Times Are Tough When...

[pagandeva2000]

We all got a great laugh today...a friend of mine was going to call in this morning until she heard the message on the answering service of our Ambulatory Care nursing office. Normally, the secretary leaves a message on the voicemail stating to tell them which clinic you are calling in for, your title, how many days you'll be out, etc... Well today, it has changed. Our administrator leaves his message that says "If you are a chronic time abuser, you may wish to reconsider this call in. If not, you have the option of applying for FMLA leave rather than to risk losing your job. If you STILL plan to leave a message, give the pertinent information and a number where you can be reached". NOW, I have heard EVERYTHING!:chuckle

[liebling5, MSN, RN]

I am a manager for a unit of LTC/SNF and I actually did work the floor Friday evening. This was after running like mad all day shift answering call lights because we were understaffed CNA's (2 less than normal). :uhoh21: Not to mention, answering the phones bc I gave our unit secty the day off. So, yeah, BTDT! Of course, I personally did whatever the resident needed, including wiping you-know-what.:beer:{{{{CNA'S}}}:icon_hug:(seriously)

What makes it uglier is that I'm salaried, so regardless if I work my normal hours, holiday, 99.9 hours, I get the same pay:bugeyes:

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I work with a nurse that was looking all flushed and said she felt tired. So we checked her pulse and it was >200 (I lost count when I realized I had counted to 50 in under 15 seconds). Another nurse and I had to harangue her to go get checked out down at the ER (which is literally 2 floors down). She just didn't want to leave the floor!

I anticipate more instances of nurses working themselves to the bone with limited resources and staff as time moves on, and maybe even an increase in patients being admitted with advanced illnesses due to not being able to address their health issues because of no insurance, being afraid to take off to tend to their health and such. It is a sad thing, really. Literally like a bomb waiting to go off...

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Racing....that is all too common in LTC. All too common. BTDT. What kills me is when we are that short, they don't even bother to call or try to call a nurse to come in. (I will, if I am working) Heck...anyone can pass trays answer lights etc.

[growing777]

Not to sound stupid or anything, but what is it about LTC that makes it "okay" for slackers to get away with calling off over and over again? Does anyone other than the staff care about the patients? It sounds like everyone who has posted on this thread genuinely cares about the residents and the care they provide for them. Are these people less valued by management, etc that it doesn't matter to them how well the patients are cared for? Or do they just assume that they can always lay the blame at the feet of the poor bedside nurse who has to pick up the slack?

[Melinurse]

I am a manager for a unit of LTC/SNF and I actually did work the floor Friday evening. This was after running like mad all day shift answering call lights because we were understaffed CNA's (2 less than normal). :uhoh21: Not to mention, answering the phones bc I gave our unit secty the day off. So, yeah, BTDT! Of course, I personally did whatever the resident needed, including wiping you-know-what.:beer:{{{{CNA'S}}}:icon_hug:(seriously)

What makes it uglier is that I'm salaried, so regardless if I work my normal hours, holiday, 99.9 hours, I get the same pay:bugeyes:

You're exactly the kind of manager I would love to work with. I have the utmost respect for managers who lead by example. :yeah:I hope your staff will take notice and see that their management is dedicated. Have a wonderful New Years.

[inland18mempire]

that's awful. whenever we need to call off, we call staffing and say we can't come in. They respond with "ok, we will take you off the schedule". And that's it - no questions asked.