Oh sure, now the spineless, weak ANA pleads on behalf of the nurses about 1 year to late. Apparently hospitals and nursing homes are losing money due to lack of staff. You think these dipshits who supported the government mandates would have known that before. But no. They decided it would be better to fire nurses and bring foreign nurses in who ca barely speak English and who come from countries where medical standards are different. I would NEVER advise a man or woman to go into nursing these days, it is a hard job, long hours, inadequate pay for the volume of work via computer, as well as physical care provided-dressing changes, lab reviews, physical assessments. Back in the 1970’s and 2980’s it was about the patient, now it is about the dollar.
The stories I could tell. Especially in nursing homes where the work load is undeniably undoable at an acceptable level of care, and 'corporate' KNOWS this but punishes the nurses for failing anyways. So the staff they end up with are a few exceptional nurses think 'if I don't stay and do this, who will?" and a LOT of barely literate nurses who truly are in it for money and perceived power.
Been there, done that. 16 years in senior rehab facility.
I worked a 2nd job in a nursing home for 9 months. I left when I was getting chest pains. I had 24-36 patients back then. I worked 7pm-11:30 pm, but rarely got out before 1:30 a.m. I had to pass medications (some had to be crushed and spoon fed in applesauce or pudding), treatments usually on 6-8 patients (dressing changes, catherizations, blood sugars to about 50% of the residents on my team,respiratory treatments). Forget it if you had a sick patient. You would have to call a doctor, maybe the rescue squad, then the family or you might have to start an I.V. It was all tasks, no possible chance to listen and socialize with the patients. It was not the kind of care I wanted to give, so I quit. I felt badly for the residents. What they have to pay per month for mediocre care is unbelievable. Families unfortunately put their loved ones in a nursing home and rarely visit. They trust that they are getting good care. My first day of orientation I observed chunky potato salad being served to residents on puréed diets. The 2nd day I observed kitchen staff using bare hands to put food on the plates. I reported both. This was a “deficiency free” nursing home. I could never figure out why I was always behind. I said something to another nurse about my slowness, where I observed another nurse always done in 1 1/2 hours. The response I got was, “We suspect she only passes medications to the residents who are alert and oriented!” I kid you not. This was appalling to me as a professional nurse, and the nonchalance of the statement to me was breathtaking. I told my children, if I ever need nursing home care, put on rubber gloves and shoot me. I would rather be dead than be in a nursing home.
We had much the same experience. I worked first shift trying to manage meds, treatments, wound care etc between the therapy schedules. And therapy HAD to be worked around because it brought in the big bucks. For the first 2 years I also did admissions & discharges. Charting didn't even begin for me until an hour past shift change. We rcvd patients 1 day post op from surgeries. G/J tubes, trachs, IV's, the works. It was supposedly for seniors but by the time I left we were taking in approx 25% age 60 and under. Very few of the staff had the training or experience for this, so those of us who did were responsible for THEIR performance as well. We are (were) the elite of eldercare in this area. Everyone with money chose us. If it hadn't been for the small core of absolute stellar staff on my shift (about 6, but never all at the same time lol) there's no chance of passing state visits. But my gosh, I LOVED giving care.
I felt so sorry for the residents. They all needed a kind word, someone to sit with them, but one simply didn’t have the time. That is what killed me. One day I met two women sharing a room. I don’t remember what I said to them, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I was standing outside the room at my medicine cart and heard the one woman say to the other, “She is nice, isn’t she.” I didn’t do or say anything unusual. So sad when you think of how they must be treated on a day by day basis by nurses and aides. Is it any wonder that life span is cut short once placed in a nursing home most likely due to family and staff neglect, despair by the residents. Emotional health plays a huge role. Nursing homes really don’t care about staffing ratios. There are some very good nurses that work in nursing homes, but I suspect they are few and far between. I think there is less accountability in nursing homes. Most are staffed with LPNs and maybe 1 RN per shift. Now some aides, with a special medication course, are permitted to pass medications in some states. That tells you all you need to know about the value placed on the elderly. I support and thank all of the care givers out there who put their heart and soul into the profession.
Why did they wait until everyone possible got vaxxed or lost their job? Weak bastards!
Oh sure, now the spineless, weak ANA pleads on behalf of the nurses about 1 year to late. Apparently hospitals and nursing homes are losing money due to lack of staff. You think these dipshits who supported the government mandates would have known that before. But no. They decided it would be better to fire nurses and bring foreign nurses in who ca barely speak English and who come from countries where medical standards are different. I would NEVER advise a man or woman to go into nursing these days, it is a hard job, long hours, inadequate pay for the volume of work via computer, as well as physical care provided-dressing changes, lab reviews, physical assessments. Back in the 1970’s and 2980’s it was about the patient, now it is about the dollar.
The stories I could tell. Especially in nursing homes where the work load is undeniably undoable at an acceptable level of care, and 'corporate' KNOWS this but punishes the nurses for failing anyways. So the staff they end up with are a few exceptional nurses think 'if I don't stay and do this, who will?" and a LOT of barely literate nurses who truly are in it for money and perceived power.
Been there, done that. 16 years in senior rehab facility.
I worked a 2nd job in a nursing home for 9 months. I left when I was getting chest pains. I had 24-36 patients back then. I worked 7pm-11:30 pm, but rarely got out before 1:30 a.m. I had to pass medications (some had to be crushed and spoon fed in applesauce or pudding), treatments usually on 6-8 patients (dressing changes, catherizations, blood sugars to about 50% of the residents on my team,respiratory treatments). Forget it if you had a sick patient. You would have to call a doctor, maybe the rescue squad, then the family or you might have to start an I.V. It was all tasks, no possible chance to listen and socialize with the patients. It was not the kind of care I wanted to give, so I quit. I felt badly for the residents. What they have to pay per month for mediocre care is unbelievable. Families unfortunately put their loved ones in a nursing home and rarely visit. They trust that they are getting good care. My first day of orientation I observed chunky potato salad being served to residents on puréed diets. The 2nd day I observed kitchen staff using bare hands to put food on the plates. I reported both. This was a “deficiency free” nursing home. I could never figure out why I was always behind. I said something to another nurse about my slowness, where I observed another nurse always done in 1 1/2 hours. The response I got was, “We suspect she only passes medications to the residents who are alert and oriented!” I kid you not. This was appalling to me as a professional nurse, and the nonchalance of the statement to me was breathtaking. I told my children, if I ever need nursing home care, put on rubber gloves and shoot me. I would rather be dead than be in a nursing home.
We had much the same experience. I worked first shift trying to manage meds, treatments, wound care etc between the therapy schedules. And therapy HAD to be worked around because it brought in the big bucks. For the first 2 years I also did admissions & discharges. Charting didn't even begin for me until an hour past shift change. We rcvd patients 1 day post op from surgeries. G/J tubes, trachs, IV's, the works. It was supposedly for seniors but by the time I left we were taking in approx 25% age 60 and under. Very few of the staff had the training or experience for this, so those of us who did were responsible for THEIR performance as well. We are (were) the elite of eldercare in this area. Everyone with money chose us. If it hadn't been for the small core of absolute stellar staff on my shift (about 6, but never all at the same time lol) there's no chance of passing state visits. But my gosh, I LOVED giving care.
As a fellow front line combatant....I salute you!
I felt so sorry for the residents. They all needed a kind word, someone to sit with them, but one simply didn’t have the time. That is what killed me. One day I met two women sharing a room. I don’t remember what I said to them, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I was standing outside the room at my medicine cart and heard the one woman say to the other, “She is nice, isn’t she.” I didn’t do or say anything unusual. So sad when you think of how they must be treated on a day by day basis by nurses and aides. Is it any wonder that life span is cut short once placed in a nursing home most likely due to family and staff neglect, despair by the residents. Emotional health plays a huge role. Nursing homes really don’t care about staffing ratios. There are some very good nurses that work in nursing homes, but I suspect they are few and far between. I think there is less accountability in nursing homes. Most are staffed with LPNs and maybe 1 RN per shift. Now some aides, with a special medication course, are permitted to pass medications in some states. That tells you all you need to know about the value placed on the elderly. I support and thank all of the care givers out there who put their heart and soul into the profession.
Resident will Veto. #fraudhouse