Running low on soap

Nurses Safety

Published

Hello- I just started a new job after two years of trying in the Bay Area of California. I was really excited and knew it was going to be hard. NOC shift and basically only RN on floor at night so not complaining about work.

I am concerned that they want us to work with no soap in the patients rooms, no sanitizer in the machines, fighting for paper towels and wipes. Plus trying to find a workable thermometer in the place and most nurses supply their own blood pressure cuff as I found out. Only thing they have there is O2 satsthat work.

The patients have no soap and are using shampoo to wash their hands. I was appalled. It's hard for me to contact the admin who orders as they work M-F 8-5 and he disn't repo d to my note or my phone message. My DON to,d me that I needed to contact this admin person but he doesn't answer obviously. What kills me too is that this is a five star rated facility!

Who are the proper authorities t contact? This is what happens apparently all the time. They also put chains on the kitchen so I have no options to give snacks to my patients if they want it. Like a prison. I want to report this since people are paying privately too for this facility. This

is not healthy or sanitary. I luckily had a vial of soap in my purse to use and sanitizer too jt this is nuts.

My patients need and deserve better

You described my last job to a T. We even had a busted hot water heater. Those residents had to bathe in cold water for three days before it was fixed. No gloves, no soap, no help, pressure ulcers on every other resident, but the administration had weekly luncheons. Take my advice and run!! I wanted to stay and save them too. But all you are gonna do is spend your own money while the big boss fattens their wallet. Yes, we were buying our own soap and gloves. You need to go elsewhere.

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Perhaps the administration would like to use some of their bonus money from cost cutting initiatives and use it for supplies.

Sounds crazy to me as well. Call your local elder services, the state licensing agency for the facility, Joint Commission, and the omsbudsman for the facility.

Make sure that you have proof that you called administration regarding the supplies. Keep a copy of the email as well. I would NOT want you to be run over by the bus when your superior says "but I TOLD RN Simonsmom that she was to call the administrator. She did not, therefore it is on her as to why there was no supplies." Then the administrator says "I never, ever got any communication!!"

That residents have pressure ulcers is HUGE. That would also be a reportable thing. Make sure you document well, and delegate the LPN's to turn and repo Q2, and treat the ulcers--if there are no supplies to treat them, well, that is elder abuse, in my opinion.

The kitchen with chains is nuts, a fire hazard, a safety issue. And needs to be reported as well.

You can not save any of these residents. The omsbudsman should advocate on their behalf. If it a cash only gig, the families should be outraged.

I would see if you could even get per diem closer to home. Agency work. Home Health. Something that you are not left holding the bag for and extremely poor environment. If you choose to stay HAVE YOUR OWN . Get it TODAY if you don't already have it. This may not end well. Cover yourself and have a record of EVERYTHING.

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Specializes in geriatrics, hospice, private duty.

Wow, I think you are working at a place I recently left! I was determined to stay a year. I made it 10 months. I bought the supplies. I loved the residents. After buying barrier cream and other supplies, our pressure sores cleared up (imagine that). However, it got to the point where I could no longer afford to buy supplies. Skin was already breaking down again when I left. I was trying to make it the year but now I wish I had just moved on. The place is probably going to get closed in the next little bit anyway so how is that going to look on the ole resume? The up side is that maybe my residents can move somewhere where they will receive better care.

As an added bonus, the job ended up making me physically ill! I had several ER visits and ended up in the hospital for almost a week on one occasion (I never had health issues prior to this job).

Anyway, if you are staying, I second the advice above. Keep all communications; write them, don't just do verbal complaints; get YESTERDAY; chart like a fiend to CYA. I always CC'd the administrator, DON, ADON, dept head if applicable that way no one could say "we didn't know" or "she never said anything". I STILL have all that documentation today because I figure some serious depositions are going to start rolling in in the next few years....

Good luck. You are going to need it! Just remember that you can only do so much. Be gentle with yourself.

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Specializes in kids.
Perhaps the administration would like to use some of their bonus money from cost cutting initiatives and use it for supplies.

Bwahaha....yup....Nope. Not gonna happen!

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How about the CA dept of health and OSHA?

Do it anonymously if you feel you need to.

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If this is the facility where I worked 18 years ago, I see nothing has changed, unless you want to say it got worse.

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I worked in a place once where we had to beg admin for each trash bag,because someone was 'stealing' them. You had to give a detailed explanation of where you used your last trash bag you were given. I found it degrading actually.

Also they only had body soap for hands,body and hair. And no barrier creams lotions etc.They counted on the nurses buying it.These places just take advantage of everyone from the patient to the nurse.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

In my view the families of these patients have a right to know what is going on in that highly rated facility. The very health and safety of their loved ones is at risk and I would be that they are being kept in the dark about the locked kitchen, the lack of sanitary supplies, etc.

I find that sometimes the local press are interested to learn of some of the shenanigans going on inside some of these facilities.

As others have said, you should move on. You cannot fix this and you cannot save these people by staying there and playing by the corporate rules.

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The state licenses these people, even if they are private-pay.Report them.

Avoid email. It's to easy for your addressee to say, "Oh, I never got that one." Send your concerns in hard copy through the post office, return receipt requested (little green card). It'll cost you about $2.50, but you will have proof you sent it and that it was received. Listen to the PP who mentioned depositions down the line.

I actually use a service called readnotify for emails to clients and others who might want to dodge responsibility. You send the email to [email protected], but you address it to [email protected]

He gets the email and doesn't see the extra part on his incoming, but you get back a report of where and when he opened it, for how long it was opened, to whom he forwarded it (if he did), and what computer or smart phone he used. It's not that expensive and can also save your bacon. "You didn't get that email and attachment? I have a report that says you opened it at 9:40:16 on January 8, 2015, on a Mac computer in Springfield OH, had it open for 10:16, and forwarded it to [email protected]."

:: crickets ::

"Oh, here it is. Thank you."

Another approach, if it's as bad as you say, is to call the local TV and newspaper consumer affairs reporters. They will be all over this. You can be anonymous, and give them tips about when those luncheons are being held. :)

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The state licenses these people, even if they are private-pay.Report them.

Avoid email. It's to easy for your addressee to say, "Oh, I never got that one." Send your concerns in hard copy through the post office, return receipt requested (little green card). It'll cost you about $2.50, but you will have proof you sent it and that it was received. Listen to the PP who mentioned depositions down the line.

I actually use a service called readnotify for emails to clients and others who might want to dodge responsibility. You send the email to [email protected], but you address it to [email protected]

He gets the email and doesn't see the extra part on his incoming, but you get back a report of where and when he opened it, for how long it was opened, to whom he forwarded it (if he did), and what computer or smart phone he used. It's not that expensive and can also save your bacon. "You didn't get that email and attachment? I have a report that says you opened it at 9:40:16 on January 8, 2015, on a Mac computer in Springfield OH, had it open for 10:16, and forwarded it to [email protected]."

:: crickets ::

"Oh, here it is. Thank you."

Another approach, if it's as bad as you say, is to call the local TV and newspaper consumer affairs reporters. They will be all over this. You can be anonymous, and give them tips about when those luncheons are being held. :)

This email thing sounds amazing!!!

Hahaha 😂

Wow this

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All three of my local TV stations have reporters who look into these type of issues and then do stories blowing them wide open! I would call yours and every regulatory agency you could find. Do it anonymously if you need to.

@Grn Tea- I would've loved this in my former career but I can sadly envision how I could use it in this one too!! I'm going to look into it!! Thanks!

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