Want to hear your pet peeves in LTC nursing

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Right now I'm having an issue with the night shift LPN. She is always crabby when she comes in and criticizes almost everything I do or say to her. Supposedly she has a bad home life, but she shouldn't take it out on me. Sunday evening when I worked, I was really busy...and when she came in, she jumped my case about all the changeover paperwork not being done. Every other facility I've ever worked in, this was night shift's job. I apologized to her and offered to stay over and help her with changeover. Her response? "I don't need your help; the only thing I need you to do is stay the hell out of my way!"

I'm seriously considering filing a grievance against her. I asked my preceptor yesterday when I happened to see her which shift is supposed to do changeover and she said nights. So this night shift nurse is really chapping my hide!!!

I'm sure I'll think of other pet peeves too....what are some of yours?

Blessings, Michelle

I never heard of this. I hope it's because you don't have the proper equipment to take care of bariatric resident.

Most standard equipment has a 350 pound limit. Even the shower chairs. We cannot safely accept anyone over that - or even close to it.

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

1)Inane questions by family members that have no bearing on patient nursing care. "No, ma'am, I don't know where your father's purple straw is. I left the room after he threw his morning meds at me and called me everything but a white girl. No, Ma'am, Daddy's straw is NOT my top priority now, nor is it likely to ever be."

2)Politics.

3) I'll reiterate- patients on a hall that they have no business being on. Had one old bat that was on the same unit (rehab) for 10 YEARS! She was s/p CVA, had a hissy fit every time staff didn't cater to her, refused to speak and then got ill when you couldn't read her mind and determine what she wanted, and threw the Mama of all tantrums when State finally FORCED the facility to move her to the appropriate unit. The CNA's were terrified of her, she would refuse tx, baths, etc, then get everyone in trouble by saying no one saw to her. After she and I had a Come-to-Jesus about that, the CNA's would find me, whatever unit I was on, to deal with her.

4) Family members

5) Management

6) family members and management.

Specializes in lots of different areas.
Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

My biggest pet peeve lies with congress in allowing the nurse patient ratios that are currently allowed. Well I guess this issue is not addressed at all...there are simply no laws.

Specializes in LTC.
Most standard equipment has a 350 pound limit. Even the shower chairs. We cannot safely accept anyone over that - or even close to it.

Time for an upgrade. ;)

Thanks for asking. Lets see where to start..

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11)Family members with web md

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Sometimes a career change to something like truck driving seems like a good idea.

Family members with Web MD! AMEN!!

My pet peeves in LTC are

1. Insane staffing levels, and no real laws on staffing.

2. Unrealistic expectations of administrat. (quality care talks, etc) Put some more staff on!

3. Interruptions from Staff members (OT, PT, SW's, etc) during a med pass for 40 patients. (i have no problems with residents interrupting or family members interrupting.) But seriously, staff should just know better, do i barge into your office and demand something when you are in the middle of a project? or with a patient? irritating!!

Family members with Web MD! AMEN!!

Family members with Web MD and a PDR from 1986! :)

Day shift nurses who throw a fit when they are working short even though the night nurse spent two hours trying to find a replacement...then make no attempt at all to find a replacement for the night shift.

People who call in sick five minutes before their shift starts.

Drama, drama, drama!

Time for an upgrade. ;)

Cool. You pay.

Specializes in Home Care.

Are you frikkin kidding me? There are NO spare batteries in the entire building for the 2 dead accuchecks?

WTH is that demented resident with scabies roaming the hallways?

This one is a killer for me! We have nurses that won't put paper in the fax machine until the end of the shift. When 7-3 leaves and 2nd comes in we suddenly get flooded with dozens of new orders, pharmacy clarifications, and lab results after adding paper to the fax machine!!! The whole 2nd shift is spent contacting doctors and pharmacy.

This one is a killer for me! We have nurses that won't put paper in the fax machine until the end of the shift. When 7-3 leaves and 2nd comes in we suddenly get flooded with dozens of new orders, pharmacy clarifications, and lab results after adding paper to the fax machine!!! The whole 2nd shift is spent contacting doctors and pharmacy.

We had that issue until we started making putting paper in the fax machine "part of the narcotic count." We have a page that we have to sign to verify that the fax had paper. Hooray for junior high! :)

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