Posted by laura on December 14, 1999 at 16:46:21:
In Reply to: !!!!!SUPPORT...PLEASE!!!!! posted by Cindy in Florida on August 30, 1999 at 09:15:10:
Dear Cindy.
I have had the same problem in nursing homes. If I made a complaint to a supervisor, I was then looked at with distaste, prehaps labeled a "trouble maker", and someone who could possibly be willing to make other complaints to the State about patient care. I was drummed out of one nursing home this way. That was ok, I was still doing home health on a part time basis, and simply increased my hours there. So the Nursing home $#@#$'s didn't hurt me the way they hoped.
Another thing I notice, in a home where administration is covering their assetes any way possible, the aides are the ones stuck doing an immense amount of heavy care with no assist. We become sick and injured easily. A nursing home I worked at was well known for being short staffed on a chronic basis by the local walk in clinic. They always had staff from this home coming in with all kinds of injuries.
Now, I loved working in nursing homes when there was adequate staff- I loved running and being busy and the general rush thrill of doing a job completely AND efficiently. But these days there is little job satisfaction because there is no time to do those little things for patients.. like listen to them, or give a backrub.
My solution was to go to home health. I can refuse heavy lift patients as I was injured too much in the gruelmills. I generally have time to spend "spoiling" my patients. One-on-one care, can't beat it. I set my own hours, I specialize in Hospice care, and I have a management staff that supports me. If a nurse won't listen ,my super will. I hated to leave the nursing home, I hated more abandoning my patients to the mills... but you have to take care of yourself before you take care of others.
I also found the best staffs to be associated with a VNA, or as in my case, a VNA that was absorbed by a local hospital.
The only thing I find troublesome is that, apparently, Home Health Aides are looked down upon as untrained lazy induviduals with a tendancy to steal... I found out that in my state(CT) one needs only a two week training course to go into someones home.. This is beause they need more bodies out in the field. I am a CNA and an EMT, both educations have behooved me immesurably in field. There should be higher qualifications for us, ok I will stop ranting now.
I am having some real problems at work. I just want to share a few with you, and get some ideas from you.
: This week-end, I worked with a CNA who took an hour and 5 minutes to smoke a cigarette. It was at a time when we should of been doing rounds. I had to start my rounds late because I felt that I needed to watch her residents, who have a tendency to wander out the door...Fast. I told the nurses, they blew the whole situation off. Actually, I told them twice. The nurse went and got the girl from another floor. She was alking with her friends. Then the following night, I got jumped on by the supervisor for not getting her myself. I told her that I didn't feel that it was my place. Then I was told that I should have told the nurses(which I did). Even after explaining the whole story, I was still made to feel that it was my fault. The problem is that the administration doesn't want to hear about anything. They just recently went agency free, and they think they are doing really well...which I see that they have hired "just anyone " to fill the holes! I have left a lot of places because of these same problems, I don't want to leave this one...But I'm not sure how much FIGHT I have in me. I've been told by the nurses to just let it go, that it won't do any good! Do they realize that "Letting things go" is the main problem? Am I the only one at work that is willing to stand up for what I beleive? There are other issues, that cause a risk to the residents, that everyone else seems to overlook. One of my night nurses said that he is just tired of being shot down by everyone. I hope that I don't ever feel like that!