So...what is the normal CNA to resident ratio?

[flashpoint]

And how do they arrive at that number?

We have between 20 and 25 residents. There is one CNA from 0700-1900, one medication assistant from 0700-1400, a restorative aide from 0900-1700, and a CNA from 1900-0700. The restorative aide isn't there a lot becasue she also does transports to appointments and we average three appointments a day. We are an hour from the nearest hospital, an hour from the nearest clinic, and two hours from the nearest specailist of any sort, so any appointment takes a lot of time. There is one LPN in the building 24/7 and an RN 8 hours a day, but she is the DON and is rarely if ever on the floor.

Isn't there some sort of forlmula for determining how much staff a facility should have?

Editing to add...our night shift also does all of the laundry for the facility. We also have to do a lot of the housekeeping and if a resident has an early appointment, we have to fix their breakfast...a HOT breakfast and NOT just something like hot cereal. Trying to fix sausage, eggs, toast, fruit, juice, and coffee is not easy when you are trying to get everyone up for breakfast and give meds to over half of the residents.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Never mind the coffee!! Get yourself a job where there is better staffing. Day shift in my building there are 5 CNAs for 40 residents...evenings 4 and nights 2. They DO NOT do laundry nor are they expected to cook!

[flashpoint]

Never mind the coffee!! Get yourself a job where there is better staffing. Day shift in my building there are 5 CNAs for 40 residents...evenings 4 and nights 2. They DO NOT do laundry nor are they expected to cook!

I'm looking, which is really hard for me because I really like the residents here. Even the ones that are super demanding are just great to care for. Our management is the problem. I don't think our DON or administrator even understand what our CNAs actually do. A lot of our residents are declining and require a lot more care than they did six months ago...people who were able to walk can't, people who were continent aren't, people who could feed themselves can't. We've also added a few to our census are total care, which we didn't have before.

I'm just so frustrated! I love what I do, I just hate where I do it.

:)

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Do you have an MMQ nurse? An MDS nurse? Make sure they know the residents have had declines...could be reason enough to hire some more help. And...if your resident used to be continent and now isn't and the resident isn't on a bladder retraining program (if able), then the facility could get a G tag....tell that to the DON and Administrator.

[flashpoint]

Do you have an MMQ nurse? An MDS nurse? Make sure they know the residents have had declines...could be reason enough to hire some more help. And...if your resident used to be continent and now isn't and the resident isn't on a bladder retraining program (if able), then the facility could get a G tag....tell that to the DON and Administrator.

MMQ nurse...No. MDS nurse...supposedly the DON. The DON, Administrator, Dietary Manger, SSD, and Office Manger get together every morning and review the past 24-hour's report sheet...we are really good about writing everything on there, so they should know. We also leave them notes about any changes in condition, new meds, etc. Our two residents that were continent, but now aren't wouldn't benefit from B&B...their condition has just declined too much in general.