JDZ344

I know what you mean, it's sad

You do never know! I miss it a little. I worked nearly everywhere, was float pool for a while after I left my permanent job. I liked most places, but it's such hard work that it gets to you after a while even when you can choose your own hours and where you work!

So, after working for several years as a NA, today was my last shift :) I had been working PRN for a time, and then I just decided I can't do it any more. So I managed to get a retail job that pays around the same amount. I am to start next week. I am kind of sad, but it was time for me to take a break. Maybe I will come back to healthcare, I don't know yet. At least I have a 9-5 "normal" job, now, no more early starts or late finishes! So I am out of here! Hats off to all you people that can stay in the field for long times!

I am truly fortunate in that I have experienced possible maximum 5/10. I can't even imagine a 10/10 pain. I can't imagine wanting to talk, certainly not to be eating.

Just walking down the street, minding your own business is very dangerous.

good luck! Ireland is a beautiful country.

Unfortunately, the nature of LTC is that it is chronically short staffed. Exactly how long had you been working before you were "left to get on with it"? I know the frustrations of taking a long time on one person in LTC while you still have another 11+ to deal with. Re: Night checks. You don't necessarily have to wake a person to check them. For example, one of the wards I worked on had a no briefs at night rule. You can check them just by lifting the sheets. And for turning, I position them on their side around 10pm. Around midnight-1am I remove the pillow at their back so they naturally roll over onto their back. Then I just have to wake them at 2am to give them a turn- and its just a roll and to place a pillow. Of course if they need changing at midnight, I change and turn them to the other side (so that the next time I can just pull the pillow out again...). But some wards allow us to turn every 4 hours at night instead of every 2, so that people can get some sleep.

We wash the hand, no alcohol pad.

I once read of a family of boys named Ringo Starr, Mickjagger and Elvis. In RL, my brother knows a girl named Tequila.

In my hospital, it depends what ward I work on, most places the nurses do them before they give the insulin, only on one is it 100% the assistants job.

In my place, that would get the aide into trouble, although the nurse would also be in trouble, because they are meant to check the paper charts every 2 hours and initial to acknowledge they have noted the vitals.

Wow, I can't believe not one other person will help you. Is it other aides or nurses who are not helping? Some patients are impossible to roll alone if they will not co-operate or are heavy. I don't really have any tips to help with that. I would look for a new job.

I can have 4-16 patients, depending on which unit I work on. With 4 being organised is easy, with 16 not it's hard. So I will be interested to know how you all manage it, too.

Words fail me, really.

What if the request is something else entirely? What if they want food, or the TV changed over?