bjlyst

this doesn't start off as something good that happened, but the finish is exceptional... i am the supervising charge nurse for a 126 bed long term care home. most of our patients are either bed bound, confused, alzheimers, or just plan over 90 and old. i also work the night shift and my staff consists of one other lvn, and six cna's, two in the lockdown unit that aren't suppose to leave that unit for any reason at night. two months ago, while working, one of the clothes dryers caught fire. something to do with the wiring. as the supervising nurse, its my responsibility when something happens, to make sure everyone is doing their job correctly and that the proper dept. are notified. so, i announced the fire, and where it was, we contained the fire and the cna's hit it with six fire extingushers, until the fire dept. arrived. the fire dept. said evucate the building. its dark outside, we evucate to the front parking lot, which has a very large hill going down to the main road. its cold, about 40 degrees. and i have 4 cna's i can work with. so, i gave the order to start moving my floor to the main courtyard, and west side to the front parking lot. we started moving, i called the administrator and laundry head, the fire dept cancelled the evucation. but in less that 45 minutes, we had 45 patients, up; in wheelchairs, wrapped to keep warm and out of the building and then back into their beds. by the time the administrator got here from home we were moving back in and it took him 25 minutes to get to the facility. now if that isn't some kind of team working record, i don't know what is. i was so proud of my staff, for working so well and doing what i said and and what they knew to do.

just remember as you give up your nursing license, and the ability to make more than $8:00 an hour. in the movie from rainman, where tom cruise tells dustin hofman, k-mart sucks. well, so does walmart. they treat their employees badly, and they don't give anything back. its pretty much the same no matter what profession you work in, and the medical profession isn't easy. but unless you plan on owning your own business, you'll always have to put up with the front office or buricatic bull----. just like now. try, leaving acute care and going into some other part of nursing. or go to a different shift. sometimes, all it takes is a change of pace. if not for you, then i wish you well at walmart(wally world), and we'll miss you. you didn't really get into nursing for the glory or money did you? think about what your goal was when you decided to become a nurse. then think about why you can't fulfill that goal.

i'm not sure where you get your information. but, here's a reality for you. if you go to work and clock on, then turn around and leave, it is considered abandioning your patients. which is against the law. which means that you loose your job and probably your license, which in turn makes staffing even shorter. i don't know about anyone else, but when my bosses know they are short for my shift, they let me clock in, then they tell me that i'll be working the full 126 patients alone.

thanks for your input. but, my original question was the ratios for long term facilities and lvn's. since the facility i work for has only 3 rn's doing patient care. the rest of us are lvn's. i have another thought for you; if the ratio law is going to be less in 2008, where are these nurses going to come from. calif. has such a nursing shortage that i don't see the number of patients i am responsible for going anywhere but up.

i work in oroville, ca. that's about an hour from sac. i have worked the same long term care facility for the past 8 years. i make 23.00 an hour with a shift diff. and we are working on getting a raise. i have a friend who works in yuba city, and he makes 26.00, as a supervisor. i work long hours, 12 hr. shifts. but, if your interested we are hiring and desperate for nurses. you won't make 23 to start. good luck in your search. and remember that the hospital both acute and long term are short everywhere, so you can ask for alot more than they offer

in reply to the ratios law. yes, it can work but, the nurses have to refuse to take more than what the law allows. no facility or hospital in calif. is going to stick to the law if they know that one or more nurses will take on more than the law allows. it isn't their license that goes on the line. and every nurse out there is replaceable, and your chances of winning if you are personnally sued aren't good because you have your word against the hospital. and they have been covering their numbers for a long time. so, just remember, the next time you get stuck with more than the law allows. report it. write it down, and turn them in, the law only works if we all work the law.

i read recently in the nurses notes; pt. alert and oriented, "may he rest in peace."

it seems to me that you are all rn's talking about acute care hospitals. can anyone tell me what the ratios are for skilled or long term care facilities. because i'm an lvn who works in long term care, as a charge nurse/supervisor on the night shift. i have 74 patients that i am responsible for, plus the security and well being of the patients and building on the other floor at night.