I began working at this particular senior care facility 3 weeks ago and I already want to quit.
Everyday that I have worked so far I have had to deal with the lazy staff this facility refuses to fire. Due to the burnout within the healthcare system management will overlook problems pertaining to certain employees because they can’t afford to fire anyone. This creates a cycle of the good employees leaving due to the laziness of the other employees. I worked 4 12hr shifts this past weekend, and it was a nightmare.
Friday the CNA who was supposed to be on my hall to help me no call no showed, leaving me over 30 residents to tend to alone. I was only able to complete the bare minimum. This means no showers for anyone, no bed changes (besides the soiled beds), and as much as I hate it I was only able to finish morning hygiene on roughly half the residents on my hall.
Saturday the CNA showed up very late, and was literally no help. She would walk off the hall for 30minutes-1 hour and I had to double check everything she did for her half of the residents. (She took the easier side of the hall, my half all require lifts) I had to remake majority of the beds because this lazy POS didn’t change the soiled linens. The beds were SOAKED in urine and she just covered them up with the top comforter in an attempt to make it look like she changed the beds. I was only able to get 1 shower done, because I was again doing the entire hall alone due to her laziness.
Sunday I was put on a different unit alone because it’s half the number of residents. ALL the residents on this hall
are lifts, and a few are hoyer lifts. Picture a crane lifting someone in a hammock, this particular lift requires TWO people. And of course the RN on the unit said “I can’t help you, go find someone in another hall” while on her phone. Also I had symptoms of a cold this entire weekend.
Monday my voice is completely gone. It’s an inaudible squeak. I am once again put on a different hall with a new LPN who is no help. I had one resident fall TWICE because she was confused and kept trying to stand from her wheelchair. With only 2 people on staff it was IMPOSSIBLE to keep eyes on her at all times. The night nurse came in at 2pm and put in minimal effort to help me because im sick and she didn’t want to be around me. Upper management asked if I could stay later because there was no CNA for the night. I told them “no. Im leaving at 6”. 6:03 comes and as im walking back toward the nurse station to clock out I see the night nurse down the hall and she walks off the unit. My voice is gone so I can’t shout. She KNEW I wanted to leave on time. I even helped her out by getting all the residents into their pajamas. At 6:20 I walk down the hall and look down the hall into the other wing. All the way down at the other nurse station is the night nurse chatting with the RN on that unit. At this point I don’t know what to do, im the only employee in my hall. By 6:40 the RN is still not back. I said F it, clocked out, and went home. My shift was over, I was exhausted, on top of not feeling well.
If this is how it is working here im going to do the minimum. I’ll do the work right, but im not going to kill myself doing the work of 3.