Is most ltc short staffed?

[Nightowl_nurse]

I don't mean this as a rant. I love working in geriatrics and I feel it's my calling, so to speak. Of course it's all I've ever worked in. It does get stressful when we have a shortage of cnas on the night shift I work. It seams every other shift has plenty of aid help. For an example I had 2 cnas and me and another charge nurse over 52 residents on a night shift. We usually have 3 aids but sometimes just two. And day shift will have 8 aids and 3 nurses. I understand days are busier with meals and dealing with family, dr exc because I worked day shift as a cna. My question is, are most facility's like this? If I get a job else where will I be in the same situation?

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

The different LTC facilities I have worked in were all short staffed. Be it CNAs, nurses or other staff.

Oh & I suggest you change your screen name & avatar. I'm assuming that's you in the picture & your screen name is your real name. Anything on the internet can be found, don't make it easy for employers.

[Nightowl_nurse]

Thank you

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Often it is... by design.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Oh please...short staffed by design? I don't know where all y'all live but in Massachusetts and especially in MY facility, we take staffing seriously. People call out. I can't force them to come to work.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Oh please...short staffed by design?...

Never heard of salary cost-saving??? ... or keeping within the budget???

Happens at many facilities.

[mom-wife-nurse]

I don't mean this as a rant. I love working in geriatrics and I feel it's my calling, so to speak. Of course it's all I've ever worked in. It does get stressful when we have a shortage of cnas on the night shift I work. It seams every other shift has plenty of aid help. For an example I had 2 cnas and me and another charge nurse over 52 residents on a night shift. We usually have 3 aids but sometimes just two. And day shift will have 8 aids and 3 nurses. I understand days are busier with meals and dealing with family, dr exc because I worked day shift as a cna. My question is, are most facility's like this? If I get a job else where will I be in the same situation?

Where I work we have about 60 residents. Two nurses on night shift and 3 CNAs on a good night.

[noc4senuf]

I have never staffed low on purpose. I also say to the staff that all positions were filled on the schedule, if you are working staffing "challenged" then you need to look at your co-workers who consistently call in, and not blame management. You numbers you mentioned for a night shift, sound about average for LTC.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I've been in management for years..and worked the floor. I stay within the budget without being short staffed by design.

[hnwbeachbum]

Are there nurse to patient ratio laws in your state? There's none in Tennessee, so why wouldn't the administrators at my facility use the bare minimum staff and use their saved money to upgrade our older building to make it look better to bring more cash in?

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

CapeCodMermaid (BTW I love your name!) do you routinely staff based on census or acuity?

I think there is a big difference in philosophy (at least from an administrative/bookkeeping viewpoint)- who I believe understand census and not always acuity.

Obviously a lower census impacts a facility financially. When the acuity is high and there is a need for two people to transfer with a sit-to-stand along with the expectation that someone (usually an LNA) will accompany to the hospital when a resident has been sent out for an eval or that an LNA will accompany a resident to an MD appt, it is mighty hard to meet everyone elses needs (toileting, feeding, bathing etc). That is the frustration that I see with the perception of low staffing. When it is staffed without a change in the game plan, it is OK, but when you throw a monkey wrench in to the mix......It is frustrating to see no change in staffing even though there are expected appointments, the flu has been going through the staff....you can at least suspect you may be down a body or two.

All I see is staffing based on census and please send somebody home if you can!

[Nola009]

Oh please...short staffed by design? I don't know where all y'all live but in Massachusetts and especially in MY facility, we take staffing seriously. People call out. I can't force them to come to work.

It's sad, but I actually DID work in a facility that would make -0- effort to fill deficiencies in the schedule. In fact, people could see for themselves that we would already be down one or two aides and call in on that day, making a bad situation worse!

Agency is better than being short staffed...