Why al the negativity in LTC???

[sixes]

I realize that abuse does take place in some LTC facilitities. I also know that the public needs to be informed.

Where I work abuse is not tolerated in any way shape or form

If there is a complaint about you, you are automatically suspended

You never recieve the benefit of doubt.

Of course you get to have your day in the office to be heard, then you may perhaps get your job back

With all this in the forfront of the news my question is

Why are they also not showing the good side of LTC

I believe that along with the negative they should also be airing the thousands of good loving caring health care providers doing the work that we love to do.

Not all of us are monsters

[leslie :-D]

Oh boy! Don't get me started! LOL

Truth is, kidding aside, I think the problem is that **someone** doing the regulation is not up to date with the needs in LTC. Somebody keeps giving LTC facilities the right to staff with a bare minimum or close to it. A lot of the time, I am not sure how anyone could get the work done with the staff that is there. Hypothetical: How does an aide get 10 residents cleaned, oral care done, and dressed between 7 and 8 ????????????????????????????????????

who has to do that????? is that a regulation?

:uhoh21:

[debRN0417]

I work in LTC. There really is no positive side. The residents are treated poorly, left sitting in their own excrement for hours/days due to lack of staffing requirements... Anyone who believes these people are getting the care they deserve is a sick, sick individual.

A must agree that if you feel this way about your facility, why would you risk your reputation or license there? I'm a DON in LTC. My residents receive excellent care. We at times are challenged with staffing, but we all pitch in. It was no different in the hospital where I used to work...staffing I mean. There are good days, and not so good days. But the good days out-number by far. I love my job, my residents and my staff. (especially my residents)

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

who has to do that????? is that a regulation?

:uhoh21:

LOL :) ...Not a regulation as far as time, but.....I mean, let's say (hypothetical) that the aides come on at 7 and breakfast is at 8:15.....All the residents that are able are supposed to be in the dining room to eat and the others in their room, clean and ready to eat there, right? How can one aide get even *7-8* people completely cared for, ready, and in the dining room in that time period (incase we need to consider some are nightshift get ups at 6)?

[Lucy4]

I was a nightshift charge nurse at an excellent facility 5-6 years ago. Nightshift started AM care around 6AM on residents who needed the most assistance. Believe it or not - everyone was up, dressed and ready to eat in the dining room by 8AM - all 48 residents.

[leslie :-D]

well maybe it's the floor i worked on but unless the residents were in a specific fdg. group, we had a total of around 6-8 pts. that had to be oob by 7:30 a.m. i used to get upset with the cna's that had half of their assignment done before breakfast, reason being is most of my pts were in wc's, therefore would not be changed until being put to bed at hs. so they'd be sitting in a horrifically wet attends x12 hrs. when i ran the floor, i made sure that my patients (those who were sleeping or were not ready to get up) got to stay in bed and told the cna's to make sure their residents were fed. my floor had a very high acuity level so maybe it's different for those residents that are up and about.

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

well maybe it's the floor i worked on but unless the residents were in a specific fdg. group, we had a total of around 6-8 pts. that had to be oob by 7:30 a.m. i used to get upset with the cna's that had half of their assignment done before breakfast, reason being is most of my pts were in wc's, therefore would not be changed until being put to bed at hs. so they'd be sitting in a horrifically wet attends x12 hrs. when i ran the floor, i made sure that my patients (those who were sleeping or were not ready to get up) got to stay in bed and told the cna's to make sure their residents were fed. my floor had a very high acuity level so maybe it's different for those residents that are up and about.

I am sorry, but I am not sure I understand. 12 hrs. wet? That is not acceptable in the least. I am not sure why that happened on your unit. I would imagine you would be very upset. Wasn't there anything you could do or was the staff-to-resident ratio that bad? The aides are generally fairly good at my facility, although there are a couple that aren't, of course....but having 6-8 residents to get *completely* ready (bathed and oral care, dressed, etc.) in 1 hr. is too much, as far as I'm concerned. It seems impossible.

[leslie :-D]

I am sorry, but I am not sure I understand. 12 hrs. wet? That is not acceptable in the least. I am not sure why that happened on your unit. I would imagine you would be very upset. Wasn't there anything you could do or was the staff-to-resident ratio that bad? The aides are generally fairly good at my facility, although there are a couple that aren't, of course....but having 6-8 residents to get *completely* ready (bathed and oral care, dressed, etc.) in 1 hr. is too much, as far as I'm concerned. It seems impossible.

let me clarify....it was a total of 6-8 pts. spread out amongst 6 assignments. and yes, once the non-ambulatory patients were put in their gc's or wc's, they would not get changed until they were put back to bed. if they had a bm, they'd get changed and stayed in bed. only those patients that actually ambulate are the ones that are toileted prn. and to top it off, the adon decided to buy these generic diapers because they were so much cheaper, (and a lot less absorbent). it's very frustrating. if i wanted to have a pt. changed and asked a cna to help me, they would retort "the nurse mgr. doesn't have us do that!!" so of course i was the heavy. since i know my own strength, i would often change them myself, the ones i could manage by myself. at one time i actually thought my standards were too high, but i decided they're not. no way.

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

To have a resident up for 12 hours is in itself absolutely unacceptable! Who among us could sit in a wheelchair for 12 hours straight? How on earth could your facility could have residents up and wet for that length of time without having enormous numbers of pressure sores resulting? They should be changed and allowed to rest between meals. Yes, that's a lot of work for staff to get them up and down and up and down. But anything else is below the standard of care.

[leslie :-D]

To have a resident up for 12 hours is in itself absolutely unacceptable! Who among us could sit in a wheelchair for 12 hours straight? How on earth could your facility could have residents up and wet for that length of time without having enormous numbers of pressure sores resulting? They should be changed and allowed to rest between meals. Yes, that's a lot of work for staff to get them up and down and up and down. But anything else is below the standard of care.

tell me about it. as a result of my numerous concerns vocalized in no uncertain terms, they finally terminated me when the dept. of public health came to our facility (not the annual survey) and i reported my concerns since i had taken every conceivable channel to address my concerns. dph found the facility below standards of care and shortly thereafter i was terminated after working there 7 years. :stone .......sigh.

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

To have a resident up for 12 hours is in itself absolutely unacceptable! Who among us could sit in a wheelchair for 12 hours straight? How on earth could your facility could have residents up and wet for that length of time without having enormous numbers of pressure sores resulting? They should be changed and allowed to rest between meals. Yes, that's a lot of work for staff to get them up and down and up and down. But anything else is below the standard of care.

You are absolutely right! Not sure how some places get away with it. I guess they are functioning differently when the state is around. Terrible. In my facility, they don't stay in w/c's for 12 hrs. Although a few who are able to make decisions for themselves are up close to that....but they also toilet themselves with assist and change positions frequently. Like I said, my concerns (in my facility) are substandard care in hygeine due to the staffing ratios.

[Cubby]

I work 2:30-11:00pm. Just as I am getting ready for work, everyday-it is the same thing "Elder Abuse" commercials back to back. If we really could 'Kill all the lawyers' things might improve. I have worked in LTC for 33 years and in all that time, I have worked in ONE home that was deplorable. The rest of them have had their problems, but none of the others would ever tolerate abuse in any form. I HATE LAWYERS. :angryfire :angryfire

[sixes]

I was a supervisore at the LTC where I work. I have recently taken the temporary position of a charge nurse.

The above statements are disgusting. this would never happen in the LTC where I work.

If a residents needs attention they get it. No residnet is allowed to sit wet or for 12 hours at a time.

If our DON came to the floor which she does frequently through out every shift. Also our cooperate head office make spot checks on every shift 2 times weekly. And try as you might you cannot predict when tis will be.

Everyone and I mean everyone on the floor would be fired.

This is bad get out of where you work and report it to the College of nurses. the CCAC and your government officials for LTC and if all else fails call the media.

No one should live under these conditions