Meal time in a nursing home is one of the most enjoyful events for residents. This is a gathering and social events as much as it is for nourishment. Residents who may not interact at any other time of the day will venture to the dining room for the pleasure of eating with others.
Meal times can also be an extremely frustrating time for residents as well. Often time, due to budget restraints, the dietary staff is minimal. From the cook in the kitchen to the servers on the dining room floor they are often overwhelmed and overworked. Residents should be served as in a restuarant. There is usually two main course along with a soup, beverages, and dessert. Often time selections are minimal, if existant in many nursing homes.
Meals are a way for administration to save on their budget as well. This is probably the most penny pinched department in a nursing home. Because the staff does not have to eat these meals, the taste and pleasure of a meal are of little concern. In most nursing home the number one complaint that most residents will have is poor quality food. Poor tasting, poor service, poor quality, and this is often coupled with poor dietary orders. All this makes for what can be a very frustrated resident, who goes to the dining room for no other reason but to be around others...sadly, not to enjoy a nice tasting, nourishing meal.
Families often times get extremely frustrated about meals as well. Because they have little to no control over the meals families will bring in meals cooked at home or fast food. This often times can interfere with the therapeutic process. Although the family is only trying to offer their loved one an enjoyable meal, many times they are doing more harm than good. So, what is one to do in this situation? There is not much that can be done. As always begin with managment and offer us concerns. If this does no good then proceed to administartion. If stil this does no good then one can address these with the doctor. If the resident is not eating because the food of not good, then the doctor will be sure to take note and possibly modify the diet consistency to facility intake. The doctor will be primarily concerned about a weight loss. This is VITAL. I cannot express enough how vital it is for the elderly to maintain a healthy weight. Weight loss in the elderly can be catastrophic.
Keep an eye on the meal for your loved one. We want them to actually enjoy their meals. We enjoy them at home, just as they did before they were placed. Before they were placed they enjoyed nice, home made selection. Although a nursing home cannot replicate all culture food selections or replicate home made meals, they are able to provide quality, nourishing meals.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Just who is caring for your loved one??
Just who IS caring for you loved one? Who are the nursing assistants? Who are the nurses? Who is the dietician, the laundry personel, the housekeepers? Who is the social worker, the recreational staff and who is the management that is making decision for your loved one?
All VERY good questions that you need to know. In regards to nursing staff(nurses and nursing assistance) they MUST be licensed(nurses) or certified(nursing assistants) in the state that they are practicing. This is law and I would be confident that all of these staff members are so. During the application process each of these persons are verified to hold licensure or certification in good standing with the state. One either HAS a license/certification or they do not. There is no other options. Although a nurse can have restrictions upon their license for disciplinary reasons. EVERY state has a Board of Nursing that licenses nursing/nursing assistants and these states have a verification method that anyone can verify licenses of staff members. I would advise calling the State Board of Nursing and aski for the website for license verification. Go to the site, enter a name and there you go. It is public information for all. This also will tell you if a nurse have an restrictions on their practice due to disciplinary reasons.
Also be aware that many of the nursing staff have VERY likely been employed at several nursing homes for short periods of time. I can only explain this by one means; politics. This forces may nurses to move on looking for greener pastures. Most never find them. Ask your admitting persons for long the veterans nurses have been employed with them. Stabiliy and consistency of care is key to your loved one getting either descent care or excellent care. Just as with any career field you want someone who is seasoned and happy with their employer. The same goes for nursing assistants; although their turnover rate is MUCH higher that nurses. The nursing assistance is the person for will provide the most direct care to yoru loved one. If there is a constant change in this group of workers then there are questions that need to be asked. Why is there a constant turnover? Why is there always new faces providing care?
I write this blog from a nursing prospective, but there are many other disciplines involved in the care of resident. Dietary staff, social services, recreational staff, laundry staff, housekeeping staff, maintanence staff, administration, medical records staff, and managment. ALL of them play a role in the care of your loved one and every one of them can create harmony or disrupt harmony in the experience of your loved one. Most people focus on the nursing staff only, do not do this. Ask about ALL of teh disciplines. Most of these disciplines employ people with experience in their prospective position, but yet these require zero licensures. Many of these people care criminal records; yes I will repeat that. Many of these people have criminal records. Most may not be serious, but they do exist. These position are usually low pay and require no education hence the beginnings for questionable behaviors. Especially those nursing homes located in the inner cities.
I hope this opens up conversation about just WHO is caring for our elderly. Notice behaviors, conversations, customer service, and all the signs of what could be questionable care. Ask questions and let managment know that you are watching.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
All VERY good questions that you need to know. In regards to nursing staff(nurses and nursing assistance) they MUST be licensed(nurses) or certified(nursing assistants) in the state that they are practicing. This is law and I would be confident that all of these staff members are so. During the application process each of these persons are verified to hold licensure or certification in good standing with the state. One either HAS a license/certification or they do not. There is no other options. Although a nurse can have restrictions upon their license for disciplinary reasons. EVERY state has a Board of Nursing that licenses nursing/nursing assistants and these states have a verification method that anyone can verify licenses of staff members. I would advise calling the State Board of Nursing and aski for the website for license verification. Go to the site, enter a name and there you go. It is public information for all. This also will tell you if a nurse have an restrictions on their practice due to disciplinary reasons.
Also be aware that many of the nursing staff have VERY likely been employed at several nursing homes for short periods of time. I can only explain this by one means; politics. This forces may nurses to move on looking for greener pastures. Most never find them. Ask your admitting persons for long the veterans nurses have been employed with them. Stabiliy and consistency of care is key to your loved one getting either descent care or excellent care. Just as with any career field you want someone who is seasoned and happy with their employer. The same goes for nursing assistants; although their turnover rate is MUCH higher that nurses. The nursing assistance is the person for will provide the most direct care to yoru loved one. If there is a constant change in this group of workers then there are questions that need to be asked. Why is there a constant turnover? Why is there always new faces providing care?
I write this blog from a nursing prospective, but there are many other disciplines involved in the care of resident. Dietary staff, social services, recreational staff, laundry staff, housekeeping staff, maintanence staff, administration, medical records staff, and managment. ALL of them play a role in the care of your loved one and every one of them can create harmony or disrupt harmony in the experience of your loved one. Most people focus on the nursing staff only, do not do this. Ask about ALL of teh disciplines. Most of these disciplines employ people with experience in their prospective position, but yet these require zero licensures. Many of these people care criminal records; yes I will repeat that. Many of these people have criminal records. Most may not be serious, but they do exist. These position are usually low pay and require no education hence the beginnings for questionable behaviors. Especially those nursing homes located in the inner cities.
I hope this opens up conversation about just WHO is caring for our elderly. Notice behaviors, conversations, customer service, and all the signs of what could be questionable care. Ask questions and let managment know that you are watching.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Happy Holidays for everyone
I wish for everyone to have a very Happy Holiday this year. If you know someone who is in a nursng home, consider offering them more than slipper socks; offer them a bit of your time. That above all else is what they want. Someone to sincerely sit with them and talk to. You will be surprised what you will learn, in turn allowing them to offer you a special gift or a special moment.
So, Happy Holidays and may God's blessings shower upon you and your's always.
BooRai
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
So, Happy Holidays and may God's blessings shower upon you and your's always.
BooRai
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Monday, December 21, 2009
A Great Blog by Ray Mullman about Temp. Agency Nursing.
Should nurses from temp agencies be used at nursing homes?
Posted on December 21, 2009 by Ray Mullman
Trackbacks The L.A. Times had an article about firms that supply temporary nurses to the nation's hospitals and nursing homes. The article reveals that these firms take perilous shortcuts in their screening and supervision, sometimes putting seriously ill patients in the hands of incompetent or impaired caregivers. Emboldened by an alleged nursing shortage and scant regulation, the firms vie for their share of a free-wheeling, $4-billion industry. Some have become havens for nurses who hopscotch from place to place to avoid the consequences of their misconduct.
An investigation by the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica and the Los Angeles Times found dozens of instances in which staffing agencies skimped on background checks or ignored warnings from hospitals about sub-par nurses on their payrolls. Some hired nurses sight unseen, without even conducting an interview. As a result, fill-in nurses with documented histories of poor care have fallen asleep on the job, failed to perform critical tests or stolen drugs intended to ease patients' pain or anxiety.
Among reporters' findings, based on disciplinary records, personnel files, court documents and interviews:
* Firms hired nurses who had criminal records or left states where their licenses had been restricted or revoked. At least three firms employed a nurse in California whose license had been suspended in Minnesota for stealing drugs at a string of temp jobs. One used him after he'd been convicted of doing the same thing at a Santa Rosa nursing home.
* Temp agencies shuffled errant nurses from one hospital to another, even as complaints mounted. A Culver City agency continued sending one nurse to hospitals despite more than a dozen warnings that she was ignoring her patients and sleeping on the job. Before she was hired, the nurse had been convicted of 12 crimes, including prostitution, carrying a concealed weapon and possessing cocaine.
* Nurses who got into trouble at one agency had no problem landing a job at another. An Oklahoma nurse cycled through at least four Southern California agencies in a year, accused of pilfering drugs while at each. Before her final stop, she was arrested in her home state for calling in prescriptions while posing as a doctor's office employee.
Oversight of nurses in general has been weak. A Times/ProPublica investigation in July found years-long delays in disciplining nurses accused of serious misconduct. California's registered nursing board is among a minority that does not require hospitals, agencies or anyone else to report even serious lapses by nurses, including temps. When staff nurses err, hospitals typically retrain or monitor them afterward. Temp nurses often are just exchanged for replacements, never receiving further guidance.
Many agencies leave it to applicants to reveal previous problems. Using multi-page checklists, they are asked to rate themselves on how well they manage critical care patients, use complex equipment and administer drugs. Some nurses admit lying on applications or withholding information from their employers.
Although the healthcare system as a whole is increasingly regulated, the nurse staffing industry remains a Wild West. No one knows how many agencies exist nationwide; estimates range from 3,000 to 6,000. Dozens of Internet sites tout the easy profits and hawk how-to guides for as low as $69.95.
Last year Los Angeles County health staffers went through the files of 29 agencies seeking to provide nurses to its public hospitals. Most of the firms lacked key documents, including evidence of tuberculosis screenings or proof that nurses had current licenses. One agency had 90 missing or invalid records, another 63. The lapses were "surprising," said Vivian C. Branchick, director of nursing affairs for the county Department of Health Services. "They know -- and they've known it all along" -- what the standard is. All of these firms were allowed to correct their shortcomings and won county business.
In late 2006, the county audited Reliable Health Care Services in Culver City, which had received $8.9 million for temp services during the previous fiscal year. The audit found that Reliable had "forged" results of tuberculosis skin tests, physical exams and CPR training cards, which "jeopardized the safety of county patients." Reliable also made "false and misleading statements," the audit said, citing a general "lack of trustworthiness and integrity."
According to Riverside County Regional Medical Center more than 60% of the 339 temp nurses rejected since 2003 failed to demonstrate basic nursing skills on the job. Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, San Bernardino County's public hospital, reported that it had rejected 61 temp nurses since 2005 -- more than half for performance problems.
In another case, St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton informed MedStaff Healthcare Solutions in March 2007 that it suspected nurse Donald Paradise of stealing drugs and asked that he never return, a hospital spokesman said. Six months later, Paradise was accused of stealing drugs at a sister hospital, where he also had been sent by MedStaff.
In interviews, several temp nurses who had been in trouble said their employers focused more on keeping slots filled than on who filled them.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Posted on December 21, 2009 by Ray Mullman
Trackbacks The L.A. Times had an article about firms that supply temporary nurses to the nation's hospitals and nursing homes. The article reveals that these firms take perilous shortcuts in their screening and supervision, sometimes putting seriously ill patients in the hands of incompetent or impaired caregivers. Emboldened by an alleged nursing shortage and scant regulation, the firms vie for their share of a free-wheeling, $4-billion industry. Some have become havens for nurses who hopscotch from place to place to avoid the consequences of their misconduct.
An investigation by the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica and the Los Angeles Times found dozens of instances in which staffing agencies skimped on background checks or ignored warnings from hospitals about sub-par nurses on their payrolls. Some hired nurses sight unseen, without even conducting an interview. As a result, fill-in nurses with documented histories of poor care have fallen asleep on the job, failed to perform critical tests or stolen drugs intended to ease patients' pain or anxiety.
Among reporters' findings, based on disciplinary records, personnel files, court documents and interviews:
* Firms hired nurses who had criminal records or left states where their licenses had been restricted or revoked. At least three firms employed a nurse in California whose license had been suspended in Minnesota for stealing drugs at a string of temp jobs. One used him after he'd been convicted of doing the same thing at a Santa Rosa nursing home.
* Temp agencies shuffled errant nurses from one hospital to another, even as complaints mounted. A Culver City agency continued sending one nurse to hospitals despite more than a dozen warnings that she was ignoring her patients and sleeping on the job. Before she was hired, the nurse had been convicted of 12 crimes, including prostitution, carrying a concealed weapon and possessing cocaine.
* Nurses who got into trouble at one agency had no problem landing a job at another. An Oklahoma nurse cycled through at least four Southern California agencies in a year, accused of pilfering drugs while at each. Before her final stop, she was arrested in her home state for calling in prescriptions while posing as a doctor's office employee.
Oversight of nurses in general has been weak. A Times/ProPublica investigation in July found years-long delays in disciplining nurses accused of serious misconduct. California's registered nursing board is among a minority that does not require hospitals, agencies or anyone else to report even serious lapses by nurses, including temps. When staff nurses err, hospitals typically retrain or monitor them afterward. Temp nurses often are just exchanged for replacements, never receiving further guidance.
Many agencies leave it to applicants to reveal previous problems. Using multi-page checklists, they are asked to rate themselves on how well they manage critical care patients, use complex equipment and administer drugs. Some nurses admit lying on applications or withholding information from their employers.
Although the healthcare system as a whole is increasingly regulated, the nurse staffing industry remains a Wild West. No one knows how many agencies exist nationwide; estimates range from 3,000 to 6,000. Dozens of Internet sites tout the easy profits and hawk how-to guides for as low as $69.95.
Last year Los Angeles County health staffers went through the files of 29 agencies seeking to provide nurses to its public hospitals. Most of the firms lacked key documents, including evidence of tuberculosis screenings or proof that nurses had current licenses. One agency had 90 missing or invalid records, another 63. The lapses were "surprising," said Vivian C. Branchick, director of nursing affairs for the county Department of Health Services. "They know -- and they've known it all along" -- what the standard is. All of these firms were allowed to correct their shortcomings and won county business.
In late 2006, the county audited Reliable Health Care Services in Culver City, which had received $8.9 million for temp services during the previous fiscal year. The audit found that Reliable had "forged" results of tuberculosis skin tests, physical exams and CPR training cards, which "jeopardized the safety of county patients." Reliable also made "false and misleading statements," the audit said, citing a general "lack of trustworthiness and integrity."
According to Riverside County Regional Medical Center more than 60% of the 339 temp nurses rejected since 2003 failed to demonstrate basic nursing skills on the job. Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, San Bernardino County's public hospital, reported that it had rejected 61 temp nurses since 2005 -- more than half for performance problems.
In another case, St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton informed MedStaff Healthcare Solutions in March 2007 that it suspected nurse Donald Paradise of stealing drugs and asked that he never return, a hospital spokesman said. Six months later, Paradise was accused of stealing drugs at a sister hospital, where he also had been sent by MedStaff.
In interviews, several temp nurses who had been in trouble said their employers focused more on keeping slots filled than on who filled them.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Don't Believe The Hype
The nursing home sales pitch is not different than that of the used car lot. It all bells and whistles, but pop open the hood just to be sure.
Believe this....the nursing home wants your insurance dollars. They would first LOVE to recieve that money from 1) you paying directly out of your pocket, 2) you paying via your privately held insurance, and lastly 3)you paying via government-sponsored insurance (Medicare/Medicaid). And in that order, too. The least attractive is the Medicare dollar as it pays less and is scrutinized by the government.
So, in order to get you to gladly pass over those monies to them, they will offer you a song-and-a-dance. The performance usually begins at the hospital with the social worker/nurse handing you over a nice little brochure that depicts an elderly person or two joyfully smiling whilst they are outdoors tending to the garden. Or the same person/people sitting at a dining room table being served a meal as if they are ar a 5-star Manhattan restaurant. Don't believe the hype!! As you open the tri-folded brouchure it begins to inform you of all the wonderful services they offer, "physical therapy, speech therapy, nursing services, outdoor trips, a patio with a view, 100-bed skilled facitliy, blah, blah, blah". Like I said before ...Don't believe the hype.
Every facility is mandated to offer social and recreational events. This is the wonderful bingo that is offered or crafts, exercise, or the infamous "pet therapy". These are simply catch phrases. Most of these services are indeed provided, but half-heartedly so. You must realize that the staff that is "trained" to perform these services usually have zero college degrees or training in those capacities. It would be wise to ask a suiting facility what level of training/education do ALL the department members have, not JUST the nursing department. You will find that the overwhelming majority of these people have ZERO training in their capacity and ZERO training in Geriatrics. This would include the following: Recreation Department, Social Services, Medical Records, Administration, Dietary Services, Laundry Services, Maintenance, and Data Entry. Your nurses and nursing assistance MUST hold and maintain in good standing a license or certification. Besides that the majority are anyone that simply applies. I do not want to cast any ill will towars persons without a college education or extended training in a career field, but you must know that the majority of the people providing services/care to our nursing home population have no training with the elderly.
So, you will be provided with a wonderful sales pitch. Ask questions!! It is a must!! Every nursing home has to have a copy of its last state survey available for viewing; ask to see it. If they hesitate or cannot find it or have some other excuse, then I would GREATLY question placing someone there. Ask how many "tags" were recieved on the last survey, they must devulge this information too you. If they have in excess of 5, then question placement. Each department can recieved these tags, not only nursing. These tags also come with a rated severity and explanation of that deficiency. You can read about problems in nursing, dietary, laundry, social services, and determine it that is the right place for placement or not.
Be wary of the sales pitch. Don't buy because you like the paint job, or the fancy flames....lift that hood and kick those tires. Don't believe the sales pitch hype.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Believe this....the nursing home wants your insurance dollars. They would first LOVE to recieve that money from 1) you paying directly out of your pocket, 2) you paying via your privately held insurance, and lastly 3)you paying via government-sponsored insurance (Medicare/Medicaid). And in that order, too. The least attractive is the Medicare dollar as it pays less and is scrutinized by the government.
So, in order to get you to gladly pass over those monies to them, they will offer you a song-and-a-dance. The performance usually begins at the hospital with the social worker/nurse handing you over a nice little brochure that depicts an elderly person or two joyfully smiling whilst they are outdoors tending to the garden. Or the same person/people sitting at a dining room table being served a meal as if they are ar a 5-star Manhattan restaurant. Don't believe the hype!! As you open the tri-folded brouchure it begins to inform you of all the wonderful services they offer, "physical therapy, speech therapy, nursing services, outdoor trips, a patio with a view, 100-bed skilled facitliy, blah, blah, blah". Like I said before ...Don't believe the hype.
Every facility is mandated to offer social and recreational events. This is the wonderful bingo that is offered or crafts, exercise, or the infamous "pet therapy". These are simply catch phrases. Most of these services are indeed provided, but half-heartedly so. You must realize that the staff that is "trained" to perform these services usually have zero college degrees or training in those capacities. It would be wise to ask a suiting facility what level of training/education do ALL the department members have, not JUST the nursing department. You will find that the overwhelming majority of these people have ZERO training in their capacity and ZERO training in Geriatrics. This would include the following: Recreation Department, Social Services, Medical Records, Administration, Dietary Services, Laundry Services, Maintenance, and Data Entry. Your nurses and nursing assistance MUST hold and maintain in good standing a license or certification. Besides that the majority are anyone that simply applies. I do not want to cast any ill will towars persons without a college education or extended training in a career field, but you must know that the majority of the people providing services/care to our nursing home population have no training with the elderly.
So, you will be provided with a wonderful sales pitch. Ask questions!! It is a must!! Every nursing home has to have a copy of its last state survey available for viewing; ask to see it. If they hesitate or cannot find it or have some other excuse, then I would GREATLY question placing someone there. Ask how many "tags" were recieved on the last survey, they must devulge this information too you. If they have in excess of 5, then question placement. Each department can recieved these tags, not only nursing. These tags also come with a rated severity and explanation of that deficiency. You can read about problems in nursing, dietary, laundry, social services, and determine it that is the right place for placement or not.
Be wary of the sales pitch. Don't buy because you like the paint job, or the fancy flames....lift that hood and kick those tires. Don't believe the sales pitch hype.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Friday, December 18, 2009
ELDER ABUSE IN NURSING HOMES.
Johnathan Rosenfled has blog(http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/nursing-homes-abuse-blog) about elder abuse in nursing homes. Though the most severe abuses are rare, everyday abuse DOES occur. Abuse can be a very simple act with little or no signs. I can also be very obvious with blairing symptoms. Abuse and neglect are two acts that can lead a person into despair and depression. Further complicating their rehab or long term stay.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
What type of Staffing does the Nursing home have?
One of the most single important questions that one can ask is about the staffing. Without appropriate staffing your loved one will perhaps not recieve sufficient enough care.
Ask about the ratio of nursing assistants to residents. Very genrally speaking this ratio should be somewhere around 9:1. This ratio would permit the STNA enough time to fully care for everyone's needs. A ratio higher than that would be difficult for an STNA to meet everyone's needs/wants. The work of an STNA is a VERY difficult one and with high ratios of residents to STNA the job becomes even more difficult and frustrating for the STNA equaling poor work performance.
Also inquire about LPN(Licensed Practical Nurse) and RN(Registered Nurse) ratios. Though most states do not have a standard ratio of residents to nurse, there is a typical line that most homes follow. Usually, that ration is 20-25:1. Just as in the case of an STNA who has higher than capable numbers, the nurse can also become frustrated if the number of residents to care for become too high.
Care-giver strain is a hugely overlooked condition within health care. This is what most nurses term "burn out". With this strain you can find nursing staff that no longer see the compassionate side of what they do and they simply are trying to survive day-to-day within their facility. I will eleborate further on care-give strain in a future blog.
Ask if call-offs are a problem. The likely answer will be "no", but inquire further. Ask if the facility uses Temporaty Nursing Services to fill call-offs off nursing staff. If the answer is "yes", be cautious. Why is this facilty not filling its voids with staff they already know? and why is the staff NOT wanting to work extra hours. I will also elaborate further in a future blog.
Staffing numbers are essential to provide optimal care. Although all facilities have some difficulty filling voids, many do not move aggressively towards maintain good working staff and consistency. Your loved one will find it most comfortable seeing the same faces the majority of the time. This helps to promote good continuity of care and confidence that their needs/desires will be met.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Ask about the ratio of nursing assistants to residents. Very genrally speaking this ratio should be somewhere around 9:1. This ratio would permit the STNA enough time to fully care for everyone's needs. A ratio higher than that would be difficult for an STNA to meet everyone's needs/wants. The work of an STNA is a VERY difficult one and with high ratios of residents to STNA the job becomes even more difficult and frustrating for the STNA equaling poor work performance.
Also inquire about LPN(Licensed Practical Nurse) and RN(Registered Nurse) ratios. Though most states do not have a standard ratio of residents to nurse, there is a typical line that most homes follow. Usually, that ration is 20-25:1. Just as in the case of an STNA who has higher than capable numbers, the nurse can also become frustrated if the number of residents to care for become too high.
Care-giver strain is a hugely overlooked condition within health care. This is what most nurses term "burn out". With this strain you can find nursing staff that no longer see the compassionate side of what they do and they simply are trying to survive day-to-day within their facility. I will eleborate further on care-give strain in a future blog.
Ask if call-offs are a problem. The likely answer will be "no", but inquire further. Ask if the facility uses Temporaty Nursing Services to fill call-offs off nursing staff. If the answer is "yes", be cautious. Why is this facilty not filling its voids with staff they already know? and why is the staff NOT wanting to work extra hours. I will also elaborate further in a future blog.
Staffing numbers are essential to provide optimal care. Although all facilities have some difficulty filling voids, many do not move aggressively towards maintain good working staff and consistency. Your loved one will find it most comfortable seeing the same faces the majority of the time. This helps to promote good continuity of care and confidence that their needs/desires will be met.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
