Short Staffed?

[Cthebigguy]

I work in a LTC facility, current census is 35, they have 2-3 floor CNA's during the day, plus one restorative, transport, and shower (minus the restor, shower, and transp on weekends). 1x 12-hour licensed staff, 1x 4-hour licensed staff (Day).

Night shift has 1x 2-hour snack CNA, and 2x 12 hour floor CNA's, plus a 12-hour nurse.

There are 4x total cares, 9x extensive cares, 15x limited cares, and the rest are mostly independent.

Residents are allowed to have snacks whenever available (and we have to deliver).

If a night/day shift CNA calls off they do not replace them, and I have worked 3x solo nights (me and the nurse) with 30+ beds, in the past 45-days.

Should I look for different employment w/ better staffing levels?

[jess424]

I would say so that is a bit much and indeed another job should be in the making right about now. I always thought that when someone calls off that they were to find a replacement. I work at an assistant living facility and when we have a call off the person is to call three people to see if they can cover there shift if no one can cover there are other options. have you read their policies against this kind of issues? is there someone you can take this too? you should have all opition avalible and ready to fire back.

[wyogypsy, RN]

I don't know where you live.....how is staffing at other facilities? Do they work this short, or with this same patient/staff ratio? I do believe that staff should be called in if someone calls off. Do they even try to call staff such as the restorative/shower/transport aides? Even if they are not CNAs, there are many things that they can do as well. Do they have anyone that works PRN that they could call? Or are they more concerned that if someone does not come in they pocket those extra few dollars?

I have worked at facilities where staffing was awful; I am lucky now to be at a facility where even when we are short, we are still better staffed than some of the places I have worked. Only you can make the decision of what to do, but it sounds as if patient safety is not a big priority where you work. Is the State aware of this????? Are there many preventable injuries or infections happening? Maybe the patients need an advocate, whether it be the Ombudsman, State, etc.

[truerae88]

Everywhere I've worked has had chronic short staffing due to budgeting (DoN's get pat on head by Business Administrators). This is what causes deplorable patient care and nursing burn-out...

[PAROPPY, BSN, RN]

I can smell burn-out around the corner. Check with you state about appropriate staffing levels before you do anything or you won't have a leg to stand on.

[RNTwin]

RUN............................... that is a setup for disaster!!!!!!!!!!