This made me think today..

[Missingyou]

A man at the nursing home who hardly ever talks said to me today "There is nothing worse than being treated like a baby".

Today a heard 2 other aides (who had 10 min to spare at the end of their shift) sitting in a residents room (the residents were "sleeping") and chatting away about personal things. I know because I was in the next room changing a resident. If I could hear them all the way across the hall, imagine what the people in the room trying to sleep were hearing.

I heard another aide say she wasn't going to get her resident up because she (the aide) was just too tired and didn't feel like it.

When my resident was being a bit grumpy to me and I just let it go and walked away, another CNA who happened to be walking by said "I would NEVER let him talk to me that way and you shouldn't either!" I told her I wasn't going to get into a power struggle with an elderly man in a nursing home...

These are just a few things I noticed today and they're little things that show disrespect. I hope I'm not treated the same way some day when I can't take care of myself anymore.

[Carpediem1012, BSN, RN]

Where is that beautiful poem written by the gentlemen in the nursing home? The one about what you see vs who he is. I have meant to make a copy of that many times and now I can't find it.

[mathilda843]

Did you ever read Water for Elephants? It's narrated by a 90+ year old man in a nursing home as he recalls his life...I listened to it on tape driving back and forth to work. It really makes you think about the elderly and it was so well read and written that it will make you cry.

[i_love_patient_care]

Where is that beautiful poem written by the gentlemen in the nursing home? The one about what you see vs who he is. I have meant to make a copy of that many times and now I can't find it.

An Old Lady's Poem, Anonymous This is the one that makes me cry every time. I think of it a lot while at work.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

You don't have to be a nurse to be a strong advocate for the residents.You can make a difference in the lives of your residents by setting the example. Talk to the nurses-maybe they see the problem, too.Together you can educate your co-workers about their actions and model more appropriate behavior. I'll admit that when I'm getting slammed I'm not always cognizant of the details of the residents care but when I see or hear behavior like you posted about I step right in there and explain why it's not appropriate and then tell the cna what they should be doing or saying or I demonstrate the better approach.

[Carpediem1012, BSN, RN]

Thanks ilpc! That's it!