LTC nurses...

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I am in no way saying everyone; because I have worked with some great LTC nurses.

However having gone from LTC to a hospital, LTC nurses are the laziest I have ever seen. They would never make it in a hospital setting and actually have to do direct patient care. I am going was so done with seeing these people sitting at the nurses station and taking multiple smoke breaks.

Nurses in the hospital actually get up and will do anything you ask for help with, where as with them not so much.

Hats off to any CNAs is who stay at these places, but it is not worth it. Yes

Sour Lemon

5,016 Posts

I am in no way saying everyone; because I have worked with some great LTC nurses.

However having gone from LTC to a hospital, LTC nurses are the laziest I have ever seen. They would never make it in a hospital setting and actually have to do direct patient care. I am going was so done with seeing these people sitting at the nurses station and taking multiple smoke breaks.

Nurses in the hospital actually get up and will do anything you ask for help with, where as with them not so much.

Hats off to any CNAs is who stay at these places, but it is not worth it. Yes

I've oriented LTC nurses to acute care and they've done very well. I think your experience may be more nurse specific or facility specific.

There are lazy (or perhaps busy) nurses and CNAs in the hospital, too. If you're on a well staffed unit where everyone has time to help, you are very lucky.

Cora_Ann

56 Posts

Oh I know they are everywhere. But from what I have seen they are mainly in LTC. I don't understand why any RN would want to work in one of those places. All of them are awful with high patient ratios so no one really gets the care they need.

I will never work in a nursing home ever again, and I tell everyone who is young and wants to do this to stay clear of them.

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
Oh I know they are everywhere. But from what I have seen they are mainly in LTC. I don't understand why any RN would want to work in one of those places. All of them are awful with high patient ratios so no one really gets the care they need.

I will never work in a nursing home ever again, and I tell everyone who is young and wants to do this to stay clear of them.

Hate to tell you but you don't KNOW they are everywhere and not ALL of them are awful & it's shockingly untrue that NO ONE gets the care they need. I'm an RN and you'll be surprised to find that I actually WANT to work in "one of those places". I'm sorry you've had a bad experience (and Lord knows I've had them too) but it's horribly unfair to paint every RN, every LTC facility and every hospital nurse with the same broad brush.

mtmkjr, BSN

453 Posts

I am in no way saying everyone; because I have worked with some great LTC nurses.

However having gone from LTC to a hospital, the LTC nurses I worked with are the laziest I have ever seen. They would never make it in a hospital setting and actually have to do direct patient care. I am going was so done with seeing these people sitting at the nurses station and taking multiple smoke breaks.

Nurses in the hospital I now work at actually get up and will do anything you ask for help with, where as with them not so much.

Hats off to any CNAs is who stayed at the places I worked, but it is not worth it. Yes

There. Fixed it for you.

My dad is in a LTC facility that is a faith based facility and I'll say the care he gets is wonderful. I am so thankful for that. The nurses are attentive, caring and not lazy.

I am of the opinion though, based on all I've heard, (and read about here on Allnurses) that LTC is not what it should be. The work conditions are hard and nurses are taken advantage of. Most nurses will not tolerate it. Those who are willing to do the work might not be hired elsewhere. Standards are not high enough, because a warm body is better than no body.

It angers me that we allow our elderly to be cared for in this way. I'm glad it's not that way everywhere, and I have so much admiration and respect for hardworking, caring, compassionate nurses who love LTC work and for facilities that have high standards of care.

Cora_Ann

56 Posts

That's great that you found one like that. I am just saying what I have experienced and I was finally done with it.

And no they aren't what they should be and I truly loved the residents I had. And I do understand that med passes are no joke and you can be flagged for every little thing.

One of my best friends is an LPN and we always have the same set and we work as a team all day. My complaint is that this is not the majority in my experience.

Golden_RN, MSN

567 Posts

I do not doubt that you have encountered lazy staff. However, please know that while the nursing process is consistent everywhere, the work flow for the RN in LTC is really different than the work flow of the RN in the hospital. In LTC, the CNA and LVN typically do the direct patient care. The LTC RN has a ton of paperwork. In the hospital, TYPICALLY the RN does much more direct patient care. You as a CNA may see the LTC RN as "lazy", when in fact they have a ton of charting/supervision responsibilities that you are not aware of. In the hospital the RN may have 4, 5, 6, 7 patients but in LTC they could have 20, 40, 50+ residents that they're responsible for. In some ways, it is apples & oranges.

Cora_Ann

56 Posts

I do realize that which is why I don't understand why an RN would want to that job. I love direct patient care.

And yes we do have RNs that will leave their office and come help if we ask. Like I said I am not saying everyone. But the majority I have encountered I think got into nursing for the wrong reasons.

Neats, BSN

682 Posts

Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

Well you are speaking of your experiences in the LTC setting and sadly I have seen my fair share of LTC staff who do not always want to work hard or at all. I must say though I have seen my fair share of hospital, clinical, specialty, military, prison, medical insurance, and critical care access hospital medical staff who are equally "non workers or just skimming by". I have seen all sorts of employees not in the medical arena with the same attributes of not wanting to work.

On the flip side the above description is not the norm and I for one am thankful my medical profession has many more wonderful people who truly care, who truly work hard, and who make a difference in peoples lives. This is why my glass is half full, maybe you look at this as a half empty glass.... but I think you just need a new glass and a different view.

ComeTogether, LPN

1 Article; 2,178 Posts

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

It's easy to have that perception when you don't know what the LTC nurses are doing when they are seemingly being lazy. Hospital nurses have far less patients and can jump in and help a lot more than LTC nurses can. This isn't because of laziness but because of the sheer volume of meds, treatments, assessments and summaries.

There are absolutely lazy nurses, but its really hard to judge because you don't know what you don't know.

ComeTogether, LPN

1 Article; 2,178 Posts

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
Oh I know they are everywhere. But from what I have seen they are mainly in LTC. I don't understand why any RN would want to work in one of those places. All of them are awful with high patient ratios so no one really gets the care they need.

I will never work in a nursing home ever again, and I tell everyone who is young and wants to do this to stay clear of them.

This is rude and implies that RNs are superior nurses and that LTC facilities don't deserve strong, competent nurses.

The field isn't for you, move on.

Cora_Ann

56 Posts

Wow you don't know my expierences and things I have seen go on in LTC. Or the amount of hours I have worked and residents I have taken on.

I stated above I have friends who are LPNs.

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