so there are budget cuts and restraints (interpreted... we have to wait until the beginning of a new quarter in April) but please.. We nurses have been fighting and begging for supplies up to and including: spoons, drinking cups, straws.. yesterday we had no paper towels in either the employee bathroom nor at the nurses station. NONE to be found in the facility. Patients were lucky if they were served food at one meal.
This isn't some rural LTC facility, but one of the largest groups of LTC/Skilled facilities in the U.S. We are located in the HOME town, the "Flagship" if you will. The same company is building a new multi-million dollar independent living/assisted living facility adjoining the LTC/Skilled care facility. People are selling their homes across the country just to move into the new facility. (There is a wonderful marketing staff!)
Now, if management could only be convinced or held to task that the LTC patients/residents still have to eat and have nursing care around the clock...It seems patient care has been forgotten so rooms in the new facility can be filled. Same administrator for both facilities. Yes, the unit supervisor knows, yes central supply knows, the administrator knows, the dietary manager knows (she said they ran out of food in the kitchen). Oh, and as for the paper towels.. the Director of Enviromental Services said the truck would be in "tomorrow". Why is nursing staff expected to assume responsibility for dietary? central supply? environmental and housekeeping duties?
I can understand your frustration. I also work in a corporate owned long-term care facility with the same problems as your facility. We are always running out of supplies. It seems like we never have lactes for accuchecks, thermometers, blood pressure cuffs. Our facility has three units with only one thermometer and one blood pressure cuff and one pulse oximeter. We are always trying to hunt down supplies for our patients that need oxygen. The kitchen constantly runs out of food. On the weekends the residents are lucky to get a decent meal. Administrator, unit managers and central supply are well aware of the problem, but their biggest concern is making sure nurses aren't getting any overtime.
oreocookie
6 Posts
I can understand your frustration. I also work in a corporate owned long-term care facility with the same problems as your facility. We are always running out of supplies. It seems like we never have lactes for accuchecks, thermometers, blood pressure cuffs. Our facility has three units with only one thermometer and one blood pressure cuff and one pulse oximeter. We are always trying to hunt down supplies for our patients that need oxygen. The kitchen constantly runs out of food. On the weekends the residents are lucky to get a decent meal. Administrator, unit managers and central supply are well aware of the problem, but their biggest concern is making sure nurses aren't getting any overtime.