I really wish I had LTC experience

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

I could write a whole dang book. I'm curious why you want to know these specific things. Odd for a new person to worry about reimbursement and survey when they don't even know their own job yet.

School project?

Thunda · Sep 10, 2011

It would help me so much! Can you at least tell me some things like, what type of things get flagged for inspections? What do you get reimbursed (example if the patient improves, do you get more money? Do you get less money if they do not rehabilitate? Do you get docked if the patient looses weight? ) Tell me everything any thing about LTC that you can think of.

heh, without meaning to sound like a jerk, I did actually laugh out loud at this one. BUT~!!!! this is the way it should be, however it would add more to the overpaid bureaucracy. Also, when a pt. improves that's kind of proof you're doing the job you're getting paid to do in the first place

The current incarnation of LTC's are generally testaments to indifference and neglect with a smattering of activities comprised of 20 residents and 1 person doing the activity who can engage maybe 2-3 of the 20 residents cause the rest are hard of hearing or have difficulty focusing due to Dementia who fall asleep out of boredom. They're fed food that is at best on par with a High school Cafeteria. Being ripped out of bed when it's conveinient for the caregiver because they're so overburdened with residents they have no choice but to do so and slam them into bed right after dinner because there is no Evening activities "coordinator" to keep the engaged and the "Caregiver" wants to get done so they can sit around the nurses station and chit/chat till their shift is over because they simply don't care because they're working there for a steady paycheck only.

I especially LOVE when a DON doesn't force changes that have been decided on by the higher ups because "They're not used to patient centered care and they've been doing it this way for decades so we have to give them time to adjust" Bullsquat! you're paying them, they do what they're told and how you tell them or you fire them and hire from the amazing multitude of people who need the work and actually want to be there.

That being said, some places are working hard on the transition from the hospital extension view to be closer to what most Assisted Living have going for them as far as Patient comfort (letting residents sleep in, having ala carte meals to allow for patients living on their own schedules, medication's being given around the resident's routine and not what's simply convenient for the TMA/LPN passing pills, and appropriate Caregiver/Resident ratios)

LTC's are victims of our societies lack of care for it's elderly, they staff the bare minimum and pay that staff the bare minimum, you get what you pay for. Also I love how when the staff works short because someone called in "sick" the facility essentially gets the work done for free vs paying the staff that did show up and worked harder to fill the gap. YAY!

Can ya tell I'm burnt out on Nursing homes? The fun part is that you can make the difference for the patients/residents you're assigned and go home satisfied that you did the best you could under the circumstances.

Sorry for the tirade :-p

Vtachy1 · Sep 10, 2011

I could write a whole dang book. I'm curious why you want to know these specific things. Odd for a new person to worry about reimbursement and survey when they don't even know their own job yet.
School project?

I am sooo much trying to understand their point of view. I want to see things through their eyes. I want to understand why they think the way they do, which is so opposed to the way I think.

And not all LTC are opposed to the way I think a dying person would want to be treated. I've visited some LTC and they are absolutely fantastic.

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

I am sooo much trying to understand their point of view. I want to see things through their eyes. I want to understand why they think the way they do, which is so opposed to the way I think.
And not all LTC are opposed to the way I think a dying person would want to be treated. I've visited some LTC and they are absolutely fantastic.

Ok, but it's still like writing a book - where do you want me to begin. Trust me this topic of survey issues and reimbursement is an endless topic.

Can you be more specific in your remarks as far as the way you think as opposed to the way they think. What do you mean by that? Are you concerned with staffing budgets? Specific treatment of certain types of residents? Etc?