You don’t sweat, you percolate.
When someone says, “How are you?”, you say, “Good to the last drop.”
Your coffee mug is insured by Lloyds of London.
You get a speeding ticket even when you’re parked.
You speed-walk in your sleep.
You haven’t blinked since the last lunar eclipse.
You just completed another sweater and you don’t know how to knit.
You grind your coffee beans in your mouth.
You sleep with your eyes open.
You have to watch videos in fast-forward.
The only time you’re standing still is during an earthquake.
You lick your coffeepot clean.
You spend every vacation visiting Maxwell House.
Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
You chew on other people’s fingernails.
The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take your pulse.
You can type 60 words per minute with your feet.
You can jump-start your car without cables.
You don’t need a hammer to pound in nails.
Your only source of nutrition comes from “Sweet & Low.”
You buy milk by the barrel.
You’ve worn out the handle on your favorite mug.
You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.
You forget to unwrap candy bars before eating them.
Chuck Yeager thinks you need to calm down.
You’ve built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers
People get dizzy just watching you.
You’ve worn the finish off your coffee table.
The Taster’s Choice couple wants to adopt you.
Starbucks owns the mortgage on your house.
Your taste buds are so numb, you could drink your lava lamp.
You’re so wired, you pick up AM radio.
People can test their batteries in your ears.
Instant coffee takes too long.
You channel surf faster without a remote.
You go to sleep just so you can wake up and smell the coffee
You name your cats “Cream” and “Sugar.”
You speak perfect Arabic without ever taking a lesson.
Your Thermos is on wheels.
Your lips are permanently stuck in the sipping position.
You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.
You can outlast the Energizer bunny.
You short out motion detectors.
You have a conniption over spilled milk.
You don’t even wait for the water to boil anymore.
Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter scale.
You think being called a “drip” is a compliment.
You don’t tan, you roast.
You don’t get mad, you get steamed.
You can’t even remember your second cup.
You help your dog chase its tail.
You soak your dentures in coffee overnight.
You introduce your spouse as your coffeemate.
You think CPR stands for “Coffee Provides Resuscitation.”
Your first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup.

I added a new category on the left side panel: CNA Educational Materials.

This category has written materials, free for use by anyone. I do not want to see this stuff used at other websites without credit however. The main idea with these writings is for in services and staff development use.

Some of the material was written a few years ago, but I think it is still quite relevent in today’s world.

Continuing Education or Just Another In Service?
A Perspective For CNA’s

We have all been there. In a room at work, sitting in front of a TV monitor watching YET another in service video. Usually no one is actually teaching us anything. And often we are doing this in a hurry to make sure we have enough “hours” to count towards our state requirements for yearly on going training.

This is not the fault of the CNA. Because of budget issues and time factors, many nursing homes and other facilities do not bother to consider that CNA’s deserve better in services, better continuing education. Everyone agrees that CNA’s deliver 90% of all hands on care, yet we are often the last to receive important new information to help us stay up to date with new practices and procedures. Many CNA’s do not feel supported by their management teams to request attending seminars and conferences. And many CNA’s don’t really care- they have a life outside of work and don’t feel they should have to spend extra time learning things they think they already know.

I would like to address the first issue mentioned above- budget and time concerns- this might catch the attention of the management of a nursing home. This is really a simple to fix in my opinion. There are so many talented people who work in nursing homes, hospitals and similar facilities. We have dieticians, activity professionals, pastors/priests, nurses, OT’s, PT’s, Speech therapists. These are just a few folks who have a wealth of knowledge that can be shared. Some topics for consideration might be:

• Nutrition and Dehydration (DT)
• Socializing and Activities for residents (Activities Director)
• Religions- learning the basics (Pastors)
• New skin care protocols (Nurses)
• Understanding the Nursing Process (Nurses)**
• Feeding Techniques (Occupational Therapists)
• Range of Motion Exercises (Physical Therapists)
• Special communication devices and techniques (Speech Therapists)
**Many CNA’s do not know exactly what the nursing process is.

Also, many facilities have specially trained psyche nurses and doctors who regularly make visits. This person is a great resource for helping CNA’s learn to cope and deal with behaviorally challenged residents. I have heard from CNA’s who work for forward thinking organizations that actually request from their CNA’s what THEY would like to learn about.

Some of the ideas shared with me were:

Working together issues- communication with peers; how to deal with negativity in the workplace; how to re-direct angry co-workers, how to deal effectively with superiors….

Keeping up to date with all the new skin care protocols. Many, many a CNA has shared with me their despair of being certified years ago and not being told/taught about new trends. An example given was from one CNA in GA who told me about how she always massaged her residents’ reddened skin after washing the area. Of course new evidence suggests we don’t do this but she never got this, and she first learned of it online 13 years after she became a CNA.

Documenting/Language: I am always amazed at the numbers of CNA’s who just do not understand how important their role is in the entire care giving process, part of which is good documenting. Down this road also comes a need for CNA’s to understand and know the English language well enough to communicate with residents. It would always be a good investment to send foreign speaking aides to a local college to learn ESL (English as Second Language) classes. Not only is spoken language covered, but written language as well.

With a little thought, planning and research anyone can come up with content for the above mentioned ideas- online there are many good web sites to tap for info. Local colleges will work with facilities and may even come onsite to do training.

Finally I would like to address those CNA’s who think they know everything and don’t need any extra education. Smile- you’re not alone but you are going to become a DINOSAUR real fast. The young and up-coming CNA’s are motivated by learning and continuing to learn. You deserve to have opportunities to better yourself, to deliver better care to your residents. Since you have to keep your “hours” up to date, wouldn’t you rather learn something new and different vs. sitting in front of that silly monitor watching an infection control video that is 7 years old??

SHIFT WARS: Turmoil in the halls of the LTC facility

In my years as a CNA I have seen many a good aide leave a job because of issues between shifts. I have also seen aides become bitter and negative because of bad feelings between other shifts. This is so silly and unnecessary- really. There are ways to manage the transition between shifts. It all starts with an attitude change.

Attitude change? Why, one might ask? Think about it for a moment. If you come to work “ready” for a bad day, you’re going to get what you ask for. If you come to work in a bad mood, chances are pretty good the day will get worse.

If you assume the folks on another shift are lazy, then in your eyes nothing they do is good enough or right. No amount of “excuses” will convince you that they had reasons for not getting everything done. Of course your excuses are paramount and real when you can’t get
YOUR work done, so you have a right to expect other shifts to understand your issues, right?

Hmm. Lets look at this mindset.

Stuff happens. To everyone, on every shift, every day. Residents get sick; they have major accidents, they die. Staff work short, new admissions show up at inopportune times, room changes happen during every shift. Equipment breaks down, water turns off or gets too cold for baths. Toilets clog up, power goes out, families complain.

Each shift has it’s own set of unique problems, staffing patterns, nursing issues, demands, expectations. Residents also have their own demands and needs that are different for each shift. One of the first things to keep in mind is this. If you have worked another shift don’t think you know it all. LTC is notorious for changes happening all the time- what used to be common may not be anymore.

Managing the transition from one shift to another is a process and it involves nurses and aides from both shifts. Communication is SO important- as well as having empathy and understanding. A process should be in place to make sure each shift’s staff has clear expectations. Leaving a unit in good shape for the next shift is the goal, and here are some ways to get to the goal:

1) Identify problem areas. First and paramount should be the residents safety, comfort and well being (not staff’s comfort and convenience).

2) Once problems are identified, list ways to prevent/fix the problems. For example, one complaint that is common between shifts is the condition of bed bound residents. Mrs. Smith is always soaked. Her bed linens have brown rings! Her clothing is wet all the way up to her neck! What can we do to prevent the oncoming shift from having to deal with this? (perhaps knowing the Mrs. Smith is a heavy wetter would indicate she has a need for toileting program geared more to her individual needs. Also, look at the products being used to manage her incontinence- maybe she needs better briefs and hourly changes.)

3) Make a form called “UNIT ROUNDS”- here list everything that should be in place for the next shift. List every area of concern; place a check box or two next to each subject.

4) Implement a UNIT ROUNDS procedure. Staff from each shift assigned to do this duty- together they make rounds and check the areas. If Mrs. Smith is found wet, staff from outgoing shift need to change her, or staff from oncoming shift except Mrs. Smith’s condition and change her themselves. This procedure will take time at first- allow at least 15minutes at the beginning stages of this. Staff who makes rounds should “sign off” they have done rounds and excepted the unit as it or fixed the problems.

Another area I frequently hear about is specific to 3rd shift and 1st shift. Getting up residents. This is more than just an issue for staff- this effects the residents, the way your day can turn out, and families. Priority MUST be given to resident rights and family concerns. Never should such an issue be talked about without input from the Resident Council, families, the DON and Administrator. Residents who get up too early will not thrive, they are apt to be tired, grouchy, not able to eat well, drink well and behavior problems can result. Getting residents up before 5am should not be allowed. Many residents are from a generation where they did awake and rise early, this should be considered when developing a plan. I think the reasons for early get ups should be resident based- not based upon making 1st shift’s job easier or less hectic. DON’s should really look into the feasibility of these types of practices and decide if morally they are right. Also, think about safety. 3rd shift has way less staff than days, and having several residents up can create a safety issue. Who is keeping an eye on the residents who are up and about?

When residents do get up early, when are they toileted? A resident who gets up at 5:30am should be toileted at 7:30 am- does the staffing pattern allow for this? Is someone from day shift available to do this, or are they all getting other residents up? Quality of life must be taken into consideration.

The culture of shift wars and charge nurses responsibility
Do the charge nurses inadvertently create more of an issue with these shift wars? Tough questions that should be looked into. When the CNA’s complain, charge nurses may not respond to the issues, or think they are petty. This creates a HUGE morale problem for the units.
Nurses need to find time to listen to the CNA’s complaints and help them identify what is important and what isn’t. Help may be needed with skills of communication with each other and members of other shifts. Implementing the Unit Rounds procedure will help but not eliminate shift wars. The nurses must set and example by getting along with the next shift.

A Call For Action

CNA’s work in a world full of intrigue and deceit. There are good points to the work: The joy of helping others who need us; the joy of being there and giving good care. Of watching our charges enjoy their limited lives. But there is another side to our work- the inner dealings between staff. Hopefully you have read the article called “Horizontal Violence”- if not please do so now. This page is furthering the message that HV started out with.

Too often we see new CNA’s come into work with high ideals and goals that seem unrealistic. And too often we go out of our way to stamp these ideals out the door. Those of us who aspire to do our jobs in the best manner possible are often left feeling disillusioned and depressed. It is my hope that CNA’s everywhere can get over this foolish mindset and get back to nursing care. CNA’s are their own worst enemies and until we all stand together, we will always be at odds with one another, and hence not respected.

Not all of this is the fault of the CNA’s. The way nursing homes are set up- the actual systems that run the facilities are also to blame. Staffing ratios do not support good care; infact the standard ratios we work with each day are the very cause of most of our problems. Management of the average nursing home supports the “Superaide Syndrome”: These are the aides that can handle killer assignments with no complaints and with no issues time wise. They can have 25-30 residents on their lists and get it all done in a few hours. No one questions the care these residents received; no one even stops to think about the fact that it is impossible to do good, or even poor care, in this time. Nurses don’t question anything because they have come to rely on Superaide to get work done- and this makes the nurses in charge of the units look good. Another thing that condones this mindset are people who have worked in a facility for years and who have always done things a certain way. Change is hard for them; new ideas and new ways of doing things don’t sit well. Of particular interest here are the newer and tougher OBRA regualtions relating to care. What was once an “easy” resident suddenly has become one with ROM needs, ambulation needs, among others. Superaide knows she cannot get all the care done, but she can’t admit to this because it might make her look bad. So what does she do? She says she does the care but in reality the care is not done. Because she is so used to being the “best”, being the one who can handle the large groups, she feels compelled to keep her reputation up. She resists asking for help, for the same reasons. Others notice that the care isn’t getting done, but no one speaks up - for various reasons. Perhaps they are in the same boat; perhaps they are afraid of the aide-especially if she has worked at the facilty for a long time. Often superaides are in mentor-like positions. Because they have worked for so many years, they are trusted to train the new aides. This is a serious problem.

Directors Of Nursing should always be aware of this. They should be out on the floors watching the staff work; watching them interact with the residents; checking out the paperwork and even timing the aides. If the DON sees a problem, she should act to correct it. Instead of an aide getting into trouble, why not hold a meeting to brainstorm ways to prevent this lack of caring-behind the scenes deceit.

What can a CNA do if she walks into a facility that has this mentality? This is a hard question. There are several options. All are not good, and depending upon the individual situations a decision will have to made that best fits the circumstance.

A scenario to ponder:
A CNA starts a new job at a facility- as a PRN staff. After about three weeks, new CNA notices she is getting out of work later than her peers, and later as in overtime. During the afternoon rounds, each CNA is assigned to get the VS of half the residents on a given unit. This is time consuming for all, but it should take about the same time for each aide. New CNA is told by Superaide to “Write in VS but don’t really do them; just look at the VS from previous days and add/subtract a number to make it look good”.

What to do???
Option A: Tell Superaide no way, thanks for the tip but it’s not how I work. And leave it at that….
Option B: Report Superaide’s advice to the charge nurse. And face repercussions real fast.
Option C: Go along with Superaide: She can’t be wrong, after all she has worked here for years…
If New CNA chooses Option A- all would be ok except for the overtime issue. And she would live with the knowledge that residents are not having their VS checked; what if something was missed (fever)? If New CNA chooses Option B, New CNA will have quite a time at work. Superaide will deny this and go out of her way to ruin New CNA’s chances of looking good; New CNA will be made to look bad and be placed on a list of people to watch out for….If New CNA chooses Option C- New CNA will live with the fact that she is falsifying records, not doing what is best for the residents, and could face serious problems if caught.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?? Think about it.

The next section here deals with us- why we choose to skimp on care and why we choose to treat our peers poorly. One of single biggest reasons for high turnover is pay rates and lack of benefits. Right after these comes working environment: Included in environment is our relationships with peers. No one wants to work at a place where they are not respected. No one likes to be out casted or back stabbed. Yet in nursing this happens ALL the time. We do it to each other every single day. Why? To make ourselves feel better about who we are. To make ourselves look better. To take the pressure off of us and any of our own misgivings. When we choose to treat our peers in this manner, we are choosing to make our own work life harder. How is this so? Think about it: Staff leave when they are not happy with the way they are treated; they leave when they know working elsewhere is easier. Staff will say- “The hell with you!” and leave you high and dry. And if you treated them poorly than you deserve to be left.

TO SUPERAIDE:
So what can you do? You can change the way you work with other’s by simply being nice to them.You can say “please” and “thank you” more often; you can make sure you’re work is up to par and not cheat with any care. If you see that you can’t get it all done, ask others if they too are having the same difficulties. Together you could all brainstorm with management to solve the issues. Instead of infighting among each other and making the work place intolerable. Don’t sabbatage the new CNA’s/High Ideal CNA’s; instead watch them and see if you can incorporate some of their habits into your work. See if you feel better when you do it right.

TO HIGH IDEAL AIDE:
And what can you do? To start with, realize that this is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. You are responsible for human beings, and because the system doesn’t always support your idea of good care, you may need to relax a little with your expectations. You may need to be supportive of the superaides who feel compelled to rush through their work; you could set an example to them by showing them that slower may be better. If they see that you take pride in doing a good job, that you go home happier than they do,they may change their thinking. Don’t skimp on your work just to follow the crowd; move as fast as you can without sacrificing your sanity; don’t expect miracles and don’t cheat. Never faslfy records. If you can’t get it done, say so and ask for help.

TO CHARGE NURSES:
Set the tone for your units. Make it clear what is very important to you- what can be skipped and what cannot. If the unit is short of staff, meet quickly with the CNA’s and go over what HAS to be done. Help the CNA’s set priorities and goals. Offer help if you can; be there when they need you; keep an eye on the unit and the care that is being given. Don’t allow any infighting or backstabbing. A good nurse I worked with had her own way of dealing with this stuff: As soon as an aide came to her with a complaint about another aide, nurse pulled them off unit for a little meeting. Often the brunt of an issue is comminication related. This nurse had the wisdom to know that if she condoned backstabbing, she herself would eventually become a victim of it! She realized that this was not condusive to good care so she had a ZERO tolerance policy. The unit was staffed with aides who worked well together, who problem solved on their own a lot of the time.

TO DON’S:
OK the buck stops with you. You are responsible for the smooth running of the nursing dept. You are it- in the eyes of your nurses and aides. You command their respect, and you set the tone for entire nursing staff. Make sure you are not enabling the infighting and backstabbing behaviors so often seen in nursing homes. Make sure your door is truly open, as well as your mind and conscience. If staff come to you with issues, listen to them. And don’t go back behind their backs with negative “takes” on what you heard. Like the charge nurse, you should set a zero tolerance policy for the behaviors that will keep your turnover high. You can save your facilty a lot of money by retaining good, loyal CNA’s and nurses. Make sure you realize the workloads of the CNA’s- take a group once in awhile yourself to keep a reality check in place. It’s very enlightening.

WHAT NEXT??
We ask ourselves. What can we all do to make it better? Why are ratios so high, with so many expectations placed upon us? How can we get it all done? Maybe we can’t. Maybe the systems really need to change. This could take years! In the meantime we must do the best we can. No one can knock us for this. If the work proves to be too much, if we go home daily feeling bad about all the things we didn’t get done- than maybe we need to leave nursing for now. It isn’t worth our mental health. Nothing should make us so miserable. Especially work. Working as a CNA is very rewarding, yet very discouraging at the same time. Finding a balance between what is right, what is OK and what is wrong- isn’t written in black and white. In nursing there are many gray areas for us to ponder. There are some things we know are WRONG- abuse, willful neglect, causing pain and ignoring calls for help. But there are other things that at first may seem ok- but after thinking we see they are not ok. Just because another aide does something one way doesn’t mean it’s the right way….

Follow your instincts. Most of us get a “gut” feeling when we are doing something of questionable ethic. Most of us know better. Many of the new CNA’s don’t know better and it is up to us to make sure they don’t follow that path to superaidedom….Instilling a good work ethic in another person is not that hard. Setting an example works wonders. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t feel you can “Stand up for what is right- even when may mean you stand alone.” This is my motto, but I am a strong person who knows my own convictions and level of courage. Not everyone is in a position to do this; many of us need our jobs and need the money. If we work in a place that isn’t supportive of good care then we risk losing our jobs. Only you can decide what is important. No one else can make this choice for you. Like the poem says- “The road less traveled…” isn’t always the best road.

Horizontal Violence

The stories are all too familiar. CNA’s treating each other poorly. New CNA’s often receive the worst assignments and are blamed when things go awry. Experienced CNA’s participate with this “hazing” of new staff. The overwhelming need to fit in is important. But at what cost? Does anyone consider the consequences of their actions? Increased turnover is the result of Horizontal Violence and job dissatisfaction. This means increased workloads for those left behind and this results in poorer quality care for the residents. Another possible ramification is the image the general public has of CNA’s and of Nursing in general. CNA’s aren’t considered to be professionals. A case for professionalism isn’t made when patients hear CNA’s telling each other off or arguing with nurses. All CNA’s should work together to stop Horizontal Violence. What can the CNA do to help stop this?

It is easy to say: “I refuse to participate in any activities that may undermine another person’s worth”…But some lack the courage to say this. A lot of changes must take place in workplaces to create an environment in which CNA’s need not fear communicating the truth, and where others invite their input and listen to it. In reality, actions speak loader than words. Those who are looked to as role models or have the courage of their convictions should act to create such a workplace. It is acknowledged that where Horizontal Violence occurs management is a part of the problem. Behaviors begin at the top. If their is a perceived lack of support then there is little likelihood for change. Policies need to be in place, and supported, which clearly state the work ethics of the institution. Change is difficult but it is to the advantage of the CNA, the resident and the entire facility.

The average CNA can contribute. Follow the simple Golden Rule: Do onto others what you would want them to do to you. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Try adopting the following into your everyday work habits:
Use kindness, concern and respect in all dealings with others.
Respectful listening-look peers in the eye when talking
Lead By Example (Make a bed for another CNA who is behind)
Own up to your mistakes, don’t attempt to shift the blame
When making requests, be polite, be tactful.
Use a positive and respectful tone
Don’t participate in gossip
Invite loners and newcomers to breaks and meals
Tell the nurse she did a great job or compliment her for something extra special she did to help.
When others do a kind act, thank them in front of others,
Bring your whole self to work and give it your best shot
Accept your fair share of the work load.
Respect others privacy
Be respectful of shared working conditions
Be willing to help when requested
Work together despite personal dislikes
Don’t denigrate to superiors
Address peers by their first name
Ask for help and advice when needed.
Repay debts promptly
Stand up for peers in their absence, don’t be critical of them.
Smile

Some of the effects of the above acts:
Increased job satisfaction
Higher self esteem
Personal power
Happiness
Faith in Self and in Others
Lower absenteeism rates
Work environment deemed more “family like” than”just another job”

A Note About Vertical Violence (from nurses to CNA’s):
The manner in which nurses treat each other as well as CNA’s needs to be addressed. How do we handle a situation such as being yelled at by a nurse because we didn’t get something done? When a nurse (or CNA) is yelling at us, it is virtually impossible to maintain any sense of control. We get embarrassed, we are humiliated and get red faces. While being yelled at we cannot even begin to defend ourselves or explain what has happened. The best thing to do at this point is to ask the nurse, in a respectful manner, to leave the area and go to a private place. This is where these discussions should take place in the first place, and CNA’s should always insist on this. Ask the nurse to restate her concern without the load body languages and tones. Once you think you understand what the nurse is saying to you, rephrase it back to her. This is called validating. Once she agrees that you understand each other, explain to her what happened. Remember that nurses are also victims of Horizontal and Vertical Violence; they get yelled at by doctors, DON’s, administrators, patients. Collectively we are get yelled at and we are all victims. Together we can work to bring an end to this, and maybe someday we can say with pride that we are professionals.

The CNA can do all these simple things to bring about change within their work units. By refusing to undermine others, and by maintaining a high work ethic, CNA’s are in a good position to help create a positive and enriching environment in which to work. CNA’s should consider meeting with management to discuss “Horizontal Violence” and describe it’s negative impact upon quality care.

Some things to consider when meeting with management:
Look at turnover rates…Ask why so many leave. The usual high ratios and low pay are always there, but look into the way staff treat each other. Honest and open discussion are required in order to truly change. If staff feel a sense of belonging and personal satisfaction they will continue to work under less than perfect conditions.

Ask management to add a lecture about HV in CNA Training Classes
Ask management to form an Employee Mentor Program(for new staff)
Ask management to form Quality Teams (who will tackle all areas of quality within the facility)
Ask management to consider forming a policy about all forms of Workplace Violence- Horizontal,
& Vertical. The benefits will outweigh the costs involved.
Ask management to write a statement of position about workplace violence.

Bring to management’s attention the following early warning signs of impending physical violence:
Weak or non-existent policy against all forms of workplace violence-physical as well as horizontal and downward.
Negligent Human Resource Practices: (weak hiring practices, negligent training, poor supervision)
Ineffective or non-existent reporting procedures for violence and threats
An autocratic or abusive management style (unfortunately, typical in nursing)
An atmosphere of indignity tolerating sexual and non-sexual harassment, disrespect and intolerance.

Many nursing homes have adopted the following list of “Rights of The Employee”:

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT…
1) To insist on a reasonable workload and fair expectations
2) To put family obligations first when necessary
3) To refuse to do something that conflicts with your principles
4) To receive fair compensation and increases for the work you perform
5) To be treated with dignity and respect
6) To refuse to be responsible for someone else’s performance
7) To be kept informed about decisions that impact your job
To refuse to participate in office politics without fear of emotional or economic retaliation
9) To stand up and take action against any kind of harrasment, threats, intimidation attempts and discriminatory behavior, verbal abuse, violations of trust and confidentiality.
10) To performance expectations that are clear, consistant, rational,honest, stated up front, and free of unwritten rules.
11) To adequate training
12) To question procedures that seem contradictory, overly complex or excessively bureaucratic.
13) To be treated as an individual, and to refuse to be treated as a unit or a statistic.
14) To insist that stated or implied promises and commitments be kept
15) To move on if your job doesn’t meet your needs

***UPDATED***

Some links to workplace violence, Horizontal Violence and Nursing:
Ending Nursing Violence

Horizontal Violence: A Male Nurse’s Perspective

Are you being bullied?

The Costs of Workplace Discontent

A Management Toolkit: Ending Nurse-to-Nurse Hostility

And remember that by complaining about the situation at work and not doing anything towards changing it you are contributing to a negative work environment. Each CNA had within them the capacity to help make a difference.

Try it….Today.

The government has set up a new web site for seniors and health issues. I just scanned it briefly and it looks good.

Medical Companies are sending supplies to the tsunami region.

Hospital device tied to bacterial infections…

Ear infections may best NOT be treated with antibiotics; pain control better.

If anyone is looking for ways to help with relief aid for the tsunami Google has set up a BLOG , as well as other resources. An idea that I read about is to get your employer to match fundraising funds and donate it to one of the relief agencies.

British papers now reporting 100,000 dead. :(

I worked Christmas day and it always makes me sad-to see those residents who get no visitors, no gifts, nothing. Its a time of year that almost everyone looks forward to. Family, friends, good food, happy kids…the music of the season, the Church services that many attend. Not for the average nursing home resident.

I work with kids and young adults, and trust me, it’s no different with them than it is with the elderly. Our census usually hovers around 14 (on a 15 bed unit), but Christmas day the census was 8. Not too bad. The few who stayed with us had no visitors, no phone calls, no gifts, nothing. These are kids-and some young adults aged 20-28…

The facility did buy presents for those who were to be with us on Chistmas day. SO at least they got something. The activity staff didn’t work, no religious services or people visited, no fancy meal. I was pretty disappointed.

How was Christmas day for those of you who worked?