How to Take Care of Me When I Am Old

bluegeegoo2, LPN · Sep 15, 2013

I see the above happen far to frequently in LTC, and it breaks my heart. I realize that we are all short on time, but it truly just takes a minute to stop and think about why certain resident's act the way they do. Sometimes, it's really a behavior r/t dx's. But I feel well more often than not, a minute of our time can make all the difference in a "behaviored" resident's quality of life.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 15, 2013

blue, I am a hospice nurse who did LTC for a long time. I get nuts at the, "Really? She never tells ME she hurts." Really? You didn't see her there with tears in her eyes? REALLY? You're asking QS per CMS and she has NEVER said she hurts?

GAH.

ktwlpn, LPN · Sep 16, 2013

#1-remove my moustache regularly

#2-apply my eye brows daily

#3-give me a very large glass of a dry,white wine every afternoon (or a joint of it's legal )

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Sep 16, 2013

My care plan is done and my HCP knows what I want....no shoes, no socks (Cape Cod kid), no thickened liquids, I will not get out of bed before 9, I will drink as much wine as I want when I want it.

I've already been told I won't be admitted where I work now because they all know I won't be compliant. My answer...I hope by the time I need to live in a facility, compliance won't be a word anyone uses.

MomaNurse · Sep 17, 2013

I hope that by "etc" under #3 you mean: don't label me a behavior problem and drug me.... Have you considered that I don't like you?!

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Sep 17, 2013

I see the above happen far to frequently in LTC, and it breaks my heart. I realize that we are all short on time, but it truly just takes a minute to stop and think about why certain resident's act the way they do. Sometimes, it's really a behavior r/t dx's. But I feel well more often than not, a minute of our time can make all the difference in a "behaviored" resident's quality of life.

Unfortunately, "a minute" is more time than we have, especially when you multiply "a minute" by 20, 30, or 50 residents.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 17, 2013

Yes, yes, YES to all of the above!!!

For myself, I'll add:

1) Do NOT get me up and make me sit in a wheelchair for hours on end because some nurse told you to. I have already instructed my family on how I wish to be treated, and they know I will haunt them forever if they let the facility do to me what I've seen done to residents in the facilities where I've worked.

2) Tell the State they can go to hell in a handbasket if they want you to try reducing my psychotropics. I need them in order to NOT to be a "behavior problem". I will have been on them for many years by the time my feet cross your threshold, and messing with them at that point in my life would be a disaster for all concerned.

3) Keep me WARM!! There are few things I dislike more than being cold. I know these places run about 300 degrees year-round, but if I get chilled I can't get warm again for love nor money, and then I don't thaw out till July.

4) Please don't give me a roommate who's as deaf as a post. Loud TVs and other noxious stimuli will drive me bonkers in no time.

5) LISTEN TO ME. Even if I'm demented and don't know where I am, listen to some of my nursing stories; I'm sure I'll have a few stored up by then.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2013

My very first job at a LTC place, I was sitting at the counter going through orders and I hear this women screaming. I look up and 3 cna's have this poor short maybe 80 year old women actually dragging her down the hall. I come out from behind the counter and stopped them. They tell me she's difficult and I told them to put her back to bed and when she settled down we would discuss it. I got this "You're going to get in trouble; the daughters won't like this!"

So; later on I found out that the 2 daughters insisted she have a real shower every day, no matter what. Fortunately, there was a new DON and we talked about it and agreed we would give her bed baths.

I got elected to have a talk with the daughters. It was simple. They were sympathetic and understood that the mom was afraid and so they agreed. The thing with these showers can just get out of hand. No one had informed the daughters the trouble their mom was having.

Then when I got in my accident and ended up in an adult foster care for 1 year...OMG, you would think the world had ended since I only allowed my hair to be washed once a week (it's down to my waist). Being mostly vegan they blew their minds when I just started ordering protein powder with fruits for my diet. They only ate meat, period. They actually made an appointment with my doc (which I cancelled) to discuss my diet. When I did see my doc she just laughed. She would always tell me "Don't they know you're an RN?" I would tell her if I hadn't actually witnessed how they treat me and the others I could have never believed it for myself.

As far as reducing the psychotropics, it goes like this. If it ain't broke; don't fix it! I've seen 2 patients pass like that with overzealous new MDS nurses who really don't know how to reduce medications. It always happens when I'm off on a long weekend.

:yes:

lindseylpn · Sep 17, 2013

I'm afraid that if I end up at a using home I'll think I work there. I'll go down the hall trying to give away my meds doing a med pass, I'll always get caught behind the nurses station, I'll answer call lights etc. It'll be one long, never ending work day!

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Sep 23, 2013

OK, so let's develop a document to use for all these desires: our very own ALL NURSES Nursing Home / Rehab Living Will.

We can incorporate all these suggestions in the instrument and -- to make it E-Z for all -- make it a check-off form.

The end of the document will require a signature by the Administrator, and contain a penalty clause with stipulated damages for noncompliance.

ktwlpn, LPN · Sep 23, 2013

Better yet ,let's invest in some land somewhere and build an "allnurses" retirement community....OUR RULES.