paulla29

I would pick an issue that has personally affected you. If anyone should ask why you chose to write about what you did, you could say it is something that has touched your life..... Good luck.

Wow. You are right, your Mom would not be there if she didn't need help. Maybe some homes are like that, but not the one I work for. If the nursing assistants do not give their residents care, as their charge nurse on the floor, I WILL take corrective action with them. As they are "my" residents, I make sure care is given, meals are eaten, I even follow up to find out how much is eaten at each meal. I don't just take their word for it, I actually go around the dining room or into their rooms to check. I've also dated and timed briefs/depends and went back to check periodically to make sure they have been toileted and changed. It blows my mind that the ADON acted like that, and that the DON hasn't reponded yet. My guess is that they know incompetent care is being given, and don't have any answers or methods of resolution for you. I would investigate other nursing homes in your area. If that's not a possibility, KEEP COMPLAINING. Keep calling the DON, keep on the nurses also, as it's their responsibility as well to make sure care is given. Talk to the administrator. Call their corporate office if you don't get anywhere, or the state ombudsman. Best of luck getting the issues resolved.

Where I'm at, on day shift we have 25 residents. The night nurse on the back wing has both wings, for a total of 50. Management doesn't seem to get it, even though we've all told them again and again that the acuity is higher than it has ever been, and safe care cannot be given. It all boils down to the all mighty dollar. It is not right.

We have the same problem at our facility. Management is currently trying to change med times, and 3rd shift nursing duties so they have more time in the AM to get their med passes done. I would not let anyone else "share" my cart either. My name is on the narcotic shift log as being responsible for everything there while I have the keys. If, god forbid, a narc came up missing, guess who's backside they'd be after?

In Ohio, we need 24 hours of CE every two years. I do mine by home study. If you do an online search, there are providers you can order the book and test through, and mail the test in when finished for grading. I usually spend about $30-$50 dollars to get 24-30 hours, which covers what is needed. Just make sure whoever you order it through is recognized by your BON as a provider of CEU's.

In my facility, on one hall, the day shift nurse arrives at 6am to get the 3.5-4 hour med pass started. (no, that wasn't a typo, it takes that long). On the other halls, night shift has a good sized med pass, then when day shift comes in at 7am, they turn right around and do more meds. I am also interested in finding out other's ideas. I'm not a doc, but I believe a lot of our LTC patients take waaaaayyy too many meds. I don't know what could be taken off of day shift's load.....the majority of the time, we are dealing with doc's, phone calls, pharmacy and families, and assessments while trying to catch the patient before the therapy dept. does.......

I don't think the poster included all that went on (what she did herself), I think she was trying to explain her point. I work in LTC and sadly, I have to agree that too many times, there are nurses that send the res. out without doing any interventions. As for our nursing home, we do not have inhouse supplies to start IV's nor do we have cardiac monitors, but the O2 is readily available. I've actually witnessed another nurse send a diabetic res. to the ER because she wasn't responding well. As you may guess, she didn't even check her blood sugar (even when told to) and when she got to the hospital and they checked it, it was over 500.:angryfire Sometimes I am just speechless.

An hour to FtWayne/Toledo/Lima....do you live in the Defiance area? That's where I am. Who have you applied to, if you don't mind me asking? The LTC facility I'm at is always hiring for PRN (PRN has higher wages than hiring in as a regular staff). It'd be good to get your foot in the door and then when a full time position opens, you'd have a better chance at it.

Hi all. I have been an LPN for 13 years, currently taking two prereq classes for the LPN to RN transition. I'm also working full time and am a single mom of two teenagers. My problem.....believe it or not, is not at home. I am majorly burn out at work. I feel sick just thinking about going, and I know I have a really bad attitude right now. What it boils down to, I can honestly say that I do not care anymore, about my patients, my coworkers, or even if I have a job to pay the bills..... so much cr*p has happened at work, I know that's why I feel the way I do. I've started on an antidepressant. I feel trapped there. Do I stay miserable and make good money or go somewhere else and take a huge pay cut and suffer financially? I have been seriously searching out my options, and for LPN's in my area, it's pretty much another nursing home. I need ideas on how to get over this funk. I do not have any vacation time to take some time to get away. Even feeling the way I do, getting mandatoried over frequently definitely does not help. I do not even want the hours I got. I am fighting the urge to turn in my resignation because I do not have anything else lined up yet. I am open to any suggestions anyone may have. Maybe I'm looking at this with blinders on.

My facility has a written policy that if we are off the clock, we are not to be on the floor working. Another reason for a write up.

Years ago when my two were little (3 and a newborn), I turned on Barney. Yes, I know everybody hates him, but my 3 year old loved him and would sit without moving the entire time he was on. I recorded a bunch of his programs and replayed them whenever I needed to study. God bless Barney!!

This happens all the time at the facility I work at. Our relief is occasionally late also. Even though we have three management nurses none of them will take report and count narcs so we can get out of there. The late nurse is never reprimanded either. Most times breaks are unable to be taken, we are too swamped. All the time you're rushing around to get everything done, we have management standing right there, saying "make sure you punch out on time!" Many times I have told them then maybe you'd like to help us with our work? Pick up just a few tasks would be a big help. They would actually laugh and walk away. So now, when they say that, I tell them what needs done yet, and ask them which tasks do you want done the most, because that's all I will have time for. I know it's important for everything to be done. Facility policy is that the next shift is supposed to take care of anything that isn't done by the prior shift, but this is never done. It is so frustrating.

In their time, the elderly didn't bathe daily, but I would go with what a few others said and make sure she "washes up" every day and does the full bath 2-3 times a week. Is she confused at all? Some times at work, it's how we approach them...if we say (nicely) it's time to go take a shower now, instead of asking "are you ready to take your shower?" because many times when you "ask", they say no, but if you encourage and say let's go, they will go. As for her clothes, when she changes into her bedclothes, you can confiscate:lol2: her dirty clothes and wash them. Are you there with her when she uses her needles? After seeing those pics of used needles, I would make sure she gave me the one she used. Easier said than done I'm sure! You're an angel for the care you're giving her....many elderly aren't that lucky to have someone that is able to do that for them.

It's my understanding that yes, a nurse can lose his/her license.

Thank you for all the replies. After I've had a little time to sit and think about it, I'm most upset at myself for having let myself hope that things would turn out differently than they have for so many others. I will let him know my feelings, professionally of course; and will bide my time until I can go elsewhere.