Thinking of leaving LTC

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2006

I am a newbie nurse currently employed at a nursing home and, yes, I must agree that many LTC facilities are in sad shape. It is as if the resident does not come first in the planning of care.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Feb 13, 2006

I am going on maternity leave in 1 mo. from my LTC RN job and not going back!!! I understand most LTC's are 'for profit' corporations, but this one takes it way to far. And I did hear thru the grapevine that it is making a profit.

The DON is terrible. I get 'snapped' at for working overtime (there is usually a reason for doing so), and she has written up other nurses for it. I even got reprimanded for the CNA's clocking out only a few min. late. Yet, if I could start listing all the things she is supposed to be doing and isn't......The other thing I hate about mgmt is that they are all doing it for the 8-5, Mon-Fri hours - and that is all they care about. Lucky them. They look at me like I am scum of the earth since I am working full time night shift. And yes, it is ruining my life.

The other thing about nsg homes - they are so antiquated. At least the ones I have worked in. For example, the beds. Any time you try to adjust them, they about fall apart. The residents always complain about them - esp. since most of them have just been discharged from the hospital where they have 'awesome' electric beds. And why are nsg homes so against using computers for charting, admission paperwork, ect?

Not to mention, all the equipment that doesn't work, the short staffing, ect.

I do have to say, I am proud of myself and my CNA's that we give good care to the residents, but it is hard when you get no support from leadership.

GLORIAmunchkin72 · Feb 13, 2006

Sometimes it is not a lack of care or caring. It is an institution. There are Xnumber of residents and one or two shower aides. Somebody has to wait. They have to be awakened so early because there are so many of them and they can't all wait for the last minute. Yes, it is sad. Ideally you should be at your home getting one-on-one private care. Unfortunately once you enter a nursing home you have to share.

I am a newbie nurse currently employed at a nursing home and, yes, I must agree that many LTC facilities are in sad shape. It is as if the resident does not come first in the planning of care.

Schmoo1022 · Feb 13, 2006

I definately agree that we can only do, what we can do. I just feel like it is getting worse where I am, not better. I am proud of the care that the aids and I give. I just don't know how long I can work in any facility that I don't feel has the patients best interest.

thanks

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2006

I would leave a place if I didn't really believe in it. Just realize that they are not all the same.

As far as looking at the profit....you can find this info out. Everyso often I will check my large corporates stock out.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Feb 14, 2006

I would leave a place if I didn't really believe in it. Just realize that they are not all the same.
As far as looking at the profit....you can find this info out. Everyso often I will check my large corporates stock out.

That is a good idea!!

Midwest4me · Feb 15, 2006

"The DON is terrible. I get 'snapped' at for working overtime (there is usually a reason for doing so), and she has written up other nurses for it. "

I empathize and sympathize for I've been there! An 8-hr shift was NEVER shorter than 9hrs for me! Pretty much the same for the other nurses I worked with when I worked LTC.

"And why are nsg homes so against using computers for charting, admission paperwork, etc?"

My guess is that computers are expensive, thus that much less profit earned if they put out money for them AND if ever one "broke down", then there would be an expense to get someone in to diagnose/fix the problem. I agree that computers sure would be heaven-sent in those facilities!!

"Not to mention, all the equipment that doesn't work, the short staffing..."

In my opinion if CNAs were screened more carefully, were started at a minimum of $10/hr (by the same token pay LPNs a minimum of $20/hr), and patient # was determined on the basis of acuity, we wouldn't have the short-staffing we do today and there would be better care.

vampiregirl, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2006

I find it sad that the nurses who care the most are often the ones that end up leaving LTC for other nursing options. It's a vicious cycle, conditions aren't great, nurses leave, the load gets heavier for the remaining nurses... As a CNA, I have had the privilege of working under some very knowledgable and compassionate nurses. And LTC so desparately needs those nurses.

renerian, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2006

I understand totally what your saying. I think it is very sad what I see sometimes in LTC. I know some places are great but there is just not enough people working in them to care for everyone.

renerian

SueNYC · Feb 15, 2006

Its just the lack of respect given to residents and lack of respect coming from residents. Of course we cannot oblige on every request a resident has however there are little things we can do for them to make their stay more "home like" that we are unable to do due to lack of time/staffing. But lately whats been getting me is this I go out of my way to set myself apart from stereotypical care given to residents but certain days I just cant. And then I get the responses from the residents of "im surprised at you" because I couldnt drop everything to bring her glasses to her room for the 4th time of going back and forth bringing them to her and back to the room. Or if a resident wants to go to the bathroom and she tells me she cannot wait the 5 minutes for the CNA to come to her and expects me to take her while im clearly busy. Or yesterday one of the residents when the cna says to her you should come out of bed today(new resident who refuses to budge from her bed) the residents response... yelling... i pay your salary, you will not tell me what I should or shouldnt do, thats my job to tell you.....I know its all to be expected ... but lately its just getting to me

And Dont get me started on working OT. I work a 6-2, i get there 530 and dont leave usually until 330 and lunch consists of stuffing myself with a roll of bread and apple juice. I never requested to get paid for this time but they would always give me an hour or two a week paid ot, I never complained until recently a nurse I work with was furious and was telling me how they didnt pay her for a half hour she stayed extra. She showed me her check, she stays usually about the same amount of time i do and they pay her for all of it down to the minute except this one time. Why? Because she complains and threatens to leave at her designated time if they dont pay her. So I too have now been speaking about it to my surpervisor who was recently told my management that any ot must be approved. They also told her that all her nurses need to think about time management if they cannot complete their work by the end of the shift and take their hour lunch. WHAT??

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2006

And why are nsg homes so against using computers for charting, admission paperwork, ect?

The nursing home where I'm employed uses paperless, computerized charting. And believe me when I say that the facility is small, understaffed, and stingy. However, I wish I could go back to the days of written 'defensive' charting on paper.