sheneeg

I have been thinking about taking a nurse consultant job to the Polaris Group. I have professional acquaintance that have worked for them so I know the basics of travel and overall job duties. I want to see if anyone here has worked as a consultant and knows what salary range I should ask for. I don't wasn't to cut myself short, but I don't was to go too high. I have been an RN for 13 years with acute and long term care experience. I was in the DON role for 9 years. I currently work for a LTC pharmacy and educated LTC nurses in a tri-state area. I am used to travel and working in multi-locations. I just am not sure wat to ask for as far as pay, but the acquaintances I have are professional and I would feel it's inappropriate to ask what the made in the position. If anyone has been a consultant and has a range that would be helpful.

How long is the training for LTC Surveyor?

CNAs can observe and report but they can not assess. For example, a CNA can observe the skin and tell you that during their shower Mrs. X had something abnormal on her bottom, but a nurse must assess the skin and determine if there is a wound, rash, etc.

First of all I'm glad that you are ok. Secondly this would have been a reportable to the state, where I come from. This outburst and physical aggression could have been directed at anyone, including another resident. In Arkansas we call the police for every state reportable as mandated by our state. So, for us, yes the police would have been called. The resident would have been put on one-on-one, to ensure he didn't hurt anyone else. most likely he would go to a Geri psych for eval and admission. As for what he did to you as a whole, unfortunately there are very few, if any protections for staff. All the steps I mentions above would have been done to protect the other residents and not the staff. I have been and also had staff that have been hit, cursed, spit on, stuff thrown at, and all sorts of assaults that in the "real world" would land a person in jail. But for us, the caregivers, we have no recourse. I have had my nurses call the police for an out of control resident. The police may have spoke to him and tell him to not do that again, but that would be about it.

In my state the DON removes DCd narcs off the cart with another nurse and we send them into the state for destruction. Either way, you need to find out your facility protocol. Go to you DON and ask her what the steps are for removal. If the meds are still on the cart when you Pharmacy Consultant comes in let him know. He will put that in his report. Those reports go to the DON and Admin and in some cases cooperate. That info being added to his report will light a fire under someone. If they are still there when he comes back, tell him again. The consultant will light a fire under someone to get them off. And as the others have said. Giving the wrong med is a nursing error, no matter the situation. Yes the meds should be taken off the cart, but if nurses are giving them, they are NOT reading their MAR. Almost all med errors can be prevented by regain the MAR and reading the med label, which is a part of your 5 rights and a requirement, but often times either not done or just skimmed over when a med error happens.

I have gone from paper to PCC before. Change is never easy, but once you learn the system you will love PCC. No more digging through stacks of papers or going through chart after chart to see that everything has been done. It will all be available to you in your dashboard and reports you can easily run. PCC will alert you of documentation not completed. You can schedule assessments to automatically trigger for each shift, or once a week, or whenever they need to be done. Seeing any skips on your MARs and TARs are easy. Making sure the CNAs chart their ADLs will be quick. I think your going to really like it, once you learn it.

I was a DON for several years. I was on call 24/7. As far as coming in, you have to know when enough is enough. If you work and are too tired and cause harm, you will find yourself alone in front of the BON. Your facility management will say that you should have told them you were too tired and you will face the consequences alone. You have to be your own advocate. That being said, your facility may choose to discipline you for not coming in if your on call. In my experience, if nurses switched off with me as the DON and took call, I would not have them work shift after shift. If we kept having call ins someone else would have to go in, or I would cover it. We worked as a team.