CapeCodMermaid

I’m an RN and have been working in SNFs for most of my career. I’m certified in gerontology. I thought the test was easy and honestly it didn’t get me anything except a few more initials after my name. Get all the experience you can.

Can’t even get a job at a LTC? That’s pretty insulting to those of us who work in that field

I’ll try reposting

I worked in a town where the nurses on the MED SURG floors refused anyone who needed to be suctioned... they had 5 patients but people who work in LTACs or nursing homes are expected to do this and more with far less staff. Something has to change!

What do all y’all do if a resident has RSV? My facility seems to be making a huge deal about something that isn’t much worse than the common cold.

Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to use medication aides in Massachusetts. All the studies I've read indicate that med techs/aides make far fewer medication errors than licensed staff because all they do is pass meds. They don't do treatments, they don't transcribe orders, they don't have to deal with irate family members or rehab staff wanting certain people to have their meds early. Certainly not every long term resident needs a full assessment every day and they should be fine with getting their meds from a tech.

If someone has CDIFF, we've usually put them in a private room. The new 'thing' seems to be to cohort with someone without CDIFF. We're having a discussion at work....the policy states the person WITH CDIFF uses the commode and the other person uses the bathroom. I don't think that makes sense since you now have to empty the commode somewhere. You either empty it in the bathroom and contaminate it or you carry the nasty CDIFF down the hall to the dirty utility room and empty it there. I think, logically speaking, the person with the CDIFF should use the bathroom. Everything flushes and there is less chance of cross contamination. Anyone want to comment?

We have 'proper' staffing. Perhaps if they came on time or didn't call out they'd have more time for fun.

The staff where I work always complain that they are not having any fun. We started a fun committee which was horrible...too many lists and votes. So a few of us got together for a real fun committee and planned a whole week of fun things for the staff. Day one--pajama day. So...maybe 15 people dressed in pjs. We had a Christmas caroling group...10 people signed up then 8 of them said they were too busy. Are we shoveling you know what against the tide? We're trying to have easy, cheap ways to have fun and people don't participate...but, boy, do they complain.

Years ago I worked as a nurse manager for a very busy sub acute unit. I had that role for 4 years. A supervisor job opened up so I applied. I was very well qualified for the job. The DON told me point blank she wasn't going to give me the job because she 'couldn't afford to lose me as a sub acute manager' and she didn't think she'd be able to find a replacement as good as I was. I told her point blank that I had no intentions of spending the rest of my career as a unit manager so I would be looking elsewhere. Less than a week later, I was offered a better position elsewhere and left. The DON called me 4 times and begged me to come back. I went back, got the supervisor job, and a raise. I hadn't wanted to leave there because I lived 1.5 miles away, but sometimes you just have to make the leap. I was lucky. When I became a DON, I never refused to promote a qualified person just because it would leave a spot for me to fill.

What method do all y'all teach for determining placement to patients going home with a GTube? I have a guy going home soon who has a trache and a gtube. He sails through trache care but is worried about the tube feeds. He barely reads so printed instructions or anything like that won't work. I'm thinking KISS....just have him listen for the whoosh when he shoots some air in the tube....we did it that way for years. Any ideas? PS....he's going to be living in a boarding house

At all my other buildings, Santa was there to hand out a gift to every resident. As the defacto house photographer, it was my job to take a picture of every resident with Santa. My eyeballs were leaky that day....they may be 98 years old, but their faces light up when they see Santa.

I work in a SNF and though customer service is important, we don't let residents or family members yell at us. I've had more than one irate family member scream in my face. I say: "You have two choices. You can leave or I can call the police and they will escort you out." I'm all for trying to fix issues, but don't raise you voice to me or the staff.

Does anyone have a copy of the latest McGeer's criteria to share? I've done a quick web search but only find articles about it, not a check list of what makes an infection an infection.

Maybe one of the moderators could move this post to a more appropriate spot.