What is so darned difficult about oral care?

Maxs · Apr 6, 2005

One day, these people will want to change it when it is too late.... when they actually become a patient in a nursing home.

Yes, Exactly!

Max

dizzejan · Apr 7, 2005

I agree, with ya .. all I'm saying is that if we choose to work in the conditions as bad as they are.. once we take that assignment we must provide for the residents..is the staffing going to change in the near future..prob.not..not until we make it do so ...the bottom line has to be about the residents in my book.. so until they give me more cna's i will do my job and their's to see my residents do not go without.... how did we go from oral care to staffing anyway...hum....new thread needed perhaps?

webblarsk · Apr 7, 2005

I may get flamed for this, but that's a cop out. We're always short lately, but we manage to get it done. It has to be a priority. Bad oral hygeine is linked to cardiovascular problems, lung infections, and just think, that wad of food that someone didn't have the time to clean out may wind up lodged in the resident's windpipe.

Very well stated. I wish there were more CNA's like you, you obviously take great pride in your job. I am sure your residents love and appreciate you very much!

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2005

Exactly, shortstaffing doesnt cut it. However,, have you ever really looked at the bright shiney smile of some who ignore oral care. Their own oral care isnt to great either. Somehow i doubt if someone is running around working with yellow scum on their own teeth that they even give the patient a thought. They are the ones we have to ride on and make them get it done.

I love the poor mouth breather who has had charted that mouth care was given, but you go in,, look and then have to pull a big ole chunck of dried mucus from the back of their throat or roof of their mouths. Just so they can breathe!! Good oral care,, they wet the brush/swab give it a swipe and their done. Yuck!!!!

Maxs · Apr 7, 2005

Think Harder, Think Logically And Correlate.

Town & Country · Apr 10, 2005

Yes, I agree with you on that one. That is what the job entails, and cleaning up is one of them. I know I'm not in the most glorified position, but I really am grateful to do it. No matter how gross it is to me, I am glad to do it. Patients rely on us, they depend on us to take good care of them and make good judgements about their care. I'm grateful that I'm able to be with them and help in every way possible. I used to waitress before I switched to a nurse's aide. I knew it would help me while getting my RN, and would aleviate some stress of a new environment. I make a good living waiting tables, but I hated it. I had to rely on patrons for income. Now patients rely on me to be responsible,caring, and sensitive while they are recovering. I'd rather clean dentures and rear ends anyday.

Amen. I consider it an honor to be able to care for the woman who single-handedly raised 8 kids who all grew up to be doctors, lawyers and teachers, or the World War II veteran who risked his life so that generations after him could know freedom.

Kudos to a couple of obviously GREAT CNAs!!!

If I walked into work and would be responsible for 18 residents, I would refuse to take report. That is dangerous for the residents, dangerous for the staff, and I happen to value my CNA certification, which I wouldn't have long with insane staffing like that. That's why God invented agencies.

LOL, love it!!! :rotfl:

NoCrumping · Apr 11, 2005

When facilities are fully staffed, then CNA's will have time to do oral care.
Maxs

BINGO!!!! enough said, post closed. (just kidding) And I am not even a CNA, I am an RN. The CNA's are just as much , maybe more, busier than the nurses. Just different busy.Idealistic nursing care and realistic care are two different things. That said, do I think oral care should be done all the time? Of course I do. Everybody does.

Another aside, I have found, (though I realize this is a generalization), that the CNA's who are very dilligent about these things.......are not so dilligent about reporting major symptoms to the nurse that they are supposed to. And to the contrary, a CNA, who , shall I say , somewhat lax, in these areas, are excellent in this kind of scenario. This is my experience. Dont flame me please.I know its not true for all of you.:uhoh21:

Maxs · Apr 11, 2005

This may not be the true with every nurse I have worked with, but there was this nurse I worked with whom if you tell her a resident (who usually falls) fell, while she is around another nurse. You have initiated the spark to her **BAD DAY** because now she actually has to do the report and perform all the necessary inspections. And everytime I would report a fall to her, it was usually in front of another nurse. As soon as she runs to see the resident, I would walk into to the lounge room and laugh so hard that my body would get unstable. Reporting can depend on who is the nurse on duty at a LTC facility. Some aides at these facilities would only report to a nurse like the one just mentionioed, if the injuries or the falls are extreme, however, CNA's are supposed to report every injury or fall regardless of its degree or extent. It is really hard to blame this on CNA's solely because the nurse can be an influence on them. And when there's pain, most residents will report this to an aide during med passes and some nurses can easily be evoked to anger if you tell them that a resident is in perseverance pain while she is at it (or passing meds). Some cases just require a professional research rather than a full blown speculations. "What you see or hear maybe the same or different then what others truely experience." Life (Everyday, 365.24)

Maxs