shocked at what I saw!

missmercy · Oct 26, 2004

"Most, if not all states have a hotline for reporting things like this."

Document, document, document!! Call, call CALL!! You are, for some of those folks, the only chance at getting conditions improved!! I am totally ticked off that you have been put in that kind of situation -:angryfire - that those poor peple have been put in it too! Thanks for being a true patient advocate and doing your best to rectify the situation -- your extra efforts are appreciated!! That said, PLEASE do not stop there!!! Get someone to check this out!! If this is a common practice -- IT HAS TO BE STOPPED!!!

boulergirl, CNA · Oct 26, 2004

Towels inside the diapers??? Sounds like a combination of SEVERE short-staffing and laziness. I have come to work and found residents double-briefed (a state violation) but towels?? EEWWW. :eek:

34 to 1 is outrageous. No one can work like that. As you've seen, it's hurting the residents and they're being neglected. Document everything you see and report it.

mead · Oct 26, 2004

wow!!!!!! this is nothing but abuse. You are your resident's avocate Please report this to the appropriate people asap. One day you could be that resident!

lady_dolphin · Oct 26, 2004

Well I can understand your situation. I am a charge nurse in LTC and i have 60 to 70 patients I am in charge of. Luckily I have 2 med techs and 5 aides. but sometimes when things gets crazy it isn't enough. And can be very stressful. I hope things get better for you.

:nurse:

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2004

every state has minimum staffing ratios...find out what yours are. It will differ per shift. for 3-11 our cnas have 12-16 depending on if we have 3-4 cnas. It is very diffucult for them when short staffed. When we are short we sometimes leave a few residents in bed or even put them in early. I feel that it is much easier to keep them clean and change them in beds. No this isn't right or even a solution..just might make it easier.

Annon calls to the hotline or state also work to get more staff. Sometimes we will mandate days to stay. This isn't right either, but will ensure the residents are getting care.

Are you corporate? Maybe an annon call to someone higher up will get a ball rolling?

Purple Princess · Oct 26, 2004

thanks for the responses so far. At my former facility I had about 13 including 2 showers but the acuity wasn't as high. Some of the people could at least put their gown on and wipe themselves off and I would assist them into bed and provide peri care and assist with mouth care. Here we do it all, the residents can't even lift a finger some of them. Last night it was me , another aide and the RN. Now I'm told she is only down there because I'm suppose to still be orienting. My second day a guy insisited he wanted up and of course he expected me to lift him myself. He can't hardly bear weight and he weighs near 200 pounds likely. I told him flat out no, I said your going to end up on the floor and I'll be in the hospital. Eventually I found someone to help me but that initial attempt kinda hurt my back. I find as an aide my back hurts alot and I must frequently take advil and use medicated muscle rubs. Even if we can't find help we still must lift these people and I often end up with someone straddled on my leg just so they won't fall cause if they do it's your fault no matter what. Now I'm told if we do have 34 that the nurses help but I find that hard to believe. Cause they would be busy helping the other unit too that also has just one aide. There's 68 or so residents. And they like rectal temps to be done which takes time esp with the combative ones and there's a lot of feeders that can't eat on their own. We do have an auxillary aide that helps by passing snacks, water, and showers but if not we have to do that too. I've been there 4 days but my body sais at least 10 and I work again today. My friend tells me at the nursing home they were at they had about 40 people. It used to be from what I'm told 6-8 residents per person during the day and about 10 or 11 at night. What to do that is the question.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Oct 26, 2004

And they like rectal temps to be done which takes time esp with the combative ones and there's a lot of feeders that can't eat on their own.

Good grief! That place is surely operating in the Dark Ages, both with patient-staff ratio and with procedures.

Report this place to the State and get outta there before you get hurt.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 26, 2004

(Whoever state the LIKE rectal temps should be the one to go around and DO them with ratios like THAT!)

veteranRN · Oct 26, 2004

As long as you continue to work in that environment you are protecting it. First call state ASAP then find a new place to work.

webblarsk · Nov 18, 2004

I recently started at a new facility. We average 16 or 17 residents a piece. If it's real bad you have all 34 to yourself. We just have enough time to meet the clients very basic needs and that's it. I was changing a man last night for bed and I undid his diaper and I'm like what in the heck is a towel stuffed down in there for? It was soaked with urine and poop towards the back. I seen this done on other clients too. I guess they do this on daylight to save time so they don't have to change them as often. But unlike the diaper absorbing some of it and congeling the towel just presses against their skin and makes everything red. I'm not going to go against the tide this time but just make an effort to do the job and correctly myself. I try to change them often, cleanse the skin apply any necessary ointments or powder to protect the skin and keep it dry. They said they were having a staffing problem right now and newcomers come in from other facilities and just can't keep up and leave. I spent 3 hours giving pm care minus my 15 minute lunch break. I can't imagine having the full load of 34. is this the norm for a CNA? Also I might add this is a skilled nursing unit, few can even walk, most are in diapers, and all pretty much need complete care. We don't even pull basin, we just wipe them off , slap a gown on, and change the diaper.

I don't know about the laws where you live, but where I live there is ratio of staff to patient's.

webblarsk · Nov 18, 2004

thanks for the responses so far. At my former facility I had about 13 including 2 showers but the acuity wasn't as high. Some of the people could at least put their gown on and wipe themselves off and I would assist them into bed and provide peri care and assist with mouth care. Here we do it all, the residents can't even lift a finger some of them. Last night it was me , another aide and the RN. Now I'm told she is only down there because I'm suppose to still be orienting. My second day a guy insisited he wanted up and of course he expected me to lift him myself. He can't hardly bear weight and he weighs near 200 pounds likely. I told him flat out no, I said your going to end up on the floor and I'll be in the hospital. Eventually I found someone to help me but that initial attempt kinda hurt my back. I find as an aide my back hurts alot and I must frequently take advil and use medicated muscle rubs. Even if we can't find help we still must lift these people and I often end up with someone straddled on my leg just so they won't fall cause if they do it's your fault no matter what. Now I'm told if we do have 34 that the nurses help but I find that hard to believe. Cause they would be busy helping the other unit too that also has just one aide. There's 68 or so residents. And they like rectal temps to be done which takes time esp with the combative ones and there's a lot of feeders that can't eat on their own. We do have an auxillary aide that helps by passing snacks, water, and showers but if not we have to do that too. I've been there 4 days but my body sais at least 10 and I work again today. My friend tells me at the nursing home they were at they had about 40 people. It used to be from what I'm told 6-8 residents per person during the day and about 10 or 11 at night. What to do that is the question.

What about using a lift? Stand up lift? Hoyer lift? There a lifesaver!!!!!!

gvkk · Nov 19, 2004

My mother - in - law just died. The nursing home was called a rehab center. Believe me, I could not get her out of there fast enough. We've all seen bad staffing ratios and I think that instead of quitting their jobs, nurses should find ways to truly make a difference. But, yes - I know, quitting is easier than a fight with the facility.

I think nursing home AND a hospital staffing ratios should be monitored every day by authorities. But,how to do that? Not cost effective? Then what is a life worth anyway?

Also, the place my MIL was in had bad odors and needed paint!