doingourbest

Cool. Where do you work? I mean not specifically; but hospital, LTC, Rehab?

:wink2:Thanks for your expression of understanding. Unfortunately, everything that you said was done. She was spoiling for a fight. The only thing I had said to her prior to her being 2 inches from my face yelling was "I am so sorry she didn't get her vitiman drink this morning. Pharmacy hasn't delivered it yet and we don't have it in the E-kit. Would you like for her to have it as soon as it arrives?" She said no she didn't want her to have it because it says once daily BEFORE BREAKFAST!!!! She would not allow anyone to rectify any situation or console her. I understand her position. My dad was diagnosed with parkinsons 30 years ago and has since fallen broken limbs gotten MRSA multiple surgeries and lost a limb to MRSA. He has been in and out of multiple nursing homes, hospitals and rehabs. He has been at 3 of them I was working at while I was working there and even after I was working there. They need to be reasonable. If they want one on one care or 5 on 1 care they need to pay for that wherever they may go. We don't have that kind of staffing. Also, I have never seen a nursing home that had an in house pharmacy. They should be happy that all they were missing was a vitiman drink that next morning. Thanks to all of the arguing and pressure we had to put on pharmacy to get her meds there immediatelly, all of the other admits didn't get any of their meds that first evening, and very few the next morning. She had all of the other new family members so upset that they were very angry and nasty and running around causing trouble themselves. When I said to one angry family member while assessing her mother; "you seem very upset, and very angry, If you will tell me what I can do to help or to make you feel better about your mother being here, I will do everything I can to help." She said well my mother has been in her pajamas all day and had her meals in bed. And actually the mother had refused to get dressed and get up. She said that she didn't know how those girls thought they were going to get those clothes on her but she had'nt worn anything but a housecoat for months. She had also not yet been evaluated by therapy for transfers so I told the cna who asked what she should do that she could not make her get up if she was refusing, particullary if we didn't know if she could transfer or needed a lift. Well this family member said but it is not nearly as awful as what they have been through. When they had really been through nothing other than missing a vitiman drink and had caused everyone else to miss real medication that they needed. It was just crazy. I kind of wonder if they came there intentionally to create a lawsuit so that they can get money. The mother is there because she is weak and needs strengthening. No real skilled diagnosis. She could get strengthening through home health. They are harming other patients by being there.

What's a tab? I thought it was a typo in the first post, but then you wrote it several more times.

better knock on wood

I too am an LPN and have met and orientated many RNs who are clueless when they get out of school as far as actual patient care. Many have never even inserted a catheter. I think it depends on what school you attend. RNs have just learned more about disease processes in school and if they were smart they can put more together about if this persons disease is this and this lab says that then this must be happening. But, nurses aren't allowed to diagnose anyway, so the RN would also be required to notify the physician about everything an LPN would. Practical nurses are just that. We know how to do the practical aspects of nursing. The physical aspects and the paperwork aspects. We do not diagnose, but neither do RNs. Nurses implement doctors orders, therapy orders, dietary orders, ect. We do not issue orders. Several of the people I have encountered who have asked if I would go back to school to be a "real nurse" have implied that they thought that practical meant the same thing as practically. So I am under the impression that a lot of it is out of ignorance. They just assume that it means you are not yet a nurse. Don't let it get to you.

We have the same kind of issues. I work in a skilled nursing unit of a long term care facility. Last night we had five admissions. One of the five had family that was on a rampage from the minute they arrived.:argue: They also recruited the family of another new arrival in their quest to destroy. This family was still on a rampage this morning and actually getting in our faces and yelling at us. They were directed to me after a coworker was trying to assist them in finding out if their mother had received her vitiman drink this morning. The family member was yelling at him that she did not receive it and the medication aid with 60 residents to pass to and 5 new admits said that she didn't remember for certain if she had gotten it but that she did not sign it so it probably wasn't there from pharmacy yet. The nurse was just looking to be certain. Then she said so you ar telling me I can't beleive anything my mother says and that she is lieing. We got a whole rampage about that and despite his protests that that was not what he meant at all, she proceeded to tell everyone she spoke to after that that he told her she couldn't beleive what her mother said. She insisted on having all of her mothers medication records right that minute and insisted that I go get the administrator from his office right that minute. I told her I would call him and tell him she wanted to speak to him. Before I had even went from her room to the nurses station, she had marched off around the corner to his office herself. Fortunately, I am at a facility where the DON and the administrator are more than willing to tell them that if they are unhappy with our services they are welcome to go somewhere else and that we will provide transportation. Unfortunately they didn't take the invitation and are taking turns with other new resident's families pressing the call lights for no reason and timing how long it takes for it to be answered. They even said that is what they are doing. They have got every one in the facility so busy explaining and proving things and giving them information that they are actually causing delayed care for their family member and everyone elses. Hopefully they will just leave so that we can actually get back to the business of taking care of people.

I also had 75 questions and passed. I felt on every question as if I were guessing. The whole "best answer" thing, you know. Apparently I chose correctly. I was pretty concerned, but I thought that since I graduated with honors from nursing school; that would be crazy for me to fail so horribly that I wouldn't get more questions than that. I mean, if you get 75 and failed that means you basically got everything wrong. Still, it worries everyone I've spoken with about it. Congrats, Shana

The owner/DON of my facility called in two of my cnas who were doing a particularly good job c many resident and family compliments and not only told them so, but gave them each ten dollars. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but it meant a lot to those cnas to be recognized for their hard work. They both really deserved it.

I hope you're joking.:uhoh21:

To me it is a sweet yet sour smell. I havn't noticed it being stronger in patients with renal failure, but I have noticed it being stronger and beginning much sooner in patients with hepatic failure. Much like how an alcoholic retains a certain smell. I have a patient who is actively dying right now, but who has been doing so for over a week. We called the family in from many states away a week ago. They were planning on coming in last friday, but we called them on wednesday saying we didn't know if she would make it that long. One of them had to get leave from the military even, so we weren't just jumping the gun. We all really thought she was going. One of the main indicators was that death smell. Not to mention BP60/40, Spo277%on 3L. This patient has renal and hepatic failure. Quit dialysis last week, but I don't think it's the kidneys that are the problem. The ascites was horrendous prior to that. Anyway, just one opinion.

Gosh! who has time to chat? I would be telling her "Sorry, but I need to focus on my work.":o

It works best for you if you maintain the same schedule(ie sleeping during the day). If you have a family, obviously that wont work for a plethera of reasons. You are fortunate it is only 5 weeks.

Night shift is horrid. Avoid it at all costs. But, generally that is where new folks start. Are you a male or female. If you are a male you have a good shot at getting a day shift position to start. You just have to go in and say that is all you will take. They will also give you however much money you say if you are a man.

You can tell someone where you live without being too specific. If it is an uncomfortable situation you can lie about where you live. I mean, I don't know where you are from, but around here there are a zillion suburbs to name, or you can say no I live about thirty minutes up north, or wherever. I certainly wouldn't say "You don't need to know that". You can maintain boundaries without appearing to do so.

I hope the aid who told the residents they couldn't drink anymore was immediatelly fired! That is horrible cruelty and against the law.