Ok - I took this job because I had been away from the bedside for a couple of years and that may be the problem but I was having a hard time finding a job so I took it. I am just a bit amazed at how disorganized this facility is. It's huge national corporation with all kinds of rules and standards on the books but what actually goes on is deplorable. There's not ratios for staffing which I knew going in but it's not unusual for the RN to have charge of 30 patients with full nursing care of half of them. The RN takes the new admits as well. Med pass is sloppy with nurses leaving meds at the bedside and often taking two to three hours to pass the meds for a 1 hour window. Ie 5:00 pm meds being passed as late as 7 pm. I get off at 11 pm, that is if my relief shows up on time if at all. Last Sunday I was there until 1:30 am as the third shift didn't show up and the DON actually came in to cover but it took her 2.5 hours to get there.
I am also attending Grad school so my sleep is precious. One thing I have proven to myself is that I haven't lost my bedside skills - I can still do IV's foley's etc like a pro so I have once again put out my resume. I like the residents a lot but feel this job is dangerous to my license. I'm no quitter and will stick it out until I find something better but sheesh - are all LTC's this way?
More of a rant than anything - but feel free to tell me what you think.
I am also in LTC...new grad. I am so disillusioned with this being my first experience in the nursing field. I am beside myself at how my facility is "operated". I'm sure we share similar experiences.
@TheGooch: Can you share any details about what happened? Hopefully the company was forced to make some positive changes.
no and no. This company owns a lot of SNF and I highly doubt they will change. The NH my Mom was is has several lawsuits against them right now and in the past. The company that owns it has also has several lawsuits against them now and in the past. They recently lost a case in a town in the same state I am in-the jury awarded a 7 figure award but it was knocked down to a 6 figure one by the judge.
The only reason why I settled is because the judge in the case is someone who thinks NH shouldn't be held accountable. Fortunately the corporation also knew I had a very good case so even though the Judge might side with them on motions they knew the jury would most likely side with me. It was blatant negligence on the NH's part.
I'm going to make some here gasp and clutch their pearls, but the only reason I care about certain 5pm meds being passed at 7pm is because the State says I'm supposed to care. Do I really care if I had a busy night, and Mrs Smith didn't get her 5pm Calcium and colace until 7pm? No, not really. I don't feel like a failure, nor do I go home worried that I falsified anything.
I get what you are saying and if the med is daily at bed time or Q 12 that''s one thing but when you have 13 blood sugars to check and dietary or CNAs won't hold the tray until you've determined if insulin is needed that's a problem. Also some of them have meds at 5, 7 and bedtime. so in essance we end up giving them all at one time just to keep up. I have asked if the orders can be adjusted as the meds do not seem time critical - but am told that's the way the resident or resident's family wants it.
I'm just frustrated - I do know now for sure - I will never let someone I love go into a LTC facility
Hppy
Blanket statements have a way of coming back and biting.
Not all families who admit their loved ones into LTC have choices.
I haven't worked in a LTC for a long time, but I find nothing posted by the OP shocking.
Thirty to one ratio is pretty standard for a nurse. It's next to impossible for most nurses to dispense meds to 30 people in two hours. It always has been, always will be, and everybody knows it.
LTC is not for every nurse. Just as ER, ICU, L&D, and hospice is not for everybody.
The trick is to find the nursing job where you belong, without bashing all the other ones along the way.
We have a tendency to find fault with an area where we fail, or where we're unhappy. I hate ER and when I'm floated there, I leave with a grocery list of complaints about everything they do "wrong".
When I'm honest, I admit the nurses who work there make it work in sometimes awful conditions. The truth is I can't, and it can't be my fault:)
Anyway, best of luck to the OP.
I hope when you graduate from school you find the job of your dreams.
Another point to remember about LTC is that there are many, many cases where the residents are much better off in a nursing home then they were in whatever situation the came to us from. I have seen a lot of residents come from some very neglectful and abusive home situations.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Thanks so much for the encouragement - I actually do admire the nurses who make it work - and I have come to the conclusion that this job does not fit my personality - so the resume went out yesterday. Maybe I'll go back to L and D afterall
I worked LTC for the first four years of my nursing life.
I admire and respect those nurses who make a career out of it. It's not for me. I've told my husband I'd work in Tim Horton's before I'd go back to LTC. I'd be miserable. It's not the workload, it's not the patients.
It's management and families. Management has unreal expectations for what can humanly be done with the time allowed. Families have guilt and torture the staff if Mum's meds are 30seconds late or she's not spotless in her favourite nightgown when they come to visit.
I've told my kids to take me out to the back 40 and leave if I'm ever expected to be put in a LTC. I'd be a miserable patient.
Nursing homes try to do so much with very, very little. Staffing is always a nightmare. One nurse to 40+ residents and expected to do all medications, all treatments, handle all complaints, answer phones, deal with families, handle admissions, supervise aides.... it's a lot. You really NEED to be super nurse.
I have been in LTC for 23 years....working at one facility for 17 years. And actually just got terminated for doing 'the right thing".
Witnessed a supervisor violating a residents rights, I reported it to the DON and was terminated. DON stated to me it was not abusive, and possibly poor customer service. I have been in enough nursing homes to know that the upper management of all these facilities are the most deceptive people around. The focus is not on patient care, it is about how well they can cover up situations. I was taught in nursing school to always "do the right thing" , and I always will, even though it cost me my job . I will never compromise my ethics, morals and obligation. Looking for other employment now, everywhere but LTC!!!!!
Nursing homes try to do so much with very, very little. Staffing is always a nightmare. One nurse to 40+ residents and expected to do all medications, all treatments, handle all complaints, answer phones, deal with families, handle admissions, supervise aides.... it's a lot. You really NEED to be super nurse.
That's why I say, don't blame the staff. Most nursing homes are owned by big corporations where the bottom line is how they can scrimp on money by having the lowest staff to resident ratio allowable by law.
The sad part is it usually is the staff that gets blamed when bad things happen.
Thanks so much for the encouragement - I actually do admire the nurses who make it work - and I have come to the conclusion that this job does not fit my personality - so the resume went out yesterday. Maybe I'll go back to L and D afterall
And I would see about becoming a certified doula, childbirth educator, or lactation consultant! Once you get your foot back in the door, then perhaps nurse midwife in your future?
RubicsCube
37 Posts
@TheGooch: Can you share any details about what happened? Hopefully the company was forced to make some positive changes.