Not allowed to call DON

[adamsmom2]

I am ADON and the DON was off today. The general manager wanted me to look into why a resident was not on shower schedule. Since it was never explained to me I texted her to ask who was in charge of making the list. She called me to say that I am not allowed to call her all weekend no matter what. And she will deal with it on tues.

I do not understand, if you are a DON sometimes you have to deal with things at any time. She is salary and I am hourly.

[shannondon]

I would expect that the ADON would be able to deal with the shower schedule without going to the DON when she's not there. Could you have asked the supervisor or the CNA's? If it were a more serious matter surely she would be available. Sometimes you have to determine when to answer.

[amoLucia]

Prioritorize! To be honest with you - that was NOT a priority question to call her at home, IMHO. And I'd have been a bit upset too. That's a low level problem that could be easily handeled. That's why you're there. I'd have talked with one of the other supervisors or charge nurses or even a senior floor nurse. I bet the CNAs could tell you too. Just shower the pt and get him on a regular schedule. Let the DON know when she got back.

Being salaried vs hourly doesn't have any import here; she deserves her time off. I mean if there were a crisis like an employee assaulting a pt, or a fire, or the Dept of Health came in for a survey, I'd call...

You asked...

[adamsmom2]

Your right, I should not have bothered her. Just wanted to have an answer for the general manager. I am new and did not know who made the list. But I was wrong to call her. Thanks for your input.

[adamsmom2]

Your right, I should not have bothered her. Just wanted to have an answer for the general manager. I am new and did not know who made the list. But I was wrong to call her. Thanks for your input. The resident family called because resident told her she was not showered for 2 weeks and the DON did her paperwork. The GM was very upset and wanted answers.

[amoLucia]

This might be a little bit sticky if your DON was involved. But that oversight SHOULD HAVE been caught.

My most recent place required the 11-7 shift to do 24 hour chart checks; that could have been caught then. Also Unit Managers do double check audits, as should the next 2 shifts double check too. Supervisors are an option also. It's a system of checks and balances.

Opp'ty to make sure pt is on the feeders list, laboratory book, care plan initiated, safety alarms list, weight list, body skin check list (usually on shower day), pharmacy pyxis entry, personal effects inventory, denture/hearing aid/eyeglasses list etc and any other list you can imagine.

It's tough for any one person to do all an admission's paperwork, that's why so many subsequent checks are done so things don't get missed. Some places use a checklist for admissions (and one of the check-offs is that the check-off list was completed ).

[adamsmom2]

We are just a small personal care home and this resident was only here for 2 weeks while family was on vacation. CNA's are responsible to set up and do showers. The admit was put in report book but was not put in shower book. They gave meds but no care? I am now making a checklist so this will not happen again. But I still should not have bothered the DON.

[amoLucia]

I work LTC; your pt could well have been one of my respite cares. Still we would have had all those double checks in place; not to say that some things still don't fall thru. I used to have a philosophy that made my coworkers crackup about how we had so many checkers that check the checks to makes sure the checks were checked by the checkers doing the checks, etc ( you get my point abiout the repetitive redundancy!!!)

Growing into a new mgt position is a real learning process - it'll come easier as you gain experience. Good luck :loveya: