WHY?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I've been a DNS for the last 18 years. My friends ask me why I continue to work in LTC when we're consistently short staffed and looked badly upon by hospital nurses. Here is why:

We have a local guy come in once a week to play the piano for the residents. He knows them all by name and knows their favorite songs. I was in the room when he started playing L. Cohen's Hallelulah.. for one of the significantly demented residents. She very rarely says anything that makes sense. I always help out with the sing a long. She mumbled through the verse until the Hallelulah chorus. She went for the low note...I hit the high ones. She took my hand, looked right at me and said "I can't do THAT!"

That, colleagues, is the reason I stay.

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You get to sing along with the residents ? I thought you would be supervising

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I make time to enjoy myself at work. I don’t feel the need to supervise every minute of every day.

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No

I didn't mean that you should not enjoy yourself nor your residents. I am more surprised you have the luxury of doing so. The new trend is to have the DNS and ADNS supervise 7-3 and 3-11 and having the DNS do 11-7 (on call) and they are still expected to do their other duties. After all that, one cannot even enjoy a break much more sing for the residents.

Continue to sing my dear DNS, sing for all of us who cannot find the time to pee much more sing.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology RN.

So there you have it @CapeCodMermaid thats why people ask you why you work in LTC. Because some, if not most LTC facilities are poorly run and over staffed.

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Well CapeCodMermaid, good for you! And you continue to stay in LTC then. It is people such as yourself who make the world of LTC so much better for the residents there. Healthcare needs more peoole like you. Someone has definitely gots to do it.....but it wont be me.......at least not anytime soon. Homelessness PLUS starvation equals what, my dear? It equals the circumstances i would have to be under in order for me to have to go back to the nursing home to work. Im definitely NOT AT ALL trying to make it seem like im above it...heck i did LTC for many many years before getting my RN and doing hospital work. I just see my career going in a much different direction than LTC.

Also, the residents were the absolute best part of working long term care! So many funny stories they would tell about their life expriences. And alot of them would give some of the most sage advice.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

So that’s NOT the trend around here having DNSs supervise and take a cart overnight.

if I were near the beginning or even middle of my career, I do something else. But I will only be working 5 or so more years. Too late to change streams

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I am in LTC too and I truly love it. I would love to work in a hospital to see the difference but, alas, I have never gone past an interview.

It may not be the trend at where you work...yet. But, believe me, it is coming, one way or the other. The big corporations are all about saving money, and they are not about to have 2 free floating RNs in a building doing "nothing." That also solves the DOH's request of having enough RNs in a building and our everyday cry of "nursing shortage."

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

CapeCod, you'd get along well with my DON. She also spends at least part of her day either attending a resident meal or an activity. Not because she has the time mind you. She makes the time because she actually considers knowing the residents part of the job and also thinks having fun at work is important.

Not all LTC facilities are the bowels of the industry. Not all, I'd guess even not very many LTC staff are there just because they can't find a different job. While bashing management is pretty fun no matter where you work as a rule we usually appreciate you and all you do...as long as you don't do something truly boneheaded, lol!

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

pretty much sums it up.

My worst day can be turned around when I get a huge smile from a resident I give a big hug to.

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On 10/3/2019 at 8:25 PM, Glycerine82 said:

pretty much sums it up.

My worst day can be turned around when I get a huge smile from a resident I give a big hug to.

Love your comment! ❤️

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
On 9/30/2019 at 11:06 AM, kbrn2002 said:

CapeCod, you'd get along well with my DON. She also spends at least part of her day either attending a resident meal or an activity. Not because she has the time mind you. She makes the time because she actually considers knowing the residents part of the job and also thinks having fun at work is important.

Not all LTC facilities are the bowels of the industry. Not all, I'd guess even not very many LTC staff are there just because they can't find a different job. While bashing management is pretty fun no matter where you work as a rule we usually appreciate you and all you do...as long as you don't do something truly boneheaded, lol!

Get this - My administrator will take things to the kitchen and clean them herself if she has an activity/event after the kitchen staff go home. She also helps with pretty much everything shes legally able to. Shes amazing.

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