Nursing Home ABUSE...TOWARDS STAFF!

[NsgRx27]

I am fed up with my 1st nursing job at a nursing home!!! As a new LPN, I don't know what's legal or not and how much I should take. Here's the 411 with this facility....any help/suggestions????

* 40 Residents, 1 LPN (me), 4 CNS's. I can't comprehend how they (Administration) want me to give AM meds (many of which are crushed, do Finger Sticks, Give injections, Do treatments, AND WORK THE DESK ALL IN 8 hours! Working the desk = picking up orders, like D/C this, start that, write up this consult, do that labwork, etc. Is it just me or is this insane??????

Also, I feel for the CNA's because there are times when there are 4 CNA's instead of 5 in the AM shift...that's 10 total care for each CNA....is that cool? Not too concerned about them since they manage to leave at 2:59pm but is this the norm for PT/CNA Ratio?

Speaking of ratios, how can I find out if 40 Residents for 1 LPN is acceptable? Sure, I'm not bathing them, but do EVERYTHING else for them ...AM MEDS & TX ARE A LOT TO DEAL WITH, aside from ppwk. And when the Md comes in , forget about it.... Keep in mind I don't get paid past 3pm :angryfire.....HELP!!!!!

[nurseinlimbo]

It's the norm where I work, 1 nurse to 50 patients is the highest ratio I have worked, with 5 PCAs on the day shift, and 3 8hr pcas on the evening shift, with 2 more that work until 9pm. Nights was 2 PCAs and an RN.

It depends on the acuity level of your patients, but this is not an unusual ratio.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

40 patients is 12 minutes per patient, if you don't take any breaks, and you don't answer the phone, or take off orders, or walk down the hall, etc.

How many of your patients have med passes that can be done in 12 minutes or less?

If you added treatments, can you still do up any of those patients in less than 12 minutes?

If say, 1 in 10 asks you for something that would take only 5 minutes extra, and that happens twice a day....do you say "no, wait for the CNA" or do you just do it. Since you're working so hard you take 20 minutes to inhale lunch....that's an hour. Now you've got only 10 minutes per patient.

Do the math- this job is physically impossible. Until administration learns simple math you are SOL. And now you know why you feel inadequate and rushed every time you go to work.

I wouldn't stay.

[sharpeimom]

RUN! and don't look back over your shoulder cuz sommethin' might be gainin' on ya...

sharpeimom:paw::paw: