I've been working at this one LTC facility. It's not the worst around, but as I found out a recent interview at a different facility there are some beautiful, well staffed facilities. As soon as you walk in it has marble walls and floors. They have a buffet for meals, non-skid hard wood floors in each room, fresh flowers on each dinner table, a Wii for the ambulatory residents, a computer room for the computer literate residents, a bath aide, computer charting, low patient/nurse/CNA ratio, a beautiful rehab room and a unit coordinator, and the list goes on and on. My present facility has none of the above. I'm looking for another job, because I'm in fear of losing my license due to poor staffing and extremely high coorporate greed. The new place is non for profit and my present is. Why is there such a difference in everything? I have my second interview on Monday which is actually flattering considering the other two places I've worked, hired me on the spot. That should of been my first sign of them being very short staffed. I actually thanked them for not hiring me that day. I will miss my residents at my present job, I adore each and everyone of them, but I won't do any good for them if I lose my license. I've complained and went to upper management for the last four months since I've been there and of course gotten no where. I atleast feel I'm leaving knowing I gave it my all and did whatever I could to fight for change, but profit is there highest priority and their residents are just along for the ride. Well thanks for reading and any input regarding the differences in facilities would be appreciated. I still am in AWE of how beautiful and well staffed this new place is and also no urine or feces smell, WOW. And a shower aide, my residents at my present place don't even get showers because of short staffing and it's okay with upper mgmt, because we are short staffed. Talk about making you feel like your giving pi$$ poor care. Oh well that's enough for now.
Well I just quit the bad and ugly place last night. I called the administrator to report that a resident was being sent out and she asked did you contact the family? I said, yes, by leaving a message on their cellphone and home phone. I gave the POA all the relevant information, condition, what happened and which hospital the resident went to. She then proceeded to tell me to keep calling until I get a real person. Okay, that would be great if I didn't have 32 residents with two CNA's. The residents consist of 4 tubefeeders, 7 diabetics, 4 foleys, and almost all full assists, almost all incontinent of bowel and bladder, and alot of behaviors. I explained as much as I would like to sit and just keep calling the family, that it just wasn't going to happen, and by the way, after this shift, "I quit". I told her that the facilitiies quality of care and short staffing was beyond what I could tolerate any longer. I of course have told her this repeatedly, to no avail, or changes. I cried when I told a couple of the residents goodbye and that I would miss them, they also said that they always lose the good nurses. I received lots of hugs and cried more. I will miss them terribly, but I fought the fight with administration for better care, better staffing and just plain old giving the residents some dignity, and now I'm tired and can't fight anymore. If this is what LTC is all about, then banking, or even a garbage mans job is looking good. I refuse to lower my standards of what I feel quality care is for coorporate greed. I will find a job where I can look myself in the mirror at night and smile at the end of a shift knowing that my residents were given the care they deserve. Oh and by the way I've never just up and quit a job, my last job I worked at for 17 years before becoming a nurse, now I've had 3 in 18 months. Administration knew it was coming, I gave them every hint in the world as to what needed to be done, and what the residents deserved and that if things didn't change that maybe I wasn't the nurse for this facility. I just figured if I gave a two weeks notice, that I could accidently kill or injure someone due to stress from he!! and short staffing. Also, I was only prn, so I don't know that you have to give a full two weeks notice or not. Oh well, what's done is done. I'll pray that none of my residents get hurt and will imagine that things will miraculously (sp) be better since I'm gone. Sorry this is so long, but I just needed to vent.
kstec, LPN
483 Posts
Well I just quit the bad and ugly place last night. I called the administrator to report that a resident was being sent out and she asked did you contact the family? I said, yes, by leaving a message on their cellphone and home phone. I gave the POA all the relevant information, condition, what happened and which hospital the resident went to. She then proceeded to tell me to keep calling until I get a real person. Okay, that would be great if I didn't have 32 residents with two CNA's. The residents consist of 4 tubefeeders, 7 diabetics, 4 foleys, and almost all full assists, almost all incontinent of bowel and bladder, and alot of behaviors. I explained as much as I would like to sit and just keep calling the family, that it just wasn't going to happen, and by the way, after this shift, "I quit". I told her that the facilitiies quality of care and short staffing was beyond what I could tolerate any longer. I of course have told her this repeatedly, to no avail, or changes. I cried when I told a couple of the residents goodbye and that I would miss them, they also said that they always lose the good nurses. I received lots of hugs and cried more. I will miss them terribly, but I fought the fight with administration for better care, better staffing and just plain old giving the residents some dignity, and now I'm tired and can't fight anymore. If this is what LTC is all about, then banking, or even a garbage mans job is looking good. I refuse to lower my standards of what I feel quality care is for coorporate greed. I will find a job where I can look myself in the mirror at night and smile at the end of a shift knowing that my residents were given the care they deserve. Oh and by the way I've never just up and quit a job, my last job I worked at for 17 years before becoming a nurse, now I've had 3 in 18 months. Administration knew it was coming, I gave them every hint in the world as to what needed to be done, and what the residents deserved and that if things didn't change that maybe I wasn't the nurse for this facility. I just figured if I gave a two weeks notice, that I could accidently kill or injure someone due to stress from he!! and short staffing. Also, I was only prn, so I don't know that you have to give a full two weeks notice or not. Oh well, what's done is done. I'll pray that none of my residents get hurt and will imagine that things will miraculously (sp) be better since I'm gone. Sorry this is so long, but I just needed to vent.