to shop. I don't even get to pee and yes DONs make really big decisions and just like any nurse, we want to make a difference too. Try working for a CCRC. Our maximum ratio for a nurse on a short-term/rehab floor is 15 and 26 for long term care. There is hope my friend :)

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

Sorry you're in a rough spot right now, that does sound tough. I can't imagine having to deal with 1-2 falls or skins tears A DAY! I would constantly be anxious over what was going to happen next. One thing I would recommend, which I know adds another thing to do, as far as the CNAs that aren't performing, you have to write it down, or if your facility has written warning sheets, write them up! Management in our facility "knew" that a particular CNA wasn't working out very well, but with nothing specific to go on, she couldn't be let go. I wrote her up twice for work performance issues and she was let go not long after that. I'm sorry if your administration isn't supportive, but maybe they just need some help to do their jobs as best they can. Good luck.

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