Vonique

Update: Thanks everyone for all your comments and suggestions. Things have worked out well. I never had to call the DON as my dad has been getting his showers every week, as scheduled. It turns out I didn't have to worry after all (but who doesn't worry about their elderly parents, right?). What made me jump the gun in assuming this would turn out to be an issue is the excuse from the cna "I forgot", and it was a red flag to me so I got on hyper alert. Just as I would be if one of my cna's where I work said that. And as many of you mentioned, residents will sometimes forget or inaccurately report things, and he is almost 88 years old! So I had to take that into consideration. And besides, LTC has been my career just about my whole life and I know only too well what the staff are going through so I tend to want to give a wide berth. But it's good to get professional opinions when I'm on the "other side" for once. Thanks again to all!

I know its a bad idea to resist arrest but this situation is so outrageous and you can see/hear/feel this poor nurse's fear and even terror. I was feeling it just watching this video. I don't blame her for screaming and resisting. I would have done the same thing and I'm still upset for her. I feel her resisting arrest was justified because the arrest was so unjustified!

Well my sister is dealing with it cause she lives in the same state as the nursing home (15 minute car ride), but she is hesitant like me to complain. Cause so far he has had pretty good care. My sister is going to contact the ombudsman but we don't want to get anyone in trouble. Just get information. Where I work we require the residents to be showered at least twice a week and when we get inspected they look closely at the shower books. So, I doubt there's a law, but maybe just a "standard" of care. But I live six states away.

I have always thought being a DON is a hell job and would never even consider putting myself through that in a million years. I see what the DONs at my facility go through and they never last more than a couple of years. One time we went through four in six months. Good luck! Hope you find something really great!

Is there a rule/law/guidance/statute that dictates how many showers a week a resident should get? At my nursing home we have to give 2 showers a week to each one but my Dad is in a nursing home in another state and he practically has to beg to get one every other week. Today, again, he did not get his shower. The CNA told him she "forgot'. I told him he should report it to the nurse but he doesn't want to complain and cause trouble. I'm hesitating to call the home cause I don't want to make any accusations until I know what the rules are. I know there must be some governing body that determines these things but I'm not sure what it is. Thanks for any feedback!

I don't see what the point is in insulting other nurses or specialties unless it is just to get a response (however negative) and also attention. At my LTC we do trachs, central lines, and other things seen in ICU and/or MedSurg, plus a million other things. LTC is NOT lame, just different and I love it!

I like that idea!

Yes yes yes! That's it!! I can stop wracking my brain now.....thank you!!!

I'm nostalgic for the old days . Remember when they had levels in long term care. Level 1, 2, or 3??

Are there any older nurses out there from the 70s and 80s who remember an old foot care treatment for diabetics, or anyone with really dry feet, that came in a green liquid? When I first started out as a nurse I worked in a nursing home and we use to soak feet in it. It was really moisturizing and great for dryness. I haven't seen it around for a while and wonder if it is still being made or not. It was such a great product. If it is not sold any more, are there any good substitutes?

I'm so sorry CapeCodMermaid. I really didn't know what I was talking about and I apologize. I only read one post of yours and jumped to conclusions, which were wrong. But after my post I began reading more and I realize now you are definitely not part of the problem and I'm so glad that you have found a job where there seems to be some sanity. My gripe is with those administrators and DONs who will actually argue that 5 aides for 60 residents, and quite needy ones at that, is adequate staffing, and I know they don't even believe their own nonsense but are just saying it to appease us and keep their high-paying jobs. But I know that is not you. I'm soooo sorry!!! Vonique

"I will agree that some LTCs need to increase staffing, but where do you propose the $$ will come from to pay for it?" How about sharing some of the PROFITS that these greedy nursing home owners make and some of these administrative personnel who make 3 x's what nurses make and 10 times what the aides make??? YOU are part of the problem, CapeCodMermaid, because you are in a position to do something about these atrocities but you sit back and judge everyone else!!!! Shame on you!!!

GHGoonette, interesting leadership styles you pointed out. I think I remember learning about those in college. I guess they would all work in certain situations as long as a basic healthy respect for the employees were maintained. What a difficult thing to be a leader. There is no one formula, really. Where I work now, unfortunately, the DON seems to be unaware of the unrest that is being created by these tactics. No one seems happy. Maybe that is why people seem so unfriendly. Wherever I've worked there is camaraderie, but not here. So depressing. I'm starting to regret leaving my old place where the work was nonstop because at least there people smiled and talked to you. I don't know. Longterm care just does not seem like a doable job anymore.

In some ways I think it might be harder to be a supervisor and occasionally have to take the cart because you never get a chance to get a routine, plus you are responsible for everything everyone does or doesn't do. I was a supervisor in a 200 bed facility and if I hadn't had the great staff I had, it could have been a terrible job. Good luck.

"Borrowing" meds from another resident is wrong so I can see why she was upset when the trainer did it, but at the same time, if you take the time to go through all the steps (circling with explanation, calling pharmacy, writing incident report, calling the doctor for one time hold order, etc.) you'd be there all day and night and never give out a single medication. Well, I'm exaggerating, of course, but that is the way it is where I work. There are at least five or six residents out of meds every time I work. I don't even have time to give out all the meds I have to give out much less carry out all the aforementioned steps when that happens. At one nursing home I worked, one nurse was responsible for reordering (on nights) and that really worked out the best. When everyone is responsible for pulling the little paper on the med card when it should be reordered, then no one is responsible and it is too easy to just skip it.