"The Nurses and HCA's will be responsible for...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Cleaning the resident rooms and bathrooms."

This line drifted to my ears in the orientation for a brand new (lovely) private LTC facility opening here soon. This is Canada - we don't really do "private" care but the gov't of the province in which I live has recently handed over LTC to private for profit companies.

I am a new graduate nurse and so am happy to find a job wherever I can... until I hear this!

They have a housekeeping staff - these staff are responsible for keeping the (carpeted) hallways and common areas clean. We've been told they don't set foot in the resident's rooms - the nurses and health care aides will be responsible for cleaning these! What?!?

I am curious if any of you have heard of this before? I mean, great facility and all - the food, decor, building, etc all new and state-of-the-art. But they're saving money by having their nursing and auxillary staff acting as housekeeping??? How does this enable the best resident care?

I think I'm going to quit before I even finish orientation. I didn't go to school for 3 years to clean toilets.

What do you think?

I tidy patient rooms when I go in - who likes a big mess? But tidying and cleaning (we got a tutorial on which rags are used on which surfaces!) are two different things.

*sigh* I am afraid this COULD be the future of nursing. I don't know - certainly seems to be for LTC. The nurses there will lose evermore respect from their colleagues if housekeeping becomes a main part of the job description.

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Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.

*sigh* I am afraid this COULD be the future of nursing. I don't know - certainly seems to be for LTC. The nurses there will lose evermore respect from their colleagues if housekeeping becomes a main part of the job description.

I don't think this is the future of Nursing. I think this is one organizations way of saving money at the expense of their nurses. Run away as fast as you can and don't look back. :nurse:

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Wow, HCA's giving meds... Sure, maybe they can ensure that the right meds go to the right patients by having them stored in their rooms (that still doesn't guarantee the right doses & times), but happens when an HCA gives dig to a patient with a pulse of 45 or a beta blocker when the BP is 85/60? What about insulin???

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Specializes in Mixed Level-1 ICU.

"Hi, my name's Mark..I'll be your nurse and task monkey today."

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Specializes in Health Information Management.

Wow. This whole scenario reminds me of the old Scooby-Doo episode where Don Knotts changes into different costumes (maid, butler, housekeeper) to do different duties and eventually gets them all mixed up because he goes crazy trying to keep up. :lol2: Trying to juggle competing duties is usually a recipe for disaster and what they're asking is demeaning as well as demanding. Go with your gut and run!

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I think the Eden Alternative is a great direction for LTC BUT for real? Housekeeping duties? I'm all for pitching in and cleaning some messes, but not every cleaning function. Nope...no way.

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Specializes in LTC.

Run far away.

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This place is screwed up... the UAPs (HCAs) give meds and the nurses do housekeeping

Um, yeah that sure won't cause any problems. /sarcasm if they're not going to hire liscenced personell to do liscenced tasks why not just hire housekeepers and teach them to chart, that'll save even more money.

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I'm not sure how facility accreditation works in Canada, but I'd be tempted to look into reporting the facility so they are investigated for having unlicensed personnel giving meds.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

Congrats on passing and getting a job!! I remember PMing with you when you were still looking into school! :nurse:

Anyways, take the casual in acute care and RUN FAR AWAY from the LTC you are talking about. They will just add more non nursing duties to your job description as time goes on.

I love having union protection. Build seniority within your health region and then apply for NURSING positions as they come up. I don't remember where in Alberta you live, but from what I hear both online and IRL from 2 friends who have moved to Calgary recently, there are LPN jobs in acute care.

Best of luck! :)

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Thanks Ogopogo - I can't believe how the time seems to have flown. I am so happy to nearly be done, I know that a casual position is a foot in the door and I'm happy to start there. Things are opening up in AB so hopefully it won't be long.

I asked about the insulin protocol - apparently they will all have the pens which you just dial up the right number and they "poke" themselves. If they are unable it defaults to me... just so many little things that seem asinine. I LOL'ed at the suggestion they hire the housekeepers to chart. :)

It's not a fit for the type of skilled nurse I want to be - I like the hands on, but not housekeeping... I don't want to spend my time charting all day and trying to wrangle the HCA's into getting all the "housework" done. I've BEEN a HCA while in school... I know how political and soap opera-ish it can be. Now add the work of housekeeping to the pile? Nah I don't want to babysit that nightmare.

PS: I think I need a new screen name hey? No longer a "Curious Student" - I've done it, I'm a nurse!

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