I've been taking nursing school prereqs to get into a BSN program for a few years. I recently took on a job as a C.N.A. in an SNF and I'd really appreciate some feedback as to whether my experience here is typical of the nursing field, or whether it is typical of SNF or if my experience is not to be expected as a general working condition of being a nurse.
People sleep at work, in the hallways and all over the facility, both nurses and C.N.A.'s. I do work the noc shift.
We are short of supplies. I understand being low on things like briefs (as long as another size is available), special soaps, or bed sheets but we have been short on gloves!
Some patient care tasks must be pushed aside. Examples are not changing all of their briefs more than 1 time per shift. Another example occurs when certain patients call for help due to pain from bleeding wounds. I was told by a colleague to ignore her so I can get my other tasks done and I was told by a nurse to never ignore anyone.
We are told not to wear gloves all of the time to respect the patient's dignity, but I just contracted scabies.
No-one on my shift appears to wash hands between residents, nor change gloves between residents. New gloves aren't put on even after removing a soiled brief.
Briefs with feces and urine in them are tossed on the floor and picked up later on.
I don't know if the management knows or cares about any of this. I kind of think that some of them do know.
I want to know if this is typical of the nursing profession and I will need to develop a higher tolerance in order to work in the field or if these are indeed unusual behaviors.
