In the 40+ years I've been in nursing as an EMT, LPN, or RN, I've worked with thirteen different facilities.
I worked at one facility, Anomaly Volunteer Emergency Corps, as a volunteer EMT from 1979 to 1981, and it still functions. Even though I worked as an EMT at the Anomaly Children's Home for sporting events and the like, my primary position was as a Houseparent. The children's home hired an RN about 6 months into my employment, so he took over what were some of my duties, and the institution continues to operate.
But of the other eleven , four no longer exist, four have changed names and/or hands, and only three continue as they did when I worked there.
I graduated in December 1983 as an LPN and was hired as a CNA for a couple of weeks until an LPN position opened at Mom 'N' Pop's in January 1984.
There are now new houses which sit on the site of the old nursing home.
I worked at Weed Rover Township Hospital from March 1984 until December 1990.
Weed Rover closed down in 1999 and now houses the health department, morgue, state police substation, and some other agencies.
So tell me about some hospital histories and/or defunct facilities where you've work, because you can be sure I'm going to be back to tell you about mine!
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
30 minutes ago, LibraNurse27 said:
I didn't work there, but by my grandparents' house there was the vestiges of an enormous psychiatric institution that closed in the 1980s. Apparently severely mentally ill patients were institutionalized there, but so were relatively high functioning developmentally delayed people who could have likely functioned in society.
That sounds a bit like an old psych hospital located near Rt. 16 in central Illinois.
I like to take road trips on Rt.16, a two lane interstate, which transverses the state nearly in its entirety, running East to West. I've stopped and looked around at the totally deserted decaying building which looks and feels much as you say, LibraNurse.
I really wasn't sure of the specifics of the hospital until I mentioned my excursions to an LPN coworker, who gave me a bit of its history.
She said that growing up, her Mom would threaten to send the Kids there if they didn't stop acting up!
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
31 minutes ago, Daisy4RN said:
LOL, except most were not nurses.
Reminds me of a story:
When I worked at Anomaly State Hospital, we had Discharge Planning Meetings where the Doc, Nurses, Therapists, etc would be present to give input. The Client was not present.
A high maintenance Client was slated for discharge and the Lead Therapist said, "We need to come up with positive qualities about this Client in order to complete the Discharge Planning Form".
The entire group was silent, seemingly deep in thought, for a good while.
I spoke up and said, "Well, he's good at undergoing spontaneous respirations!"
I've worked numerous places - incl hosp, but mostly LTC. And I've returned to a couple NHs after previous resignations. Nothing greatly different upon my return.
But there was one facility I worked that had a great reputation and a 'waiting list' for prospective applicants. It was owned & operated by the LNHA who obviously had his interests in good State survey reviews. And it usually rec'd good reviews. The DON was a gracious old-timey diploma nurse who was just waiting to retire after being with that facility for some 25 years. We staff called it a 'Mom & Pop' facility. They treated all the house staff so well. Didn't pay the greatest, but there were 'perks' for nsg that made the place good.
Well, the DON retired and the LNHA sold the facility to some chain. All we staff wanted to know was 'how did we go from so good to so bad so fast'??? We got hit with survey problems, left & right. It didn't help any that the new Admin had issues. The DON was OK, but other problems arose that were truly problematic. Not surprising the facility soon went 'down the tubes'.
I know they been sold over at least one more time since I left. Reputation never the same.
Davey Do
10,666 Posts
That sounds a bit like an old psych hospital located near Rt. 16 in central Illinois.
I like to take road trips on Rt.16, a two lane interstate, which transverses the state nearly in its entirety, running East to West. I've stopped and looked around at the totally deserted decaying building which looks and feels much as you say, LibraNurse.
I really wasn't sure of the specifics of the hospital until I mentioned my excursions to an LPN coworker, who gave me a bit of its history.
She said that growing up, her Mom would threaten to send the Kids there if they didn't stop acting up!
Ew!