Severe Concerns..or over reacting?

[blueapples]

I'm not sure if this is the apropriate place for this thread so forgive me if it is not.

I am not a nurse (yet) but have taken a job at a local nursing home as a resident aide. My reason was to get some experience as I will be going to school for nursing soon. Today was my first day and I have some severe concerns. Please tell me if this is the norm, or are these red flags???

The home is owned by a company in England. They just took over and nearly all the staff has quit due to changes (cut in pay..hours..that sort). The English owner is here for 2 weeks and has ordered that the facility was spending way too much money in food and thus has made up a precise menu on portions..leaving no room for seconds. The people are quite used to be able to get their fill. I asked if the restrictions were Dr ordered..answer was no..which is how I learned about the "cut".

Security: When I first applied, I rang the bell. A resident allowed me in. No one was around for a good 5 mins.. I could have been anyone walking in. Furthermore, a resident can just walk out. And it is right off a main road. NO gates.

Hazards: Where do I begin? Bleach, cleaners..meds.. all within easy reach and plain sight of residents. Again TODAY WAS MY 1st day.. I have not been trained, I have NEVER done this stuff before. I was handed a diaper and told to go change a resident. Ok, how.... A baby is easy to move around, an adult?? OMG that was rough, but I managed. My concern is...since I havent been trained, what if I hurt one...move them the wrong way?? Which lead me to another resident. When I got him to roll over, he screamed in pain.. I panicked and asked what was wrong..he told me where it hurt and after some digging..learned he had fallen a few days back, no report was made..and the Admin had just found out about it and ordered some x-rays.. How do I know I didnt hurt him even more???

I applied as a resident aide..however, I did housekeeping most of the day..on top of watch residents, change diapers, and help feed them. Im not complaining but the staff is myself, the cook..and the Admin during the day...for 11 residents. It's a bit hard to "watch the floor" if I'm in the laundry room or mopping a residents room. Is this how it works?

My biggest problem is how easily anyone can walk in or out and all the safety hazards..or am I over reacting? If anything, I learned this today... should the day come where my parents need care.. it will be by me..not a nursing home.

Thank you for your input.

[SJOY7509]

The short of it......

Wow....that's pretty sorry conditions and I'd personally stay away from a situation like this. As an aide, you need training as well, especially for feeding and cleaning up a patient. Since there are safety hazards, I'd especially stay away. You don't want to be involved with unsafe practice.

[Dratz]

Whoa nelly!!!

I would say you are NOT over reacting. Yikes!!. I am a student nurse and doing my first rotation in Long term care. I am extremely impressed with the facility that I am working in. So much so that I plan to work there this summer to get some money for tuition for second year.

First of all, you should not be changing "products" on anyone unless you have been trained or orientated to the floor and the residents. If you are lifting anyone, you put yourself at risk for falling, or having the resident fall .......the facility that I am in is a No Lift facility, no one is moved without two aides in attendance and helping each other. Plus no one lifts anyone unless they use a hoyer or med lift or sit to stand apparatus.

As for the meals. Unacceptable!!. When you consider diabetics and their need for regular snacks, you might have a problem on your hands there.....sheesh!! Have you been trained to feed residents? Do you know who is at risk for choking etc? Have you been trained on how to handle a combative resident?

You were let in by a resident? Good grief!!. The doors in the facility that I work at are all alarmed so the "wanderers" cannot wander out of the building. If you see that the staff is high turnover then there are reasons for that. The facility that I am in have staff that have been there for ages. What does that tell you?

Housekeeping does housekeeping...as an aid you are simply far too busy caring for the residents to be mopping floors etc....or worrying about safety issues regarding bleach etc.

This place sounds like a nightmare. Not sure what advice to give you....but I am sure the forum folks will contribute to this thread. If I saw all that, there is no way I would work there. (run run run for your life!!).

Just my thots,

[TexasPediRN]

I agree with the above posters. If you werent trained and are now expected to do things on your own- get out of there and find a place to train you properly!

you could have really hurt your back changing patients, and you need to be careful of that. Nurses (and aides too) are notorious for bad backs.

Not to mention the hazardous chemicals left out, and the no security..etc.

Are there any other facilities around you could work at? What about taking an aide job at a hospital?? You would get good training, and if you worked PRN (as needed), you could choose the days you work and work around school.

Remember its your safety first, so be careful. Try and find another place, this place does NOT sound good and you need to be safe!

[sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN]

Do not stay, but do report your concerns to the state licensing agency. Many of the examples you shared would be contrary to local, Federal and JCAHO standards. Speak up, but get yourself away before something horrid happens and you are caught in the middle of a mess.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

Do not stay, but do report your concerns to the state licensing agency.

:yeahthat:

[suzanne4, RN]

I agree with the above, definitely do not stay there, for your own protection. But the state also needs to be aware of what is going on.

You can contact them anonymously, and even this could be considered elder abuse and other agencies can also be called in to evaluate the facility. It is not limited to only one dept in this case.

But, please, do something, and you deserve a gold star for reporting it. You will save some lives this way, and not even know it.

[ICRN2008, BSN, RN]

http://www.nccnhr.org/static_pages/ombudsmen.cfm

If you click on your state, you can find info for contacting the ombudsman in your area. They would be the agency to which you can report your concerns. Good luck and please let us know how it turns out.

[blueapples]

Thank you all. This is day 2. The reason I did not think I was over reacting is because there are hospice people in and out for one of our residents and I thought surely they would note any wrong doing. I did manage to get a moment alone with the hospice nurse and asked her a few questions. She sort of rolled her eyes and said places like this get away with these kind of things all the time. She then asked what I was wanting to do and then gave me a number to call. She said the hospital would be a much better place for me to get started and that they pay for schooling especially since they are in such need of nurses.

And no...was never "trained" on anything. One of our residents is just too heavey for me to lift so I asked for help. The cook, thats right, the COOK came and helped me the best she could. Later on the same resident needed changing again. The admin said "we" would do it later. I am ashamed to say that I left my shift today without that resident being changed. Yes, I asked several times but was overlooked or told to wait. I have not had the med course yet either. They are sending me Friday for that. However, I was given 2 pills today to give to the resident that had fallen. He has been in pain and the admin said she doenst want him hurting. I glanced at the med pak and noticed they were not his and immediately questioned it. She said it would be ok....

I had to change some bedding today. The mattress was soaked and wreaked of urine. I asked the admin for something to clean it with and sanitize it. She said to just let it air out. I decided to dig around and try to find something myself. She noticed and said to leave it and she would get me a plastic cover for it later. In the end, the mattress was never cleaned, just flipped, covered and re-dressed. The room smells horrid.

Last but not least, I nearly had a heart attack today. I was making my rounds and happen to glance out the window to see one of our mentally handi-capped residents out at the road. I panicked and ran to the front room to dash out the door but was stopped cold by the admin. She asked what was wrong and I said "so & so is out at the road!" She laughed and said he was getting the mail and that I needed to stop stressing so much. Now this road is one people FLY down all the time.

[suzanne4, RN]

You need to report this place ASAP, even to the local police dept, if need be. A resident there should not be out going ot get his mail.

And the administrators there need their license revoked.

To give medication for one patient to another is not permitted, and especially if it is a pain pill.

I hope that there will not be a thrid day for you, unless state officials are there to welcome you.

Shame, shame on this company. Wonder where their loved ones will be placed, if and when the time comes?:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

Are these elderly residents, or just disabled people?

Because if the latter, I have heard of flop houses like these getting by with lesser standards, and of course not being medicaid approved, so they get away with alot of stuff.......

[blueapples]

For whatever reason, the post above is incomplete. Anyway..no I do not see a day 3, but I do feel guilty as I feel I am "abandoning" the residents that are there. Thank you for the link. I have called the Ombudsmen of Florida. There was no answer but left my name and number. I will try again in the morning.

My very 1st red flag should have been the fact that they did not even take my personal information. I doubt I will be paid for the past 2 days and quite frankly.. I don't care. The admin kept saying she would get to it. Because they were in the middle of everyone quitting, I saw no harm in her being overwhelmed for one day and desperately needing someone. But when I asked her again today, as she sat in her office, if she wanted copies of my license and social; she said after I do my med course Friday she would do all the paperwork.

Last question, I know nurses are expected to work long hours, but when are proper breaks given? Niether day have I had so much as a lunch break for an 8 hour shift...is that normal? Consequently, both days I've gotten home with a terrible headache...

I do appreciate the information. When I got in today and read all of this..and let everything just sink in..I broke down in tears. I knew something felt wrong. And I will definetly make sure someone does something.. again thank you.

Ederly & disabled...

One on oxygen..had not eaten til the Hopice nurse came in

One whom is hurt from falling has not eaten in 2 days cuz of pain

Three are diabetics

And I believe I heard the terms "Medicare Part D"