Nasty residents, smoking, and insubordination

[CapeCodMermaid]

Where to begin? My facility is a non smoking facility. We got a resident with a newly repaired hip who hopped off the stretcher and announced he was going outside to smoke. The nurses told him we were a non smoking facility. I don't care he said so they called the doctor and got an order for him to be able to smoke. THEN they called me (the DNS)...no I said, he cannot smoke. I spoke to the charge nurse who told me that I would have to drive in to tell him because he was 6 feet tall and she wasn't going to speak to him. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The long and short of it is, he left in a taxi to go home with a doctor's order.

What would you do about this nurse? If I were at home, I might have hopped in the car and have gone to work to calm things down, but she is being paid to be a charge nurse and it makes me angry that she should act this way.

Just as well, if you ask me, that the man left. If he was so nasty about smoking, perhaps he would have been just as nasty and non compliant around the schedule for his pain medications. Sorry for the rant!

[noc4senuf]

We don't have a choice in our facility. The state allows no smoking in any public buildings, including, bars, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.

All of our visitors have to sign in at the front desk, it is part of our emergency plan to know who is in the building at all times. The staff also uses the front door since there were items being carried out the back door several years ago.

[achot chavi]

All of our visitors have to sign in at the front desk, it is part of our emergency plan to know who is in the building at all times. The staff also uses the front door since there were items being carried out the back door several years ago.

same here, the staff still finds ways, by throwing things out of windows to the bushes and picking it up later etc. Its disgraceful!! A different nursing home found the staff throwing dirty diapers out the front window to draw attention away from the fact that they were throwing more valuable stuff out the back.....or hidden in the garbage.....

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

What in the world would a nursing home have that would be worth the risk of stealing, but survive a 2 story fall?

Not electronics....extra bedpans? I'm stumped.

[caliotter3]

I worked at a LTC facility that had an entire inventory of brand new bed pad protectors stolen. It was determined to be an inside job because the pads were placed on the top of the brick fence surrounding the building by going through the sliding doors of one of the rooms. The other person would drive up, get out of their car, and load up the car with the pads. I don't recall anyone bothering to deal with the culprits. We just did without the needed pads.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

What in the world would a nursing home have that would be worth the risk of stealing, but survive a 2 story fall?

Not electronics....extra bedpans? I'm stumped.

bed linens, pillows, soap, other toiletries.....stationary supplies, pens, paper etc

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Sheesh, all that stuff I'd rather just go to Walmart and buy some. Stealing would be too much effort, and way too much stress. Why would you want stinky old hospital linen on your bed anyway?

I did come home with a pocket full of pens, but I bring them back every shift.

[buzkil]

As for the nurse, it is clear insubordination and I would be firing her come Monday but, I know CCM that you have mentioned in the past it is difficult for you to find nurses.... maybe a suspension and final warning.

I know this thread is a few weeks old but I just came across it and I feel compelled to reply. It is so sad to me how so many nurses responded with comments like the one above. A charge nurse is put in a difficult situation and attempts to deal with it and then notifies her supervisor. Maybe the situation could have been handled better, maybe not. I don't know. What I can't believe is... You people want her to be FIRED or SUSPENDED!!!! What's wrong with you? I'm glad I don't work with any of you. What nasty and uncomfortable work environments you all must create.