LTC facility trying to fire me over refusing to take on 50 residents

Specialties Geriatric

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I have to get opinions, i cannot find much about the GA law against LTC facilities and nurse to resident ratios. So, my situation was basically an employee called out for the unit that is on the same floor as my unit. I get to work and they tell me that I have to take on both units all night! Both units contain 49 residents and one of the residents is very violent and has attacked many nurses. Management even threatened that if I did not take the keys to other hall that they would report me to state for abandonment, yet I was NOT scheduled to work that unit, and there and the day Nurse was still there. Also, I work 12 hr shifts, I had gotten called in on my day off just the day before this mess happened. This happened on a Thurs. I had already worked Mon, Tues, off wed, Supposed to work Thurs, Friday, Sat, and Sun. and they wanted me to take on 2 units by myself. Is this NOT crazy!!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.

I don't get the people here who are acting like the OP is some kind of a wimp for not wanting to cover 49 patients for a 7p-7a shift and why they are not reading what she clearly stated. She did not say 11p-7a shift, she clearly stated that it was the 7p-7a shift, meaning that she would have to do the HS med pass on 49 residents (which in my experience with LTC is a very big med pass) while being the only nurse in the building, along with having at least one potentially dangerous patient to deal with. Can someone tell me what part of that sounds fair or safe?

One of the reasons why I had to get out of LTC was because I got tired of seeing how much people were paying for "excellent" care in these facilities, only to see bare bones, unsafe staffing behind closed doors. I used to just about gag when I would be working and the management would bring a group of family members of potential residents through on a tour and brag loudly about how much better the staffing was than anywhere else in town and what a great star rating the place had, then we would be told that three people called off for our shift and we were just going to have to suck it up and do the work of 2-3 nurses, only to find at the end of that shift our staffing personnel calling us on the unit and nagging/begging/threatening us to stay for another shift because three more people had called off for that shift.

The entire LTC industry in this country is so shameful, IMHO. It's all about the bottom line, and animals seem to get more respect and better care than our elderly population.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

It's not abandonment. And you would do well to QUIT THIS DUMP *before* they fire YOU.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

multiple thread merged as per the terms of Service

They can't report you for abandonment if you didn't accept the report/keys. They're just trying to scare you into taking their BS staffing.

I have worked LTC in the past. I never could get a clear answer regarding nurse to resident ratios. I worked night shift and routinely had 40 to 50 residents by myself and 2 CNAs every night. We got it all done. Not as well as I would have liked it. My charting wasn't as detailed as I would have liked, my residents didn't get the interaction I would have liked... but all required tasks got done. I do believe that these conditions are perfect for a nurse to make mistakes no matter how well organized they are.

My advice: get out of there.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.
They can't report you for abandonment if you didn't accept the report/keys. They're just trying to scare you into taking their BS staffing.

I have worked LTC in the past. I never could get a clear answer regarding nurse to resident ratios. I worked night shift and routinely had 40 to 50 residents by myself and 2 CNAs every night. We got it all done. Not as well as I would have liked it. My charting wasn't as detailed as I would have liked, my residents didn't get the interaction I would have liked... but all required tasks got done. I do believe that these conditions are perfect for a nurse to make mistakes no matter how well organized they are.

My advice: get out of there.

Exactly. And isn't it sad that the almight dollar is more important than the safety and well being of elderly people, one of our most vulnerable patient populations? Add the general fatigue of staying up all night to what you just described, and how can anyone remotely call this a safe environment?

When I worked LTC, our night nurse would routinely have 45 patients on 11p-7a, which our facility seemed to think was something to be quite proud of. I can remember coming in one morning and she was in tears. Simultaneously in the middle of the night, a patient had pulled out her foley, another patient had gotten up to go to the bathroom without asking for help and fallen, and another patient had taken a severe and sudden turn for the worse and needed to be transported to the hospital. With one nurse in the building.

Shame on the PTB in these facilities, but then it isn't their license that is at risk or their mother who just fell, is it? They just sit back and count the money.

To add more light to the situation. I really do not think it was a safe situation. I have been at that facility for a year i have called out a total of 2 times, why do i have to continue to take the slack for those who call out?. I had just taken both units 2 days before and I was attacked by a resident and had to get help from my supervisor to get away from this man. Fyi he remains on the unit. Also this is the Alzheimer dementia unit and is locked down. What if a resident got out? (Which it actually happened at this facility) who would be blamed? Also, I explained to my superior that I had just worked Mon, Tues (both units), called into work onThurs was schedule to work Friday, Sat, and Sunday ! These are 12 hr night shifts ! You want to work me extra, not pay me extra, because other nurses call out and I am the loyal Nurse who comes to work and in time at that. So I am suppose to put my license at risk for a facility who treats me like this?

Specializes in Step-down ICU.

Only abandonment if you accept the keys and responsibility to that unit! Please report them, this is why they continue to do this because people are unsure of their rights. They are threatening you because whoever the oncall person is does not want to stay or come in do the shift! Stick to your guns and only do the one unit you are assigned, until you can move on.FYI if you feel uncomfortable always follow your gut and dont give in to the pressure no matter who says girl I take both units all the time, let them be the super nurse........

You know, it's just nice to have another nurse in the building to bounce ideas off and help you.

I've worked with just me before (and two aides). It sucked. I ran the whole night and felt that nobody got the attention they deserved.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

I don't work long for employers who threaten me in order to achieve their goals. If I were in your shoes I would be looking quietly but seriously for a better job.

Specializes in dementia/LTC.

At my facility on nocs there is 32-50 pts on each unit and only 1 nurse and 2 CNAs and no supervisor or manager of any sort. The noc nurses Handle it just fine.

That said, if you walk into work and suddenly they attempt to double your pt load and you aren't comfortable with that then I feel you have the right to refuse the additional pts.

I had situation a few months ago were I got floated to an unfamiliar unit and was told that 2 hrs into the shift I would be required to take on an extra 12 pts due to there not being a nurse to cover the other med cart and I refused. It was literally an impossible task to even finish all the meds due during the shift due to my lack of familiarity with the unit.

Best of luck and I hope you are looking at other facilities.

This is an unsafe situation. I'm sorry, but it was unfair to double your patient load when you walk in the door. Then to threaten you with abandonment is even worse. Clearly either that manager is hoping you don't understand what abandonment is or is a fool and doesn't know what abandonment is themself. Either way start looking elsewhere.

Some states don't have set defined staffing ratios for nursing facilities. However, I would assume you are protected by your nurse practice act. Abandonment means you took on the responsibility of the patients, then walked out, leaving them with no nurse to care for them. You, as a nurse, also have the responsibility to NOT take an assignment you believe is inappropriate or you are not prepared for, and they really have no legal right to retaliate against you for doing the right thing. I would definitely look up your state's BON rules and arm yourself with knowledge.

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