Social Service Director and Housekeeping Supervisor's Ideas About Resident Rights...

[flashpoint]

We had our annual resident rights inservice last Friday. The comment was made that making the resident's wait for something that they want or need is a violation of those rights. I always understood that making them wait an unreasonable amount of time for no reason could be a violation, but they example that they presented is just off the wall! In their scenario...one resident wants their toenails to be trimmed because they hurt when she puts on her new shoes (she is diabetic, so only a nurse can do it and there is only one nurse in the building)...another resident is in respiratory distress and needs suctioning (again only one nurse in the building). So...is it a violation of the resident's rights to have to wait to have her toenails trimmed? Her foot pain is just as distressing to her as the other resident's inability to breathe. :icon_roll

I argued that life threats come before anything else...while someone else may be in extreme pain and they may feel like they are going to die, obvious life threats should always prevail. They argued that even though life threats are more important, the other resident's rights are still being violated and there could be grounds for legal or disciplinary action. I think the Social Service Director needs to repeat his training and the Housekeeping Supervisor needs to review the policy manual or something.

The day that my judgement is questioned for correcting a life threat rather than providing a simple comfort measure and the day that a Housekeeping Supervisor questions my nursing judgement is the day I will resign and go to work at Piggly Wiggly.

[catlynLPN]

They must not have very much to do if all they ARE doing is sitting around coming up with scenarios like this.

They need to get up and go to work.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Ha, the Piggly Wiggly eh? You must live in The South...

[Straydandelion]

You mean, everyone doesn't have a Piggly Wiggly? *gasps*

I agree with catlynLPN, they need to start working!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Don'tcha just LOVE it when someone who's never set foot in a school of nursing tries to tell you how to do your job??:angryfire

We have a social worker at the LTC where I work who actually tries to make rules for the nursing staff, like no eating at the nurses' station because it "looks bad to the families" (in reality, she made that one up after she herself dumped an entire Starbucks venti all over an open chart). Well, when you don't have thirty seconds, let alone thirty minutes, to take a break so you can get your blood sugar out of the dumper, who's got the time to walk all the way down to the break room to stuff their face?!

These people have NO clue about what we do out there. Until they do, I simply don't pay the slightest bit of attention to what they have to say.

[flashpoint]

Don'tcha just LOVE it when someone who's never set foot in a school of nursing tries to tell you how to do your job??:angryfire

These people have NO clue about what we do out there. Until they do, I simply don't pay the slightest bit of attention to what they have to say.

That is so true! The thing that really irks me is when they were asking us how we would defend ourselves to the resident whose day was ruined because of uncomfortable shoes due to long toenails (and their family, etc) and several of us said there was nothing to defend, they both looked at and shook their heads like we were saying it is alright to beat the residents who refuse to take their meds. I would much rather be accused of neglect and have to defend myself to the BON and the ombudsman and whoever else because someone had to wait to get their nails trimmed than defend myself to a judge and jury because I let someone die because I was clipping toenails. I would be fine living with the fact that a resident and their family were very angry and apologizing like crazy. I would not be fine with wondering if interventions that I was too "busy" to perform could have saved a life. Even after several long explanations, they just didn't get it. :icon_roll:uhoh3::angryfire

LOL...they have Piggly Wiggly up north too!

[psalm, RN]

If her new shoes hurt with her toe nails long, tell her *not* to wear them until someone has a chance to trim them!! What is wrong with people!!

I tell patients..."you're next on my list"...

[morte, LPN, LVN]

hmmm are you sure a nurse can trim a diabetics toe nails? The area of the country that i work in this wouldnt be allowed. Has to be done by a podiatrist.......I suppose family could do it, but i wouldnt EVEN suggest that!

[psalm, RN]

hmmm are you sure a nurse can trim a diabetics toe nails? The area of the country that i work in this wouldnt be allowed. Has to be done by a podiatrist.......I suppose family could do it, but i wouldnt EVEN suggest that!

In some states a nurse who is trained to trim may WITH the consent of the physician. And if the nurse feels the job should be done by the doc b/c of the shape of the nails, then she/he documents and then alerts doctor of the need.

[elkpark]

Gee, my immediate response to the initial scenario was that, if they're so concerned about situations where two different residents simultaneously need services that can only be provided by an RN, I guess they need to hire more RNs -- that would take of the problem, right?? :)

[Vito Andolini]

Don'tcha just LOVE it when someone who's never set foot in a school of nursing tries to tell you how to do your job??:angryfire

We have a social worker at the LTC where I work who actually tries to make rules for the nursing staff, like no eating at the nurses' station because it "looks bad to the families" (in reality, she made that one up after she herself dumped an entire Starbucks venti all over an open chart). Well, when you don't have thirty seconds, let alone thirty minutes, to take a break so you can get your blood sugar out of the dumper, who's got the time to walk all the way down to the break room to stuff their face?!

These people have NO clue about what we do out there. Until they do, I simply don't pay the slightest bit of attention to what they have to say.

I agree with you that resp always comes before nails and I do understand your frustration that these 2 gems are so clueless.

I hope you will continue to try to educate them, though. I also hope you get the DON and any other licensed nurses in that facility to back you up and educate these 2. Also, how about a Podiatry appointment? And some different shoes?

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

ACLS

airway

breathing

circulation

toenails

You are right

They are wrong

You are displaying the correct critical thinking needed for the situation, they are not