Aged care is kind of messed up. How is this okay ?
I remember a few years ago when I was a ward based nurse and hearing about all these changes and improvements to aged care that were going to happen. Recently I have transitioned to aged care nursing casually for family reasons (but I also have a background of Geri nursing so it’s a familiar area) but I am absolutely blown away by how under staffed we are and the normalising of this. Our management literally talk like having two RNs on the floor for 80 residents (many being very high care needs and including a secure memory unit) is amazing. Like we should be grateful… Often there will be two RNs, or RN, EN, plus two med comp carers. The med comp carers can’t do a whole bunch of stuff obviously and they still make errors also ( and I get that) . I just find I am absolutely running for the whole shift between meds, wounds, documentation, endless phone calls and emails, plus whatever clinical incidents occur. It is completely normal to have no lunch break or just have a coffee at the desk while doing some notes. I don’t get how this is ok ? I literally do not understand lol. Why can’t we have a few more nurses and NOT experience this kind of burnout 😂😅🤔 doesn’t seem like a solid business plan at all.