By request....Life in Long Term Care

[seacrestgirl]

DD----I feel your pain/joy!!! I have also worked in NHs for 14+ years! It is certainly never dull, extraordinarily rewarding, unbelievably challenging. I have always worked on the nursing side, and for clarification purposes...YES, the nursing staff was glaring at you! Sometimes they don't understand that these "difficult" patients are ones who need placement the most.

I have always said that I should write a book....and should start writing things down, as I can't remember a single funny story to share off the top of my head. I am now a nurse practitioner and work for a company that places NPs in nursing homes full time. I absolutely love what I do, and can't imagine working anywhere else!

It is not a sad place, nursing homes are most often filled with love and the spirit of caring. Our patients become our family and we become theirs. True, there are patients that never have any visitors, but the staff and other family members usually take them under their wing to ensure that they are properly cared for. Christmas is the best time to witness this amazing gift.

I am the one who is blessed to be given the opportunity to work in a place where I am thanked and hugged everday. I have often used the analogy that working in a NH is like having 100 grandmas!

Hang in there DD!! August is likely to be quite a month for you since it started like it did!!! (6 admissions, 2 discharges in 1 day.....remarkable! )

 

[JUL]

I think the Eskimoes have it right. They send their elderly to sea! I would always get very disturbed when family members who may or may have not have had the best intentions continue to put their beloved through tests and surgeries. If only they stuck around long enough to see the suffering and extending of suffering they were putting their family members through. And, unfortunately, sometimes it was to extend their life because of the check that came in each month. Sure, there are a lot of medications and surgeries that sustain life but sometimes you should think are we extending their life or are we extending their pain and suffering. I'm all for life saving procedures when the adult individual wants to be saved but so many times I have seen families put their interests before the patients and unfortunately some medical professionals honor the family requests without considering the patient. So many medications used to treat one ailment can begin to cause others. Especially in the elderly.

 

[DD]

DD----I feel your pain/joy!!! I have also worked in NHs for 14+ years! It is certainly never dull, extraordinarily rewarding, unbelievably challenging. I have always worked on the nursing side, and for clarification purposes...YES, the nursing staff was glaring at you! Sometimes they don't understand that these "difficult" patients are ones who need placement the most.

I have always said that I should write a book....and should start writing things down, as I can't remember a single funny story to share off the top of my head. I am now a nurse practitioner and work for a company that places NPs in nursing homes full time. I absolutely love what I do, and can't imagine working anywhere else!

It is not a sad place, nursing homes are most often filled with love and the spirit of caring. Our patients become our family and we become theirs. True, there are patients that never have any visitors, but the staff and other family members usually take them under their wing to ensure that they are properly cared for. Christmas is the best time to witness this amazing gift.

I am the one who is blessed to be given the opportunity to work in a place where I am thanked and hugged everday. I have often used the analogy that working in a NH is like having 100 grandmas!

Hang in there DD!! August is likely to be quite a month for you since it started like it did!!! (6 admissions, 2 discharges in 1 day.....remarkable! )

Again, thank you all. Seacrestgirl, I love this!! Every word you say is soooo true! They are all like family and no matter how much the staff does glare, they usually come around to my way of thinking. Well, most of the time.
It truly is not a sad place--we've always got lots of stuff going on and the little daily dramas just add to the mix.

Another story...one of my faves. The story of Miss Minnie.

Miss Minnie had evidently led a rather pampered life. She attached herself to me for some reason and would sit in my office every day while I worked. We would talk, but mostly she just sat there and watched and listened. We used to take her outside with us when we smoked, and we bought her sunglasses so the sun wouldn't hurt her eyes. She loved those glasses. We elected her Valentine queen and taught her how to do the "wave". She was in her glory. She would tell me.."I have the keys to my Cadillac in my purse, go to my suite and get them and we'll go over to my bungalow." She also told me daily, "You know I own this hotel--and I want that cook fired." Oh, how she made me smile.
Then....we got a new adminstrator. She promptly told me and Miss Minnie that she could no longer sit in my office and that she had to stay out. Miss Minnie was not happy. Pretty soon, the administrator's glasses came up missing from her desk. She looked all over, asking all of us, and everyone she saw if they'd seen her glasses. She never even glanced in Minnie's direction who wore her glasses for three days before someone ratted her out. Then, mysteriously, the admins plant on her desk was turned over. Dirt everywhere. Hmmmm...wonder who did that? The pranks continued for quite some time. I left that facility with Miss Minnie still there. The admin left soon after that. My hope is that Miss Minnie's still there today, doing the "wave".

 

[Miss Kitty]

DD...I have said this before....you need to invite me over for some funn at the NH!

 

[sunspotbaby]

If anyone in my family ever has to have nursing home care, we're coming to Grapevine.

Miss Minnie

 

[DD]

DD...I have said this before....you need to invite me over for some funn at the NH!

Any time!! They would LOOOOOOOOOVE you!!!

 

[seacrestgirl]

I think the Eskimoes have it right. They send their elderly to sea! I would always get very disturbed when family members who may or may have not have had the best intentions continue to put their beloved through tests and surgeries. If only they stuck around long enough to see the suffering and extending of suffering they were putting their family members through. And, unfortunately, sometimes it was to extend their life because of the check that came in each month. Sure, there are a lot of medications and surgeries that sustain life but sometimes you should think are we extending their life or are we extending their pain and suffering. I'm all for life saving procedures when the adult individual wants to be saved but so many times I have seen families put their interests before the patients and unfortunately some medical professionals honor the family requests without considering the patient. So many medications used to treat one ailment can begin to cause others. Especially in the elderly.

So many people just glaze over when I tell them that I am a gerontological nurse practitioner! In fact, I work in one of the most challenging areas of medicine. It is a delicate balance between treatment, honoring pt wishes, supporting family. Geriatric medicine is intense, as the older adult has numerous comorbid illnesses. Often, I tell patients that we have to pick the lesser of 2 evils----when we treat one thing, we often worsen something else. I am fortunate in the fact that my job focuses on advanced careplanning---really spending time with pts and families educating them on progression of various chronic illnesses. When they realize the extent of their complicated illnesses, they can make better decisions. It is hard for families to let go, so providing them with education and support is crucial!

I have to often remind myself that all I can do is educate. I have to advocate for my patients, and support their decisions. In the end, I am not the ultimate decision maker.

 

[CPort]

thanks DD and seacrestgirl! I love this thread!

 

[organicmama]

thanks DD and seacrestgirl! I love this thread!

Me, too! DD & Seacrestgirl are angels. Anyone who has a job that uses so much of their heart & soul each day is truly a blessing to all of those around them.

 

[tistheseason]

I am the one who is blessed to be given the opportunity to work in a place where I am thanked and hugged everday. I have often used the analogy that working in a NH is like having 100 grandmas!

Is this suppose to be a good thing? I happen to know your grandmas. . . .and lord knows I wouldn't want 100 of 'em! ;-)