LCPHrn

We have 7 Nursing Assistants, 3 Restorative NACs, 2 Bathaids on Dayshift + 1-2 paid feeding assistants for NAC support. Evenings we have 6 NACs, 1-2 feeding assistants.

As a DON in a 68 bed facility-I feel the generalization of Nursing Home staffing offensive. I have been here 20 years. We continue to be a 5 star facility, and our staffing is ABOVE the industry norm. We have 28 Nurses, 24 of them RNs. We have had surrounding facilities tell us we "over staff" and make it bad for the rest of them. I AM management. I set the staffing. We have 4 nurses on days and evening shift. We have concentrated on DECREASING the number of medications our residents receive, because polypharmacy is the actual issue, not staffing. If I am 97 years old, DO NOT put me on a cholesterol medication, multiple blood pressure medications, antidepressants and multiple vitamins. Please do not color all Nursing Homes with the same pen, we are not the same.

There was just a ruling re; this in a LTC facility on the East Coast, the NAC won a judgement against the LTC facility. He claimed it was discrimination that he as a male couldn't care for a female resident-even though it was her request. The judge agreed with the NAC and the lawsuit was in his favor. The judge stated "resident rights don't over-rule discrimination". We had to go through mandatory training with our risk managment company for this because they say it is the newest addition to the discrimination rules. If a lawyer can file it-it will happen.

Does anyone else have a problem with over aggressive therapists? Why is it that speech therapy always wants to do swallow evals and barium swallows on everyone in the building, including those on hospice? Why is it physical therapy wants to do therapy for ambulation on someone bed bound for 2+ years? I am so tired of being the bad guy for telling them I think they are abusing the system! HELP!! Any suggestions on how to tackfully deal with this problem?????