In a perfect world.......

[kukukajoo, LPN]

With some recent events I have been really thinking that some things need changing and advocacy and wishing that I could really make a difference for the future. Being only a student with a year ahead of me, I will have to keep this on the backburner but in the future I will try to what I can to change things for the better.

I have found that the elderly really needs more support and advicacy and there is so much that could be changed in the long term care industry. What I have seen recently has made me feel sick to my stomach. I can't believe the way they are treated and taken advantage of.

In a perfect world, what would you like changed and do you have ideas to go about it? How in the world does someone go about actually making a change without getting alientated by an industry stuck in it's ways? Anyone on here have any great successes changing things for the betterment of all?

[TazziRN, RN]

In a perfect world nurses would not have to worry about their employers hanging them out to dry.

In a perfect world a facility would tell a disgruntled pt, "Our nurse did nothing wrong and we will stand by him/her."

In a perfect world doctors have to accept their share of blame.

In a perfect world, the nurse would not have to fight with the doctor to get the appropriate care for the pt.

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

In a perfect world, changes would not be bogged down by bureocracy. (??spelling)

In a perfect world, everyone would be polite and things would run more smoothly!

[nyapa, RN]

Like this one! Where do I start?

In a perfect world all staff would recognise their area of knowledge and accept others' area of knowledge, share it, and LISTEN to each other.

In a perfect world patients would realise that it isn't a perfect world and understand that the nurse doesn't have 20 pairs of hands to smooth his pillow while an emergency is happening next door.

In a perfect world there would be no workplace bullying or patient violence toward staff

In a perfect world the equipment (eg bedsheets, dressing materials, medications, IV administration pumps) you need will be on the ward!

In a perfect world all doctors orders would be documented clearly

In a perfect world there would be appropriate staffing levels.

In a perfect world someone would have wrecked the buzzer system...

:balloons: One can dream...

[natrgrrl]

In a perfect world...

drug companies would be trustworthy.

visiting hours would be enforced.

people wouldn't bring guns into the ER to "encourage" better care for their loved one.

there wouldn't be such a great need for foster families.

kids would ALWAYS get better after being sick.

[RNperdiem, RN]

In a perfect world customer service would have something to do with serving the needs of the patients, not the hospital's bottom line.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

In a perfect world, what would you like changed and do you have ideas to go about it? How in the world does someone go about actually making a change without getting alientated by an industry stuck in it's ways? Anyone on here have any great successes changing things for the betterment of all?

It is very normal and healthy for students, such as you, to be idealistic. However, there's idealism and there's realism. In a realistic world, you cannot bring about sweeping changes while working in a vacuum that seeks to suck the life out of you. You can only change the things that relate to you.

I have a little more to say about your comments on the healthcare of the elderly, as I am employed in a nursing home and rehab center. I am going to be blunt, and my reply might offend some people. Nursing homes get the short end of the stick because of societal attitudes regarding the elderly. Elderly people in America are marginalized and often deemed no longer useful to society, so they are shoved to the background by legislators, administrators, and some family members.

Any nurse who works in LTC knows very well that a whopping number of their elderly patients never receive any visits. The ones who actually get visits typically receive them on an infrequent basis. Only about 25 percent of my elderly patients are visited regularly by their loved ones. So, yes, many family members are using nursing homes to shove their elderly, unwanted relatives to the wayside. And, how can lawmakers, administrators, and the state care if countless family members no longer care? I call it the circle of uncaring...

At my workplace, caring nurses are viewed as a threat to the nursing home operation. The DON and management will do underhanded things to rid the facility of good nurses, because they are more likely to report wrongdoings. Since many LTCs suffer from bad management, the only people who can get along with bad managers tend to be uncaring nurses and rough CNAs. Like attracts like. Being a good nurse in a bad LTC is a drain to the soul, like a vacuum that sucks the joy out of you. I'd hate to sound pessimistic, but it is immensely difficult to bring about change in a vacuum.