RANT ON: I am so sick of the BS in LTC!

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Specializes in LTC.

I'll probably get slammed, but if only nursing could be real nursing without all of the bsbullf.gif from Joint Commission. It gets harder and harder every day to be a real nurse. This kills me...Restorative program? Come on, you're talking people 70, 80 and 90 plus years old, how much restoring can you possibly do??? Leave the old folk alone and stop expecting nurses to perform miracles. I just wonder what planet these people come from and I really think some of this nonsense is created just so some people can have a job. RANT OFF.

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I really think some of this nonsense is created just so some people can have a job. RANT OFF.

no doubt.

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You have JCAHO in your LTC? We have our lovely state DOH.

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Specializes in EMT-P.

Heaven forbid the day that you should grow old. It was not long ago that an LTC was a place for an ederly person to go when they could no longer care for themselves. My mother once called it the bus stop to the final resting place. Indeed this was once the case, and the fears of the elderly were real when they were confronted with the prospect of going to their final bus stop. Back in the earlier times, the final bus stop would see Grandma or parent off, and wait for her eventual decline in spirit, loss of motivation and will to live.

Fortunately there were caring individuals who recognized this decline in a will to live to be attributed to a lacking in quality of life. Studies have shown that restorative programs often improve the patients spirits, their longevity and overall happiness. More work for you? Sure, but that is your job, and if you not happy doing this, I suspect your in the wrong field.

The younger people owe it to the elderly in so many ways as they were the machinery that drove this nation to greatness despite turbulent times. The passage of a calender should not be a one way bus ticket to 4 walls in a secluded waiting room to die. When I turn 70 I hope I can still play golf and chase the elderly babes.

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Specializes in LTC.

well...thats certainly a different view on restorative that I havent thought of....but from what ive seen in my 10 yrs in LTC is this....like most places its all about money...when they get these people in restorative programs its kind of like a net for the pt/ot dept...which means....medicaid money in our facility. They use it as a tool to profit...but sometimes it actually helps with mobility etc....but once their week or 4 wks of it is over...its back to square one til the next medicaid window comes open on xyz people and it starts over....ive seen restorative succeed and Ive seen it fail miserably....its a 50 50 deal I guess.

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Specializes in Clinicals in Med-Surg., OB, CCU, ICU.

I agree with the above post. I would also add.......physicians should audit their prescribed medication list for individual patients:uhoh3: on a regular basis. Polypharmacy is an issue which really needs addressed.

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Specializes in LTC.

When we have someone on restorative care all we do is check off a couple very vague things on a piece of paper once a shift and the nurse signs off on it, and the facility gets more money.

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Specializes in LTC.

Fortunately there were caring individuals who recognized this decline in a will to live to be attributed to a lacking in quality of life. Studies have shown that restorative programs often improve the patients spirits, their longevity and overall happiness. More work for you? Sure, but that is your job, and if you not happy doing this, I suspect your in the wrong field.

Believe me Michael I've cared for the elderly for the last 36 years and am very happy in doing so. I enjoy my job and give it my all every night. I've hugged residents and I have cried with them, but for the life of me, I have yet to see an incontinent resident suddenly become continent again. They are only continent when someone takes them to the BR and as we all know that doesn't always happen, so they are still incontinent. A resident who hasn't walked in the last two years doesn't suddenly walk again because we try to walk him for 10 minutes a day. The only one who can perform that miracle is the man upstairs. I understand it's for the over all good of the resident, but realistically, it's just not practical, yet we still try. It's very frustrating at times.

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More work for you? Sure, but that is your job, and if you not happy doing this, I suspect your in the wrong field.

The younger people owe it to the elderly in so many ways as they were the machinery that drove this nation to greatness despite turbulent times. The passage of a calender should not be a one way bus ticket to 4 walls in a secluded waiting room to die. When I turn 70 I hope I can still play golf and chase the elderly babes.

If you're a nurse in LTC, chances are you have a 30 patient load, which equates to about two minutes per hour, per patient.

If you're a care manager in LTC you're often salaried, work 12 hours 5 days a week for a salaried 40 hours.

What your "more work for you" comment is meant to mean I'm not sure.

The younger people do owe it to the older people to care. In that the nurse/CNA to patient ratio needs to be mandated to a whole lot better than that.

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Specializes in EMT-P.

SInger; I appreciate your further clarification and respect your point of view. I think I was speaking as an advocate for my father as he is in an LTC and I always worry about his well being. My father is no longer ambulatory as diabetes has taken its toll on his body. My father is not on medicare as my sisters and I felt this was not acceptable for a man who devoted his life for his children, we therefore opted to pool our money and pay out of pocket, along with residual retirement income my father gets. Now we never expect our dad to walk again as the damage is to extensive, but we have noticed a remarkable improvement in his disposition since his stay at this care facility. It is my belief that loss of purpose and loneliness are the biggest detriments to longevity.

I do realize that new laws and regs are sometimes unrealistic and often a major hindrance in completing your task. You must realize that in writing these laws that protect people, that it is impossible to cover every conceivable circumstance and in turn the regulation is often a grievous injustice to a realistic situation. SO I can sympathize with the governmental influence coming to bare upon you and I have no doubt it is often an inconvenience, but at the same time, think how our ederly might be treated if these sort of rules were not in place.

On a side note: I am comforted knowing my father is in the caring hands of people such as yourself, and don't lose the heart I know you have :)

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Specializes in LTC.
On a side note: I am comforted knowing my father is in the caring hands of people such as yourself, and don't lose the heart I know you have :)

Thank you, Michael.:redbeathe

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Specializes in LTC.

Op I see where you are cioming from.... its even more fustrating working in alzhiemers.

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