State's Here!

[vaLPN757]

State just showed up for annual survey today and everything was GREAT. By great, I mean that there were 5 CNA's on the schedule (I haven't seen that many in all the time I've worked there), everyone was coming out of the woodwork (department heads, extra maintenance people, etc) to help with things such as answering call bells or helping a confused dementia patient, and there was no "mess" to clean up when I arrived at 3pm from the previous shift.

Craziness!! My biggest gripe is the scheduling. If we need to have 5 CNAs to do our job at state's standards, then we need that ALL THE TIME not just when a suit walks though. Management keeps harping good customer service and gets upset when complaints are made, but yet we don't have enough staffing to adequately avoid these problems.

It really helped the bigger picture too. I finished my med pass sooner cuz I wasn't getting so many interruptions to help "spot" on a hoyer, toilet a resident because the aide was tied up, answering call bells, helping aides change combative residents, etc. I could focus on NURSING.

I don't know, maybe I help my CNAs too much. (Is there such a thing?) But for the first time in who knows how long I got out relatively on time, without having to scramble and rush to chart at the end of my shift.

Im sure this happens elsewhere, but it just blew my mind.

[bluegeegoo2, LPN]

LOL yes, I believe that it does happen everywhere. Suddenly, there is adequate staffing, the office people are running halls answering lights, passing trays, etc. And I do agree that if that's what the facility wants state to see, it's how it should be any given day. It's sad that the only time that they (resident's) receive that level of service is when state is in the building.

[amoLucia]

Just FYI guys, the State people aren't fooled by all the facility staff falling over themselves. State KNOWS all the moves employers pull.

State usually reviews several samples of real past worked schedules and will compute the staff/pt ratios accdg to mandated requirements. I've said this before here on AN, you all may be surprised to know that the 'numbers' are really, really, OK accdg to mandates. That's what they have to look at. Granted State won't be able to see what we all know how things run (on normal days), but they can only judge what they really do see when they're there. But they DO KNOW.

Same thing can be said for availability of equip/supplies, facility cleanliness, meal service (QUALITY & timeliness), activities, etc. State knows the good facilities and the other NOT SO GOOD places. And there are good facilities with good management out there who are good everyday, not just for showing off for survey.