STATE was in!!!

[Debbie_LPN]

OMG! I went to work on tuesday(I work 3-11:30), and I must've missed the signs on the door. The nurse on the other wing came up to me as I clocked in and told me state was in. :uhoh21:

I went up and got report, and the lady came down to my wing. She said "The DON told me to watch your med pass". Anyhow, I did it, and made ZERO mistakes!!! She said I did a great job and she loves how outgoing with the residents I am!!! :) We even talked about personal stuff(like her daughter was sick, and how my husband is in the navy). I think it helped a lot more because it didn't make it feel like I was being tested or anything. She was really nice.

After she left me, I went to the DON and asked her why she told her to watch me. She told me "Because you're fresh out of school, and a good worker, and I just thought that you would set a good example for our facility". :balloons:

I just want to share my positive experience....I have only worked at this LTC facility for 3 weeks, and I am happy that I make a positive impact as a nurse.

Has anyone else ever been followed by state??? I would love to hear some input about what they watched you do....She only watched me pass meds on about 6 people(including 2 G-tubes).....

[proudmommielpn]

I have been watched, I know here in KY they can only watch you give like 20 pills. I dunno why that is a rule but it is. The last one that went with me was really nice also, she watched me only give 2 people and then she asked me to let her know when I was ready to give the resident's meds that received them via peg tube. I informed her and she came down the hall, watched and then went on her merry way with good reports on me. I was so glad it was over! It is nerve racking! Good luck with the survey though! Just always remember, knock on doors, answer call lights quickly, make sure turn and change is done q2 hours and you will be fine. Good luck again!

[nursemary9, BSN, RN]

Hi

You must have been VERY good.

I have had the state go out on home care visits with me & they can be notoriously picky!! GOOD JOB!!

Mary Ann

[bobnurse]

Good Job.........

Usually people do things incorrectly and take many shortcuts....So when state or JCAHO are in, they panic.....Ive seen nurses take 2 hours to give meds on 6 patients, because the are so used to prepouring their meds...And when state or JCAHO are there, they cant do that anymore.......SO they are stuck.............

If you do things correctly, without deviation or shortcuts....State or JCAHO is just another day.......Who cares if their in your building.....Thats my opinion. I always say, i dont do anything different when their here or not.......

Can you say that?

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

i had a nurse consultant that did evals on our facility all the time. she was a retired state nurse inspector and boy was she the pain the the keester! her presence made you hair stand on end, and she had the personality of a vulture and the posture stuck in her frame of that from looking over so many shoulders. we called her the wicked witch of the west, and all of us were tempted to throw our med pass waters at her to see if she would sink into the floor in a puddle of green goo! i am so very serious...she was horrid!

one time she asked me to do a med pass, and since we nurses don't do med passes at my facility i was rather perplexed. i reminded her that we nurses don't do med passes and i may be a bit slow and rusty...but will get it done right! her evil sneering voice lectured me about being a nurse and this being part of my duties...which i full heartedly agreed with...but then it was told that since i was a new grad...she wanted to make sure i didn't mess up because "they don't teach you girls how to be nurses anymore...just trained robots...". uhg!!!!!!

*insert wizard of oz tornado music here*

"i am going to get you my pretty...and your cna too!" :chair:

i had to remind her that i may be the youngest looking of the nurses (i don't have grey hair yet), that i wasn't a new grad!!! i have been a nurse in hospitals and other places for over 5 years! then i went to pass meds for 5 sets of residents perfectly...took forever..but i did it without probelm. and at one point i had to tell her to quit lecturing me while i was doing a correct med pass so i can concentrate on the task at hand or i will stop till i could do it safely! i think that dissapointed her. and me..well talk about crowing like a rooster when i was done and out of sight of the vulture! lol!

she and i never got along ever! i found if you are personalble you can actually teach and help others to realize mistakes and overcome them via positive reinforsement unlike her demanding, sarcastic and down right intimidating methods! finally, after 2 years...she was fired! yeahhhhhhhh..and you bet..we did sing "ding dong the witch is dead!!!!".

congratulations on doing it perfectly...it can be so darned intimidating having them watch over you...and i am glad she was personable!

[PBAJS]

i agree with bobnurse. do things correctly and then one day is just like any other.

i have seen nurses pre-pour meds. cnas uncover and cut up the food at the nurse's station then carry the tray, with the food uncovered, to the dining room. when the cnas have assignments, many will not answer a call light for another cna; if a person is on a cna's assignment, some cnas has been known not the check the resident until after they have finished care with her current resident.

i know, sometimes the resident is fine and just wants to know the time, but, what if the resident is choking, bleeding, ...

[color=white].

[color=white]was

[Debbie_LPN]

Yeah in my facility, we have 2(not one, but 2!)nurses that I know of who don't even use the MAR when passing. Now I know I'm a new grad and all, but isn't that STUPID??!!! What if a med changed, or got d/c'd?? What if they started a new med that wasn't in the drawer?

They also pre-pour. Ok, I admii did it once. That was enough, b/c I suddenly couldn't find one of the cups. So I don't do it anymore. But I ALWAYS look at my MAR!!!!!!

[JBudd, MSN]

Congrats, Deb

Always feels good when the test is for real doesn't it? :Melody:

[nosonew, BSN, RN]

Congrats!

I know the first time state came into our home health agency, I was a new director there... I had JUST come back from an AIDS training course, complete with a rubber phallus, prophalactics, etc...which were SITTING ON MY DESK when they walked in! Talk about embarassing...but it certainly made us all laugh...luckily my large AIDS training notebook was right there too! LOL

SO...if you ever have a large rubber member sitting on your desk when state walks in...don't sweat it! :chuckle

UH, and NO, they did not ask me to demonstrate how to PROPERLY put on a condom... LOL

[Debbie_LPN]

lmao!!!!!!

[CHATSDALE]

we don't have a nurse who does quality control but pharmacy does come in periodically and will walk a med pass with a nurse...don't consider state to be the enemy...if they come up with some good suggestions listen..and do things the right way and you will never have to explain those little cups with meds in your cart

triage i just had to ask who does the med pass in your facility???