ltc...the good, the bad, the ugly

I've been off work for the last week or so after my ear surgery, giving me a lot of time to think...I loved this job when I started it last August. I loved the residents, and still do. I knew from the beginning this wasn't what I wanted to do forever, and already made plans to go back to school in May for my RN.

What is it about LTC that makes it so difficult? The CNAs, as I mentioned before, don't like being told what to do. Completely understandable. They're overworked and underpaid. But when so and so needs to go to the bathroom and I'm treading water to keep up with my duties, I'm going to pass it on to the resident's CNA. What about co-workers? I've decided that I need to work on my Poker face, and to withhold my opinion on anything and everything. The night shift LPN couldn't get her suppositories done because she was too busy solving the residents' puzzle? I won't say a word. She knows her job. The treatment nurse couldn't get her treatments done? Fine. Let it go...I don't really care any more about staying late and making sure absolutely everything is done. I make sure my stuff is done, charted, give report, and swipe my badge. It actually got to the point where I realized that I'm starting to not even care anymore because I'm so fed up with it. I do care about the residents, and I will keep doing my best for them. But it's discouraging when others don't seem to care for them nearly as much. =(

I've said more than once that I would love to open up a Victorian bed-and-breakfast type of house, but instead of a bed-and-breakfast I would take care of 3-4 people, working with maybe one to two other nurses. I wouldn't have to trust the CNA who says they changed so and so, because I would do it myself. In a perfect world, maybe.

Right now my saving Grace is going back to school. I'm tired of the politics and the burnt out nurses and CNAs....