Most important thing to know in LTC

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To all of you experienced Nurses... What would you say is the most important thing to know if you work in LTC.? :nurse:

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
Sometimes you have to set ground rules with your residents too. You have the A&O x 3 that wants to come up to your cart when THEY are ready for their medicine. Or I have seen residents who knows the DON will give them whatever they want if they throw a fit. Now adays you have a lot of residents that used to be drug addicts and I have seen them go as far as throw themselves out of bed just to get a trip to the hospital. (he refused to get up unless we called 911)

Just always watch your back, CYA, but most importantly LOVE WHAT YOU DO!!!

Good Luck!

Oh My...residents have every right to approach you at the med cart and request their medication (within the prescribed time fram). You don't get to set the "ground rules" and tell them to go sit down and wait til you are ready. In this day and age, residents are well within their right to direct their care as far as when to get up/go to bed, when to eat, when to shower, when to take medications (again within the prescribed time frame).

And, as the DON, you are exactly right - if a resident is throwing a hissy fit about something that I am able to reasonably accommodate then I AM going to accommodate them. OP - please understand this basic philosophy of any business. In any town in America there are bound to be empty LTC beds. If we do not do our best to accommodate our residents they WILL go else where. If I am going to continue to employ YOU then I have to keep THEM.

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Remember that they are still people, and probably want to be there even less than you do.

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Specializes in LTC.
Remember that they are still people, and probably want to be there even less than you do.

Resident: Nurse! I'm being held here agaisnt my will

Me: Me too!

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Specializes in LTC.
Resident: Nurse! I'm being held here agaisnt my will

Me: Me too!

I use that when I don't have an answer for them and I'm swamped.

Resident: I have to go to the bathroom!

Me: Me too!

Resident: I want to go to bed!

Me: Me too!

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
I use that when I don't have an answer for them and I'm swamped.

Resident: I have to go to the bathroom!

Me: Me too!

Resident: I want to go to bed!

Me: Me too!

I do the same thing lol.

Resident: I want to go go home!

Me: Me too!

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Specializes in ED/ICU/TELEMETRY/LTC.

The most important thing to me is to remember that you are a nurse. You are not there just to push pills, chart, and do your treatments.. Exercise the skills you have. Take yourself seriously, and your residents seriously. They have multiple health problems and need nursing. You are there daily and have the greatest insight and opportunity to see to their needs.

Take personal responsibility to see that you do your nursing duties to the very best of your abilities and continue to learn and grow. Keep up with new nursing information. Be an expert, and feel good about what you do.

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Specializes in long term care - MDS.

Get to know your residents as people and LOVE them. Once you learn them, it's easier to see subtle changes. Get to know their families, they are sometimes difficult, but often there is a reason, like they feel guilty they can't care for their family member. If they come often, greet them, try to remember some little thing their family member did recently. Realize you can't please everyone. Some residents are demanding because they feel they have lost all control of their lives, some are afraid, especially if they are new. Be supportive, give them hugs, but don't baby them, they are adults and deserve our respect. Most of all, LOVE THEM! They could be your family member and I always like to think if I wasn't able to be with my loved one, that someone like me was taking care of them. :hug:

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know what time the pizza places close and who delivers.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS.

Keep your "brain" (the piece or paper or papers you write everything on) close and use it often! I like to color code mine with different pens and I write EVERYTHING down, even if "I won't forget /that/."

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Specializes in LTC, Palliative.

Always listen to your health care aides. They know the residents very well. Communication is key. Know how to delegate.

Know your resident's routines and quirks. For instance, I have a resident who is a retired accountant and now has dementia. He always counts his pills when you give them to him. So I'd say "Mr. White, guess how many pills you have now" "I dunno, 10?" "Nope, one less than ten" "Nine!" Gets him thinking about numbers too. Routine is very important for alzheimers and dementia patients.

What goes around comes around. Treat your residents with respect and dignity. Most likely, you'll end up in a LTC facility someday. Think, this is someones grandmother/grandfather and they are loved very much!

Remember that you are a guest in their home! You're there to make their last years enjoyable. I worked Easter morning, and put out little chocolates at every table setting. When they came out for breakfast, they were so surprised and happy that the Easter Bunny came!

Get to know your residents. Most LTC facilities have a social history section in their charts. Read them! I have a resident in my nursing home who has very progressed dementia. Honestly, when 1400 rolls around and sundowning starts, she can be pretty hard to deal with. But I just remember, this woman was on the womans olympic ski team in Austria. The war broke out and she went on to be a nurse. She met an injured soldier and they got married and raised two lovely daughters. She's still that woman inside.

Humour, humour, humour! I will do anything I can to get a laugh out of my residents. "Sorry Mr. Rice I drank all the whiskey last night, is cranberry juice okay with your lunch" Just be silly!

Most importantly, love your job. Get to know your residents and their families. Don't ever wake up in the morning and dread coming to work. Come to work with a positive attitude, and make a difference in your resident's lives. I love LTC and I plan to stay there!! :redpinkhe

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Specializes in 10.

Patience with yourself, the aides, and other staff will help you out in he long run. You never know when you might need that kitchen staff to send something up to the floor super quick.

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Specializes in rehab.

LISTEN TO YOUR CNAS! LISTEN TO YOUR CNAS! LISTEN TO YOUR CNAS!

lol

But no really it is important that you listen to them. They are the ones that are up close to the patients. They are the ones that always see that first skin issue, that notices the vitals being off, or that just notices that something is off with the person.

If they come up to you and say "Mr. Jones is acting weird." Actually go check on Mr. Jones, it may be important.

Also they know meds! If they come up and ask about giving someone some anxiety meds, believe me they know what meds and what some of the more common ones do.

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