I work at a LTC facility and it is so very frustrating; the day starts at 6am and ends at 2:30pm. I take care of 23 patients and for those 23 pt I have 2 aids that are expected to get those people up, shaved, face washed, dressed, changed and teeth brushed in two hours. Night shift gets up one person because by 6am she is crawling out of bed. I am expected to be in the dining room to help feed at 8:00am, never mind the hellish med pass I am trying to get done so I am in "compliance". I also have BS, skin checks, dressing changes (we dont have a Tx/wound nurse), PRN meds, creams and Tx to administer. Needless to say I am usually late getting to the dining room and the aids are busting their butts to get everyone up.I do what I can to help my aids; laying people down, getting them up, toileting, shaving...etc. I brought it to managements attention that if we had an additional aid from 6-10 that would help us get people up, ready, in the dining room and fed, and laid back down after breakfast. They told me that we are "overstaffed"; apparently state minimum requirements are acceptable. We have patients that dont get turned ( I try to keep up with it), skin is breaking down and cares are not getting done. I am ready to rip my hair out and say what is wrong with you people!!! Cant you see that if we spent an extra $30 a day on an extra aid it would save HUNDREDS of dollars on wound care????? Not to mention our reputation would actually get better and people would want to come live here....(((((headdesk)))) Is it just me or do other nursing homes run like this? With a skeleton crew and saving a few pennies at the expense of good care?
Does anyone have any ideas about how to run a nursing home not only efficiently but so that people are well taken care of?
I have also been offered a job at a hospital but its a huge paycut and I will be barely scraping by financially, but I will have my sanity...
