We give meds, put ports in, insulin, fsbgs, vs, t & p, put foleys, lab results and remove stool, give immunizations tb testing, put creams measure wounds, check for o2 sats, change o2 equipment, put res on toilet, clysis, dressing changes and all that it entails, feed and clothe residents, take orders (tele & verbal), deal with residents and their families, assist with prom and rom exercises, wipe noses, oral care, post mortem care, call laundry for lost items, bladder scans, continually prevent the dementia res from falling even though chair and bed alarms go off as soon as you leave them and give them 1:1 etc with folding washcloths, stuffing envelopes, give them cards to play with, put music on, ambulate res and put them in mechanical lifts or assist, hold hands, give hugs, clean nails after filed or cut. All of this continually in everyday tasks and job descriptions, to name a few in long term care and all while you have to do your main job which is "WHAT, WHEN, HOW MUCH, " . If it wasn't for prayer and restful periods (at least a lunch and a restful sleep, and weekends), I would've quit long time ago. Lord, help me not to give up but it doesn't help when families c/o why their demented family member who is incontinent, bed alarm with 2 mats on floor because of frequent falls, fx'd hip that won't be repaired r/t fam's decision to place on comfort care. I had to apologize to family that I was feeding a res next door. Don't families ever feel that maybe they can pick up a wash cloth and try to give comfort themselves to their beloved one or is it always our job, I mean lets get real. Its not the nursing professions fault that these nursing facililties cost almost 8-10,000 dollars a month. I had to stop feeding this res to go get another staff nurse while the aide was I don't know where (she later said she was putting someone else in bed which I do believe her), but I mean when you have a cna on an assisignment with 5 mechanical lifts (and you need 2 people) and many times they're not easy transfers, either they're spitting on you, kicking out of the sling, or just plain heavy people, and then you have to get someone else to feed the res and by this time, the food is cold. This kind of system has to change and then everybody wonders outside the nursing profession why there is a nursing shortage. By the time the person gets to feed the res after an interruption, the res changes their mind. Hopefully, this doesn't always happen but lets face it, this happens more often than you want. Many times we make a difference, but just as many times we can't as nurses give the care we would like to because there aren't enough people giving 100 % which we would like to but we're not superwomen or men unless you have team players. Please pray for all of us that we will try to make a difference as much as we can. Thanks for letting me vent but I'm getting tired of this job description when we're not superwomen or supermen even though this non profit corporation and its nursing administration think we are. Did they forget what it was like to do our job or are some families just more and more unrealistic when they think their mom or dad aren't the same like they use to be, Lord help us, let your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven!!!!
