Need Advice

[dekatn]

I started SD in my LTC facility in April, I do the scheduling, supposed to do training, inservices, orientation, infection control, work the floor when someone calls in and go back to school and obtain my RN. At the moment the schedule is consuming me. Everyday something comes up, either a nurse or CNA will call in. The staff more or less tells me when they will work. They have been allowed to get away with this and it is driving me crazy!!!! The DON plays with the schedule, gets vacations screwed up, then when checks come out, staff yells at me, because "I" do the scheduling. I spend more time trying to fill in shifts than anything. I've never done anything like this before. Am I in over my head or is it like this every where? Infection control was dumped in my lap earlier this week with a quick 10 minute overview of what I was supposed to do and was told that part of it had to be done that day. I don't have time to do anything but make sure the floor is staffed at this point. I took this position mainly to get off the floor because of some health problems, but golly gee, I don't know which is worse, the pain from the physical work or the extreme mental stress from what I have been subjected to so far. I don't know what to do. If I schedule somebody on a day they don't want to work, they just call in, which in turn, makes it that much harder on me. The DON has written people up, but it doesn't seem to bother some of them. It's like there is no work ethic anymore and nobody cares about there job or the residents that they are supposed to be taking care of. The main ones that do this, when they are at work they are good, it's just getting them there when you need them. Somebody please give me some advice I'm sinking here!

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

unless administration backs you up you will always be fighting an uphill battle. I recommend you get out of there.

[dekatn]

Thanks for responding, I am giving some serious thought to turning in my resignation.

[suni, BSN, RN]

I would check your job description and see if scheduling is part of the job. I certainly think that infection control would be one of your responsibilities. Guidelines also needed to be set for the staff to ensure adequate staffing and safety for your residents. The DON needs to have unit meetings and tell all employees they do not tell you when they will work, if they need a day off they need to request it, if they call off frequently they will be reprimanded and may lose their job and she needs to follow thru.

It seems like leaving may be your answer but the bottom line is the problem will remain and in the en d the residents will suffer, try to be part of the solution. If that is not possible ....leave and keep your health and sanity.

[dekatn]

Thanks for your response. I had to work the floor Wednesday, the new schedule was due out Thursday, I had it all done, posted the schedule, a cna quit, the DON redid the schedule put a new one out before the ink was dry on the one I put out. Needless to say, today, one of the cna's came in madder than you know what, apparently, she had made a copy of the first schedule and the second one she didn't have the same days off. Poop hit the fan, another cna didn't show up at all because on the original schedule she was off today, the DON had put her back on, but didn't call and let her know so, we were short a cna. Naturally she turns to me to start calling people to see if we could get a replacement, which I tried, but nobody would come in. I want to scream. I've got to work the floor two days next week and try to keep staff going to along with DON playing with schedule. I asked her tonite before I left if she would just take the schedule and do it, made her a little mad, but who cares at this point. Right now, I'm just taking one day at a time. Corporate has this new 4 week nurse orientation they want to implement immediately, I have a new nurse starting the 31st, with me trying to keep the schedule up to date (on a daily basis) and work the floor because of vacations, and FMLA's there just isn't enough of me to go around. State is due anytime, will probably be this weekend, they have already been to all the other LTC in the area, we are next. Think I'll play the lottery this weekend and see how lucky I can get!!!!

[Dorito, ASN, RN]

A couple of our units do self-scheduling. I'm not sure how it works but obviously there have to be some ground rules- can't give yourself every Fri off etc. Also, I notice when they do the scheduling here- they put up a Need Staff list where there are holes in the schedule and others can sign up for an extra shift. Can you offer any type of incentives for staff that pick up extra shifts? ie: lunch ticket, coupons etc. I hope your DON starts supporting you. Good luck!