Staffing Issues

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I recently started working in a LTC facility with 40 beds, altho at this moment we're down to 36.

I work the 10-6 shift. I didn't realize when I started that there was only 1 CNA on nites - and we have a lot of heavy care patients, so I'm expected to go on the rounds with the CNA to do all the heavy lifting, turning, etc.

Now, at the hospital, I worked in ICU, and didn't have aides, but at least we had modern equipment, could raise the beds up, and could have another nurse help if they were a heavy patient.

Altho I've never had a specific back injury, I'm 57 years old, and my back just can't take it!! The beds are low, some are water beds, and by the end of my shift my back hurts so bad I could cry, plus when rounds are done, I need to fit in my nursing stuff. I do the daily med check ins, plus the change over, and I have to go thru the MARS each nite. I give a lot of meds with the morning med pass, which is right in the middle of ANOTHER cna round.

Is this normal for most places?

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Specializes in LTC, dementia, geriatrics.

I also work in a small facility, which has 42 beds. Our night shift has 2 CNA's and 1 LPN. So our LPN usually does not have to help with rounds. I don't know what your state regs say, but we have to have at least 3 for 36 residents.

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This is in Iowa - I checked with the state not too long after I started, and they said it didn't matter how many residents were in the facility - you had to have 2 staff at all times.:scrying:

I like the residents and the staff, but this corporate stuff is for the birds.

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Specializes in LTC, dementia, geriatrics.

your telling me.:uhoh3:

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IMHO, yes, it's typical for LTCs.

TPTB think the night nurse/shift doesn't have anything to do.

I worked several nights, at a LTC part time job, where we were short staffed and had 2 aides for the whole facility, around 80 patients.

They got cited, too, by inpsectors.

Been there, done that, and ain't going back.

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We have 1 LPN and 1 CNA for our AL (40 patients) and we have 6 CNA's and 2 LPN on our SNF (85 patients).

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We have 1 LPN and 1 CNA for our AL (40 patients) and we have 6 CNA's and 2 LPN on our SNF (85 patients).

nurse100 - is that at nite? Dividing that, it would be 1 nurse and 3 cna's for roughly the same amount we have.

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