OMG!! You guys are right!

[banditrn]

When you advise some people to leave bad LTCF's!! I'm SO glad right now that I just left the place that I did!

I just talked to the day RN there, and the place has been turned into state for resident abuse. It's a situation that went from bad to worse - an arrogant CNA did not follow orders to use a pivot board with this one LOL, and afterwards she complained of pain.

The lady has dementia, and she ALWAYS complains of leg pain. The nurse checked her out as well as she could - lady isn't real cooperative - then had to go on to other residents. She reported it to evenings, who were supposed to report it to nites. She also reported it to the DON, who was supposed to go look at it. At 5:30 the next morning the nite nurse discovered that the leg was red and swollen clear down to her ankle!! They sent her to the ER, where it was discovered she had a spiral fracture, and the ER doc turned them in to DHS.

I KNOW the day RN there is an excellent and caring nurse, but she also is so overloaded with work - and as I told her, hindsite is better than foresite!! She said her charting over the whole thing was not the best, but there's nothing she can do about it now.

The CNA who caused the injury was fired - should have been fired long ago, she's had so many write-ups.

The nurse feels badly, but she's also worried what will happen to her. She said that the DON is already trying to lay the blame on her!!

My thought is - I can't believe this leg just 'suddenly' became red and swollen at 5:30 the next morning! I wonder if the next two shifts even looked at it?

I told my friend to sit down and document everything that she remembered about the whole thing while it was fresh in her mind - and to get the HECK outa there!!

[Simplepleasures]

Well all I can say is I hope that you find the LTC facility of your dreams. I know SO many nurses that have job hopped and hopped and hopped over the years to only find out that one place may be slightly better thatn the other or the other place was actually better than the one they are in now. What is going on in LTC is pervasive, called corporate greed. Wouldnt we LTC nurses be better served to try to change the system rather than "RUN FOREST RUN"?

[gr8rnpjt, RN]

I am in agreement that you did the right thing to get out! Lucky it wasn't you getting blamed for this! Your advise to your friend to write everything down is imperitive. She needs to make it clear to the higher ups that when she checked the pt, nothing was seen, the LOL always c/o leg pain, and that she did pass it on to the next shift who did not pass it on. and what does their documentation look like (the subsequent nurses). If they are looking for a scapegoat, they cannot bring her down with out taking down every other nurse since the incident that did not do anything.

[banditrn]

Well all I can say is I hope that you find the LTC facility of your dreams. I know SO many nurses that have job hopped and hopped and hopped over the years to only find out that one place may be slightly better thatn the other or the other place was actually better than the one they are in now. What is going on in LTC is pervasive, called corporate greed. Wouldnt we LTC nurses be better served to try to change the system rather than "RUN FOREST RUN"?

I believe the new one I find will be a better fit - at least I hope so. If not, I'm done with nursing. :) I'm going to find that nice little job at Blockbuster Video or something.

I agree, at least in part, with some of what you say about nurses organizing - BUT I've been a member of a union, and saw union greed and politics exchanged for corporate.

You don't know me, and don't know the fights I tried to lead for the hospital for a bunch of apathetic nurses who wanted someone else to do the dirty work - while their jobs stayed nice and safe. Nope, I've fought my fights, done my battles, and I'm finished with it!

I argued and fought with the DON at the last LTCF that I just left, but it was useless - and altho the other nurses were in full agreement, they wouldn't step up and fight for themselves. I'm not going thru there, what I went thru at the hospital - I've had enough!

[banditrn]

I am in agreement that you did the right thing to get out! Lucky it wasn't you getting blamed for this! Your advise to your friend to write everything down is imperitive. She needs to make it clear to the higher ups that when she checked the pt, nothing was seen, the LOL always c/o leg pain, and that she did pass it on to the next shift who did not pass it on. and what does their documentation look like (the subsequent nurses). If they are looking for a scapegoat, they cannot bring her down with out taking down every other nurse since the incident that did not do anything.

Thanks, that was what I was thinking, too. I don't know, didn't think to ask her if she'd charted ROM with that leg, and if it was different than usual.

[Simplepleasures]

I believe the new one I find will be a better fit - at least I hope so. If not, I'm done with nursing. :) I'm going to find that nice little job at Blockbuster Video or something.

I agree, at least in part, with some of what you say about nurses organizing - BUT I've been a member of a union, and saw union greed and politics exchanged for corporate.

You don't know me, and don't know the fights I tried to lead for the hospital for a bunch of apathetic nurses who wanted someone else to do the dirty work - while their jobs stayed nice and safe. Nope, I've fought my fights, done my battles, and I'm finished with it!

I argued and fought with the DON at the last LTCF that I just left, but it was useless - and altho the other nurses were in full agreement, they wouldn't step up and fight for themselves. I'm not going thru there, what I went thru at the hospital - I've had enough!

I hope you find a good fit, really you sound like a very strong fair minded person. I too was very dismayed by the lack of nurses who wouldn't step up and fight for themselves, yes there is much apathy from nurses, I wonder why, could it be they are so overwhelmed by the stresses of the job, there is just nothing left over to fight with? I cant figure it out. As for the union, do you think it would be a better union if it were a large powerful one , maybe like the California Nurses ?

[banditrn]

Ingelein - you're right, I've developed a strong personality over the years - I remember when that was a desired trait in the ICU where I worked - now management doesn't want my kind of personality around.

I'm a patient advocate - but I hate ANY kind of injustice, and won't stand by and meekly watch it happen. I've stood up for my co-workers, but also doc's, housekeepers, etc. I hate to see 'higher-ups' pushing people around - just because they can.

I know nothing about the California nurses union, so I can't speak for them. But I have a distrust for all unions that was formed over the years - and not just because of the union I belonged to.

IMHO - you will get the same types of personalities leading a big union as you get in any corporate leader. Without some oversite, it can lead to greed and abuse. Sometimes, as with some corporate healthcare, the money doesn't stay where it should.

But I don't know of any good alternatives - we do need a VOICE tho.

[Simplepleasures]

Ingelein - you're right, I've developed a strong personality over the years - I remember when that was a desired trait in the ICU where I worked - now management doesn't want my kind of personality around.

I'm a patient advocate - but I hate ANY kind of injustice, and won't stand by and meekly watch it happen. I've stood up for my co-workers, but also doc's, housekeepers, etc. I hate to see 'higher-ups' pushing people around - just because they can.

I know nothing about the California nurses union, so I can't speak for them. But I have a distrust for all unions that was formed over the years - and not just because of the union I belonged to.

IMHO - you will get the same types of personalities leading a big union as you get in any corporate leader. Without some oversite, it can lead to greed and abuse. Sometimes, as with some corporate healthcare, the money doesn't stay where it should.

But I don't know of any good alternatives - we do need a VOICE tho.

Hmmm... this got me thinking, should we be pushing for a union that is run by the government? Is there such a thing in private healthcare, I know there are state and federal unions for their employees.Does England, Australia or Canada have unions that are regulated by the government??I agree that if corruption is rampant in private union organizations, I would not trust them either,So it looks like Im back to square one, What is the answer??

[banditrn]

Hmmm... this got me thinking, should we be pushing for a union that is run by the government? Is there such a thing in private healthcare, I know there are state and federal unions for their employees.Does England, Australia or Canada have unions that are regulated by the government??I agree that if corruption is rampant in private union organizations, I would not trust them either,So it looks like Im back to square one, What is the answer??

I'm not saying ALL unions are like this - but a major proportion of them are. You have to make up your OWN mind, tho! My opinions are just that - MY opinions.

And, please, hasn't the government screwed up enough with medicare, medicade, etc. Do we really want them governing the healthcare workers?

A union may be all we can hope for now - I just hate for anyone to be blind to the abuses that a lot of Unions have spread.

Don't give up the fight, my friend - YOUR voice is important!! :)

[ns lpn]

I feel terrible for your co-worker. I think a lot of similar instances happen in LTC because of the way it's set up, and I bet in a lot of cases they go unnoticed b/c the resident has no one advocating for them. It really sucks that when these things happen everyone wants to point a finger at one person, when it is blantantly clear that no one person is at fault. Was that resident not cared for by any CNA's in all those shifts - did they not notice or report it - did the other nurses forget or get to busy as well? and why???? I'm not saying it's the CNA's fault or the RN's but why is it just one person when this persons failing condition obviously covered more than one shift?

[Simplepleasures]

And, please, hasn't the government screwed up enough with medicare, medicade, etc. Do we really want them governing the healthcare workers?

A union may be all we can hope for now - I just hate for anyone to be blind to the abuses that a lot of Unions have spread.

Don't give up the fight, my friend - YOUR voice is important!! :)

Yes I do think you are right about having more government interventions , that is a bit scary.

[Maedele]

I feel terrible for your co-worker. I think a lot of similar instances happen in LTC because of the way it's set up, and I bet in a lot of cases they go unnoticed b/c the resident has no one advocating for them. It really sucks that when these things happen everyone wants to point a finger at one person, when it is blantantly clear that no one person is at fault. Was that resident not cared for by any CNA's in all those shifts - did they not notice or report it - did the other nurses forget or get to busy as well? and why???? I'm not saying it's the CNA's fault or the RN's but why is it just one person when this persons failing condition obviously covered more than one shift?

The only way we can protect ourselves is with documentation and in as much detail as possible. I document that I reported to the oncoming nurse and often state that nurse's name. It depends on the facility's policy whether you can use a name or not.

The DON or facility administrator are often (not always) the last persons willing to support their nurses when things go "wrong", but they sure are willing to baste in compliments received about their nurses.

Good luck and all the best to your friend.