For those for you that work in LTC facilities do you have a nurse in your dining room when your residents are eating in case someone chokes?
I have been working at this LTC facility for almost a year now and it is the only place I have worked that a nurse has to be in a dining room in case some one chokes. I know of at least 5 other nursing homes in my area, 2 of which I have worked at, that the nurses do not go supervise the dining room in case some one chokes. I guess I ask this because I just started 1st shifted this week and find it extremely frustrating having to be in the dining room until the last person is done eating. I have a ton of things to do and with having to be in the dining room for breakfast and dinner it hard to get it all done but still expected to still. I just feel like I am expected to cramp 8 hours worth of nursing work into 5 1/2 to 6 hours. I could be sitting in the dining room doing absolutely nothing but watching at last couple people eat but I'm not suppose to leave.
Any of you PA nurses want to post a link or tell me where to find that in writing?
We are a small facility and the nurses don't have to be in the dining room. The CNAs and activity staff are in the dinning room for meals. They are all CPR certified. If there was a problem, a nurse could be in there in seconds. I don't understand why a nurse needs to document I/o or food consumption...this is a CNA duty.
I don't staff a nurse in the dining room. I have three aides there, they are CPR certified, and there is an emergency paging phone on the wall. The dining room isn't so far away from the floors that a nurse couldn't be there in under 15 seconds.
Spritenurse1210, BSN, RN
777 Posts
And that is why i stick to night shift. only the Diabetics and tube feeders eat at night!