LTC Nurses... please answer

Staffing shortages/requirements, overuse of anti-psychotics in dementia patients...

Transitioning from the LPN role to the RN role could be an interesting topic.

What's an adequate but realistic orientation period from mgt's perspective and newbie's expectations?

Really need to develop BOTH views.

Understaffing, violence against nurses, abusive management in LTC.

New grads who know nothing about taking care of people; nurses who refuse to change with the times; lack of funding.

Lack of funding

Why so much hate against new grads? I knew how to take care of people as a new grad. And if it was something totally off the wall that I couldn't deal with myself totally I'd seek help.

I am soooooo SICK of the hate towards new grads. Get over it. You were new once too! Why so bitter?

Why so much hate against new grads? I knew how to take care of people as a new grad. And if it was something totally off the wall that I couldn't deal with myself totally I'd seek help.I am soooooo SICK of the hate towards new grads. Get over it. You

were new once too! Why so bitter?

*some* new grads do indeed graduate without knowing how to care for people. But that's not the new grad's fault. That's why jobs have orientation periods. I don't think the schools spend enough time on good, old fashioned hands on care. I think employers should have the or new nurses spend a week doing nothing but aide work as part of their orientation. Of course, this may not be economically feasible. But it would be nice.

The education needed by families and residents to better understand the reality of end of life expectations.

"Yes I know your Momma is 98 years old. I understand she was the best Momma to ever walk the face of the earth. I completely understand that you love her to death. I completely understand that you can't imagine life without her. But, I need you to understand that she has dementia, diabetes, end stage renal disease, lung cancer on and on and on. I need you to understand that keeping her as a full code is only going to force me to go in there eventually and crack that poor sweet Momma's ribs in the futile attempt to "save" her. Please, pleaase, please, let me call hospice in and allow them to assist with a pain controlled peaceful death with dignity. Allow us and the hospice team to help you with this devestating loss that is sure to come shortly".

Family member: "No. Momma is tough, she can pull thru this. Please send her to the hospital now and let them run a cagillion dollars in test and put her on the most expensive meds known to mankind'.

It wears me out just thinking of how many times a year I have that conversation. (BTW: I actually do have a pretty good success rate with dealing with end of life issues but sometimes....)

Why so much hate against new grads? I knew how to take care of people as a new grad. And if it was something totally off the wall that I couldn't deal with myself totally I'd seek help.

I am soooooo SICK of the hate towards new grads. Get over it. You were new once too! Why so bitter?

I do not hate new grads. I feel bad for them that their school didn't prepare them for the real world of nursing.

The OP asked for my issues and I gave them. I am not bitter and hire more new grads than any facility around. That does not change the fact that for the most part, they are clueless about patient care.

Hey Guys........ LPN here taking classes for RN...... Have to write a speech about issues in health care..... Can be any issue.. So as a fellow LTC nurse, I would like to take a poll from here and the top 3 answers will be what I cover in my speech. So please respond with your honest opinions & concerns

Thanks so much for your input

The best topics will be the ones YOU feel strongly about. My top 3 are issues regarding death and end of life care and under utilization of hospice care, dementia care and staffing.

I can go on all day about residents who are flogged with futile and uncomfortable care for months because the kids can't let Momma go and the doctor goes along with them which often results in poor pain control.argh.Educate these pople-use THE WORDS that they need to hear.

More and more of us are living longer with relatively healthy bodies but sick brains.I hate how many LTC's just warehouse the dementia residents in locked units.They need a unit with specially trained staff,an environment tailored to their needs and staff that believe in helping them maintain their dignity.

Staffing-don't get me started.

The problem most new grads have I feel is that they are thrown into the floor with no help, not enough guidance, not enough orientation, and without knowing the routine of the floor, policy and procedure, etc. I never had any problem with patient care as a new nurse, just the "floor policies" and other non-patient care busywork that bogged me down and stressed me out. I just am so freaking sick of people always saying new grads suck and we are all horrible and can't even take care of patients. We were all new once and I guarantee that no one new today is any worse than a new person 20 years ago was. I did so many hours of clinical, I was showing some of the experienced nurses tricks I learned for certain procedures and such that I'd learned!