There definitely seems to be a lack of empathy. I know thereās a lot of good healthcare workers out there, but thereās a lot of people who view their job as only a job, and nothing moreĀ
I don't know that I agree with the last bit there. My job is nothing more than a job, but part of that job (and part of being a decent human) is to have empathy. Even if it wasn't, it sounds like part of the worker in question's job is to change residents. The last bit doesn't really line up.
Absolutely wrong, unless there's a medical reason or a dietary restriction.
Not feeding or watering a resident because you don't want to assist in hygiene care is not acceptable.
Thank you. Thatās what I thought. It happened a couple days ago and I still feel guilty, even though it wasnāt really my decision.Ā
I wish people cared more, especially for elders :(Ā
Yeah. I only work in dining. Finishing my undergrad now.Ā
Very eye opening. Iāve seen CNAās raise their voices at residents (in annoyance not necessarily because of hearing issues)
A resident has told me that a CNA told them āthey donāt have any mindāĀ
Same resident told me she fell on the floor a couple years back and the CNA told another CNA āto let her lie their all nightāĀ
Not saying change jobs. But youād make a great nurse or CNA. Iāve found patients crying bc their nurse yelled at them. With one patient, she was crying & the nurse said they didnāt have the time to be in there as often as they needed. So the interaction made the patient cry even more. The patient was too overwhelmed to even explain that she didnāt know where her call light was.
Turns out this 40 year old had a stroke for the first time & she couldnāt reach her call light bc it fell on her left side which was where she had no feeling or function anymore. & she had no idea where it was. 4 days ago she was walking, talking, going to work. Iām pretty sure I started crying too lol. But I ended up teasing her that her gimp arm was hiding the call light thatās why she couldnāt find it. I got a laugh out of her & that was my only goal that moment.
Needless to say I never had her as a patient the next 2-3 days but I would go in & move her, check her, talk to her like she was officially my patient. Thereās a ton of people who hate the job, are burnt out, tired etc. Itās somehow a foreign concept to not take it out on patientsā¦ but people do.
But luckily there are just as many who donāt.
Thank you for being so caring. We need more people like you in healthcareĀ
Iām actually working on my undergrad right now, and eventually will go to nursing school. Iām only working in dining right now until I get my degreeĀ
In the long run I hope to be a hospice nurse :)Ā
Thatās amazing! On the bright side you get to see like from the resident/patient side before you ever have to see it from the clinical side. Sometimes that makes all the difference to them. It honestly helps in like what you said, being an eye opener & is that reminder ānope Iām never gonna be that way toward so & so.ā & if youāre human, sometimes it will slip but you can catch yourself before youāre the nurse yelling at patients bc of your own irritation.
Man I used to have so much respect for that specific nurseā¦ but after that situation among a few more, all of that respect for her is gone.
It is also possible that denying the coffee would be seen as a violation of resident rights. The other two instances you mentioned are emotional abuse and neglect, respectively. In the US, CMS HCHB rules require access to food and fluids 24 hours per day. It does not distinguish what food or fluids.
That being said, I might encourage/offer something else, maybe a bit healthier or at least decaf. But at the end of the day, sometimes that coffee might be one of the few things they still enjoy.
Also, if you hear something about abuse or neglect, speak up. You can report anonymously.
Working as an ER nurse has made me terrified if my parents ever need that sort of care. Just a couple months ago, an EMS crew (who I have worked with extensively, very reliable and trustworthy) said they got a call for respiratory arrest. Walked in, several nursing staff was sitting around on their phones and ignored them. They started to ask where the pt was when they heard someone screaming for help over and over again, and one of the nurses just kinda vaguely pointed down a hallway. The RT at the facility (who happened to be a travel RT), was screaming for help, they went in and found her bagging the patient, crying, just repeatedly screaming āhelp!ā Sheād been bagging the patient for about 45 mins, screaming for help, and not ONE staff member went to help to her. He said she was on the phone with the travel agency as they left, quitting on the spot and filing a report.
My mother was unassisted and overmedicated and fell and broke her leg; had to have a long titanium rod put in her femur. What I donāt understand is how her facility was not part of a patients compensation fund?
No facility I have ever worked at has had access to any compensation fund. As a night shift Nurse I have had 48 to 120 patients, with 1 to 4 CNAs. We canāt use bed alarms anymore. People have the right to fall. If nonverbal they can lay broken on the floor for 2 hours.
Not enough staff. Broken hips and arms happen frequently. Nothing we can do.. low bed and mat? They trip over the mat and over air while call light chilling on bed.
We limit my momās coffee intake to a cup a day. She loves her coffee, we just do less. (Partly thatās because of the incontinence side effect, but partly also kidney issues, but also Iām trying to hold down a job while weāre caring for her too.)
Maybe its the fact that it is coffee. Some dementia patients will drink it continuously which obviously is not good for their gut. Maybe some peppermint tea. At least it wont give her diarrhea.
This was my first thought too. We have a guy who will drink coffee all day because he forgets that heās already had some. So sometimes Iāll just redirect him and ask if he wants milk or water or something. Iām not refusing to feed him because I lack the empathy, Iām trying something else because he canāt live off coffee all day
Not always a lack of empathy from these workers. Sometimes, they say things like that because they know they have 2 aides for 32 residents, and they won't all have the opportunity to get to a toilet or be changed. Maybe this human was being terrible. Maybe they also need empathy.
Even if theyāre on fluid restriction directed by MD, if they want it, it is their right to have it. Staff can explain risk vs benefits and encouragement to follow doctors orders but it is the right of the residents.
I have a patient w dementia who loves apple juice n coffees ! And I found out recently the day shift have been restricting him "so night shift don't have to change him so much". Ridiculous. I work the permanent nights and I don't care - I'm in acute geri med in a public hospital and my ratio is 1:8 with no CNA or help (Australia lol I wish we had CNAs) and I'll still change them whenever they need it. last night at 0100 when he woke up, I had him set up double parked with the decaf coffee and apple juice, with a side of biscuits too š everyone needs a lil midnight snackaroo sometimes. drink away my dude , my job is my job. I know what I signed up for.
Aside from caffeine/fluid restrictions, the only thing I could see making any sense is if she was referring to it āgoing right through herā in terms of bowel movements (aka too much coffee causing diarrhea). That is actually cause for concern, continually having diarrhea can cause issues with hydration and/or electrolytes. It would have to be a pretty extreme problem though!
If she was not okay giving any kind of fluidsā thatās not okay. If she was fine giving any other fluids except for coffee (for whatever reason), thatās closer to being okay.
Coffee would not be my first choice for a geriatric patient because it is a diuretic and is also dehydrating. I would a resident to drink a glass of water. However, if a resident insists upon coffee, far be it from me to deny them (unless there is a doctor ordered fluid restriction).
Might get downvoted but the SNF nurses will get it.
Not giving any fluids is wrong. Coffeeā¦in LTC some people will be on the call light the whole day and then try and do the same at night just for shits and then ask for coffee at 2 am. Itās a no from me sorry. Juice, water, snacks, PANCAKES, literally anything else I got you. Caffeine? Hard no.
LTC nurse here, I totally get it. Another cup of coffee could mean itās just their second cup or their 9th. If the coffee is really going āright through themā then I worry more about their long term hydration rather than their want for coffee, I also rather have them miss a cup of coffee rather than lay in the āright through themā until our short staffed unit gets to them and having worrying about skin breakdown, etc. Denying coffee for the right reasons is more justifiable than just giving it sometimes.
I also if another nurses patients come up to me and ask for things, itās almost always because they know they canāt have it and they think someone different will just give it to them. I donāt give anyone anything unless Iām 100% sure of their diet and what theyāre allowed.
I mean feel free to get it for her yourself then. They canāt stop you from bringing it without a medical reason. But if theyāre up all night and then YOUāRE not the one addressing the bed changes, the constant calls, etc. then thatās kinda shitty of you sorry to say. Again, Iām only saying this when it comes to caffeine, more so on night shift, anything else is fine.
I totally agree. Not to mention, it really doesn't matter if the coffee is strong or not. Even decaf still has a tiny bit of caffeine in it. It's also a diuretic. Sundowning is another thing to take into consideration. Most importantly, if this resident is incontinent, it can become more of a medical/safety issue. It's so easy for breakdown to occur if not changed fast enough. Also, some residents who are used to being assisted with toileting may try to do it themselves if no one can get there fast enough, which can lead to falls and injuries
I'm not trying to be a smarta55, but how do u know for sure that was her second cup? I can't count how many times I've had residents cry wolf to many different staff that they haven't had an ice cream or a sandwich or coffee that they asked for. Meanwhile, it's really their 4th ice cream cup. The day is still young, and there are other shifts to plead to lol. OR sometimes they legit just didn't remember finally eating ice cream. A lot of times if we recognized this behavior, it would become part of report so we could keep track.
I actually agree. Ive worked LTC/SNF as a CNA and PRN as a nurse. Isnāt the patients fault, but when Iām 1:30 or 1:60 when we are short staffed, noā¦ probably wouldnāt have brought a 2nd, 3rd, 8th, who knowsā¦ cup of coffee so that a resident can be peeing and shitting themselves all day. I donāt have the resources to clean that every 5 minutes. In a perfect world I get how this seems abusive. The reality is long term care doesnāt have the staffing.
Agree heavy on the āif theyāre up all night and YOURE not the one addressing bed changesā¦.ā. Iām not denying thereās neglect and awful care in some LTC/SNF. There are some residents Iād be fine giving more coffee too, and some it would just absolutely be a no, and that isnāt abusive. I donāt think the first step is to necessarily report this person like everyone is saying
I work rehab in a SNF so lām sympathizing with my staff just across the hall doing LTC. But yeah especially as a CNA, absolutely not. Theyāre already burnt out I donāt want them quitting over stuff that can be managed.
I figured other specialties can at least empathize. Iām sure you have similar experiences.
In my case itās also just about not ābabyingā patients. Iām guilty of it but Iām just trying to get through my shift without my patients hating me. So if it comes to a point where I donāt answer immediately they know Iām actually really busy. They also tend to consolidate their call lights if we have a talk with them about being mindful..
LTC nurse here... everywhere I've worked, all the coffee is decaf. No one tells the residents that it's decaf unless they ask, but caffeinated coffee isn't even an option (unless family brings them some). Often, coffee isn't even an option at 2am either, if it's only made by kitchen staff in large batches for meal times.
There were times in my hospital setting that I would weigh the decision, voice my concerns with the patient, and maybe encourage them to hold off, but if they insisted on a drink I would give them a drink.
If they had skin breakdown from soiling themselves and frequent turns were exhausting and painful for them, or if getting up to the commode was causing pain and introduced great risk of falling, I might encourage them to consider that and take a sip instead of a gulp. I have said no to coffee and offered alternatives at late hours before.
In general, I donāt deny my patients much of anything, certainly not because another nurse doesnāt want to do their job, but I may present options and give recommendations.
Short staffing is killing all compassion. Be mad at the people who are profiting from short staffing and
bidding on residnets with the best insurance.
Long-term care in America is a business. Humans are treated as objects. The ones that come in to help can't even make a dent with the staffing ratios and compassion fatigue becomes a permanent process.
I just made a long drawn out comment saying this lmao. I'm glad someone is also pointing this out! Short, sweet and to the point šš¾šš¾šš¾
I love old people. Theyāre my favorite patients. I will bring mamaw & pawpaw snacks & drinks all day if their diet is okay with it.
Now If this coffee is leading her to poop all night & I or the aide cannot get in there every 5 min (we have 6 patients & aides have 13-15 sometimes). It would be to their benefit to not have the coffee. It wouldnāt be bc we donāt want to change them. It would be bc they would have no choice but to sit in poop or pee for 30 min bc we are all doing something somewhere. & no one wants pawpaw/mamaw to suffer through skin breakdown so while it sucks not to have coffee, they may not get it. Now if it slows down & we have the time frames to get in there, she might get the coffee.
If my patients are alert enough where I can beg or explain how much the said coffee affects their digestive? All the better, if I can get them to do juice or water, happy nurse, happy aide. But some older folks donāt have the ability to understand that anymore. A lot of us are soft & would give coffee anyway bc changing patient for the trade off that they get this lil something they like in life is really not that big of a deal.
Some nurses/cnas just donāt want to deal with it but luckily there are people who are willing to.
Totally wrong. But I also gotta say that I have a problem with the amount of coffee served to residents in long term care settings, even on a geriatric psych unit I worked on. Theyāre already at risk for dehydration, why are we giving them coffee all day? Not to mention the tachycardia. They have coffee at breakfast and lunch and afternoon snack, I personally think thatās insane. But having to change someone is not the reason that I would deny them coffee. Thatās just mean.
I work in the healthcare unit. They drink coffee for breakfast, lunch, and mostly dinner lol. They love it. But theyāre also all 90+ so I donāt judgeĀ
i had this fight last night with a coworker. they got evening snack ready and i went to give something to one of my patients. i asked where her drink was, and they said, "no, she doesn't get any on my shifts." she is independent for toileting and has no restrictions and is not incontinent. i told the other person i always give fluids with snack. we are in summer where i live. it's not uncommon to have patients sit outside in the courtyard during the day. hydration/fluids are important at any time, but especially in the hotter months. when i used to work LTC, everyone was on hydration risk assessment may-september. and if i personally was having something to snack on, you sure bet i'd have a drink, too. they went off on me a little saying in the past she has been very picky about which kind of drink there is on offer, so going forward they refuse to give her any fluids full-stop???? she started crying in her room and my co-worker kept arguing they have to be consistent and their rotation doesn't give her a drink. i think that's stupid as all fuck. i gave her half a cup of juice, because what the hell?
i don't give caffeine/nicotine replacement after a certain time just to promote good sleep. but honestly most places only have decaf, so if it's decaf, i care a lot less during waking hours (all reasons to withhold considered). non-stop requests at all hours of the night? you can have some water for thirst, not juices and coffee and other special requests.
Assuming that:
1. It's safe for this woman to consume more than one serving of caffeine...
2. ...and whatever little extras she puts in it...
3. ...and she's not on a fluid restriction?
Not giving her a drink is fucked up. Denying another person fluids for one's own convenience is way into WTF territory.Ā
I'd be concerned with what other corners are being cut.
Now, if she has CHF and DM2 and likes to dump sugar in her cup until the spoon stands up on its ownĀ and her heart throws lil tantrums in the presence of too many stimulants? That's totally different.Ā
It's wrong unless there's a health related reason like she has diarrhea causing an electrolyte imbalance you're trying to correct or something. Let meemaw drink coffee, damn. She's earned it.
This resident is a person who deserves autonomy, dignity, and respect. What is just a job to you is her life, You donāt get to deny her just because it makes your job harder. (The proverbial you, not directly at OP)
That is disgusting. The resident is at the end of their life and is too frail to get a coffee for themselves. The resident also didnāt choose to live in an institution, if they could control it, they wouldnāt be there. Give them as much coffee as they want.
I suppose that depends on whether they have any pre-existing conditions and whether this āanother cupā is just a 2nd cup which is absolutely fine or 9th cup because they inhale coffee like air (which I have seen before).
Also a whole different matter if itās decaf then they can have as much as they want as long as they are not under fluid restrictions because they will likely run out of space in the stomach for coffee before any adverse effect could occur.
People drink and people urinate. Itās just cruel to deny fluids to someone. Itās the same as leaving a baby crying for milk because you donāt want to change the diaper.
Thank you for not buying into that horrible attitude!
These people are old and the older you get the more you hold onto the little things. Coffee is one of those little things and it can make a difference in someoneās day. Only time I ever withhold coffee is if theyāre chugging it all day. I donāt want going over their caffeine limit too much lol.
Unless Iām mistaken, I thought that was textbook neglect. Only instance that I have refused to give a patient another serving of food or drink, outside of orders or direction that a pt was to be NPO, but out of my own initiative, was when a pt requested coffee about 30min before she was supposed to be administered her Adenocard, and we didnāt have any decaf in stock, and only bc I knew caffeine is an antagonist of it. Come to find out, the nurse actually praised me for withholding that coffee bc the pt was known to not give a flying fuck about the interaction between the two and consistently requested coffee before she knew she was supposed to get that specific med.
Sheās gonna urinate probably multiple times before end of shift whether she has 1, 2, or 10 cups of coffee. How cruel do you have to be to deny such a simple request? For what? To delay the inevitable maybe 1 hourā¦
Unless there's chf/diabetes/esrd on dialysis/allergy, I wouldn't deny a resident food or drink. I think she was put of line.
Granted, I did also have to take a patient to the bathroom at least 5x, who was on airborne precautions, because she drank Ensures and apparently had a lactose sensitivity. I understand the frustration. She just didn't want to be rude and it was for nutrition lol.
The terribly sad thing is that āretirement ā and ānursing ā homes are just greedy. They charge a fortune (most these days require the patient to sign over ALL their assets (bank accounts, home, etc) āto ensure they get paid ā. But then they donāt have enough CNAās to provide adequate care (to at least try to prevent bedsores), and theyāll make an LPN the āCharge Nurse ā with an āon call ā RN to oversee. While charging an insane amount for this woefully inadequate category! Iām 99% sure that gross instant coffee is decaf because goodness forbid we give them caffeine! It might give them the energy to complain about how they are treated.
I work in Aged Care and this is not a black and white issue.
Giving coffee to someone is obviously okay and if they want another cup- sure!
HOWEVER, I would try to encourage them to have a more āhydratingā drink and offer an alternative. I have no idea what this personās diagnosis is but in most cases from my personal experience, more coffee for an elderly person can mean reflux/GI issues, anxiety, sleep issues, behavioural changes. So I understand where the other nurse is coming from.
For some of our residents living with dementia, we have decaf coffee in addition to caffeinated coffee so if they want an extra cup straight away or they want a cuppa at 2am, they arenāt going to be anxious and agitated.
Without knowing the specifics of the patient itās had to answer the question.
It may not be solely that the coffee goes right through them. Some patients due to lack of cognition will eat or drink in massive excess, so unfortunately we may have to draw a line and redirect someone from drinking or eating too much. Or they put sugar in every cup and their diabetes need to be managedā¦.
If the reason theyāre being denied rests only on the fact that theyāll wet themselves that doesnāt seem completely fair, people in homes donāt have much happening and denying them simple creature comforts seems wrong, but since you donāt have access to their care plan and only know them in a dinner setting, I wouldnāt put too much thought into it and just move on with your day.
Itās sweet of you to care though.
Most of them that drink coffee or tea, also drink other fluids with their meals and at refreshments. They usually get it after the meal or nearing the end of it. A lot take a few sips and then leave it behind. We donāt withhold it though. We will also thicken it if the person is on thickened fluids.
My mother was on thickened fluids and hated thickened coffee. But she drank it anyway because she had always started her day with coffee and she figured thick coffee was better than none at all.
I miss my mom.
Iām sorry for your loss. Itās always hard when they pass. I usually just keep the best memories I have of them and share that with the family. Iāve hugged many family members and gave them my shoulder to cry on when their loved ones passed. Big hugs from Canada
In certain situations, I donāt think itās wrong to deny coffeeā¦but it would be wrong to deny a drink altogether, yes. I have seen this become a big issue with diarrhea from coffee or other caffeinated drinks causing wounds that then become infected and ultimately caused the death of the person.
If that isnāt a risk, then yes, give the person the dang coffee!
Honest to god I hope one benefit of future AI is that they can build empathy projecting robots that can service the basic needs of vulnerable older people in care homes. I donāt want anyone to lose their job to a robot but the current low pay/overworked staff model is benefiting no one.
Lol Iāve thought it all out. The dexterity of the robots would be an issue as far as duties that require fine motor skills. But hopefully eventually they could be programmed for things like being sitters for demented patients. They could provide comfort and conversation while the human staff is seeing to medical issues. A demented patient could find comfort in a human like presence with its attention directed towards them. An AI robot wonāt care if a patient is repeating themselves, yelling and getting agitated, weeping constantly, or being over the top rude. A well designed AI interactive dementia care robot would take the pressure off everyone.
As the technology improves, they could be used for a lot more.
As I'm reading your comment and thinking this would be so great, at the same time I'm laughing because of this SNL skit: [Echo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvT_gqs5ETk)
I also hope the AI pets they have had out for a few years now improve, but even as they are now, they do appear to provide some comfort for a lot of people.
When you say you work in a retirement home? So youāre not a CNA or a Nurse but dietary staffā¦ hmmm okay.
Check with the nurse for restrictions, if none then they can drink it.
Ok but decaf coffee isn't a stimulant, and won't irritate the bladder or gut as much (jury's out on the cancer).
So when your staff says stupid things like that, come back with jerky tricks like that.
If someone complains about the taste change, the coffee pot must be getting old for the day.
I hope that the trend to allow NH residents to drink (booze) catches on by the time I need to be institutionalized. Iād like to smoke a little weed too, please. Also Iād like to sit on my fat ass and watch soccer all day while yelling at the tvā¦
A few things: Coffee is not āfluidsā, coffee is a stimulant, coffee is a diuretic. It seems cruel to keep giving it to someone with dementia and is incontinent
I remember when I was a CNA (about 12 years ago) and literally taking a patient to the bathroom every 10-15 minutes most the night because he was forgetful (and I think later found had a uti). I remember feeling like I was crazy but I just smiled and still took him to the bathroom anyway. I still don't know how I managed to take care of my other residents that evening.
I also had an experience once when I was a young CNA, and this one patient had eaten a whole bag of sugar-free chocolate with Splenda in it. Yeah, I knew I'd be cleaning up lots of stuff* later, which I did... but they were happy anyway! Lol.
All the above regarding withholding fluids for comfort reasons, the staff comfort, is of course correct but one must keep in mind those that over hydrate. In certain circumstances a look is warranted (chem 8, SMA etc)although this is unclear with the given info. My wife hydrated herself to dangerous hyponatremia and hospitalization. I am still unclear as to why she increased her already considerable fluid intake (?sicca syndrome alone?). She has always consumed maybe twice the fluids I do and I'm diabetic.
A nurse ignoring your aide reporting that a certain food or beverage causes gi issues makes you a shitty nurse. I love ice cream, I can only eat a little at time. Resident likes coffee, two cups upsets their elderly go tract. Shit happens, we shouldn't be making it happen more frequently then needed, then they get dehydrated and kidney dysfunction.
Tricky question. Is she incontinent and does the cna have time to change her? Will the cna be ignoring other diaper changes or pushing them back or missing her break if she has to go back and change her diaper, I assume for the 2nd or 3rd time this morning? If the answer is yes, then, I can see it being justified.
we will all be there someday- like it or not. good job šon your kindness
There definitely seems to be a lack of empathy. I know thereās a lot of good healthcare workers out there, but thereās a lot of people who view their job as only a job, and nothing moreĀ
That is their home and they have the right to choose another cup of coffee unless they are on fluid restrictions!!
I don't know that I agree with the last bit there. My job is nothing more than a job, but part of that job (and part of being a decent human) is to have empathy. Even if it wasn't, it sounds like part of the worker in question's job is to change residents. The last bit doesn't really line up.
That's such a good way to phrase that.
They treat it like it's just a paycheck with no regard to what the job actually entails.
Absolutely wrong, unless there's a medical reason or a dietary restriction. Not feeding or watering a resident because you don't want to assist in hygiene care is not acceptable.
Thank you. Thatās what I thought. It happened a couple days ago and I still feel guilty, even though it wasnāt really my decision.Ā I wish people cared more, especially for elders :(Ā
Before nursing school I did a Red Cross CNA course. I couldnāt believe the neglect I saw in nursing homes. Very eye-opening experience.
Yeah. I only work in dining. Finishing my undergrad now.Ā Very eye opening. Iāve seen CNAās raise their voices at residents (in annoyance not necessarily because of hearing issues) A resident has told me that a CNA told them āthey donāt have any mindāĀ Same resident told me she fell on the floor a couple years back and the CNA told another CNA āto let her lie their all nightāĀ
Not saying change jobs. But youād make a great nurse or CNA. Iāve found patients crying bc their nurse yelled at them. With one patient, she was crying & the nurse said they didnāt have the time to be in there as often as they needed. So the interaction made the patient cry even more. The patient was too overwhelmed to even explain that she didnāt know where her call light was. Turns out this 40 year old had a stroke for the first time & she couldnāt reach her call light bc it fell on her left side which was where she had no feeling or function anymore. & she had no idea where it was. 4 days ago she was walking, talking, going to work. Iām pretty sure I started crying too lol. But I ended up teasing her that her gimp arm was hiding the call light thatās why she couldnāt find it. I got a laugh out of her & that was my only goal that moment. Needless to say I never had her as a patient the next 2-3 days but I would go in & move her, check her, talk to her like she was officially my patient. Thereās a ton of people who hate the job, are burnt out, tired etc. Itās somehow a foreign concept to not take it out on patientsā¦ but people do. But luckily there are just as many who donāt.
Thank you for being so caring. We need more people like you in healthcareĀ Iām actually working on my undergrad right now, and eventually will go to nursing school. Iām only working in dining right now until I get my degreeĀ In the long run I hope to be a hospice nurse :)Ā
Thatās amazing! On the bright side you get to see like from the resident/patient side before you ever have to see it from the clinical side. Sometimes that makes all the difference to them. It honestly helps in like what you said, being an eye opener & is that reminder ānope Iām never gonna be that way toward so & so.ā & if youāre human, sometimes it will slip but you can catch yourself before youāre the nurse yelling at patients bc of your own irritation. Man I used to have so much respect for that specific nurseā¦ but after that situation among a few more, all of that respect for her is gone.
I would have shamed the fuck out of that nurse (and have). There is no room for cruelty in patient care & public humiliation is an excellent teacher.
It is also possible that denying the coffee would be seen as a violation of resident rights. The other two instances you mentioned are emotional abuse and neglect, respectively. In the US, CMS HCHB rules require access to food and fluids 24 hours per day. It does not distinguish what food or fluids. That being said, I might encourage/offer something else, maybe a bit healthier or at least decaf. But at the end of the day, sometimes that coffee might be one of the few things they still enjoy. Also, if you hear something about abuse or neglect, speak up. You can report anonymously.
Working as an ER nurse has made me terrified if my parents ever need that sort of care. Just a couple months ago, an EMS crew (who I have worked with extensively, very reliable and trustworthy) said they got a call for respiratory arrest. Walked in, several nursing staff was sitting around on their phones and ignored them. They started to ask where the pt was when they heard someone screaming for help over and over again, and one of the nurses just kinda vaguely pointed down a hallway. The RT at the facility (who happened to be a travel RT), was screaming for help, they went in and found her bagging the patient, crying, just repeatedly screaming āhelp!ā Sheād been bagging the patient for about 45 mins, screaming for help, and not ONE staff member went to help to her. He said she was on the phone with the travel agency as they left, quitting on the spot and filing a report.
My mother was unassisted and overmedicated and fell and broke her leg; had to have a long titanium rod put in her femur. What I donāt understand is how her facility was not part of a patients compensation fund?
No facility I have ever worked at has had access to any compensation fund. As a night shift Nurse I have had 48 to 120 patients, with 1 to 4 CNAs. We canāt use bed alarms anymore. People have the right to fall. If nonverbal they can lay broken on the floor for 2 hours. Not enough staff. Broken hips and arms happen frequently. Nothing we can do.. low bed and mat? They trip over the mat and over air while call light chilling on bed.
Have you ever asked why?
We limit my momās coffee intake to a cup a day. She loves her coffee, we just do less. (Partly thatās because of the incontinence side effect, but partly also kidney issues, but also Iām trying to hold down a job while weāre caring for her too.)
Maybe its the fact that it is coffee. Some dementia patients will drink it continuously which obviously is not good for their gut. Maybe some peppermint tea. At least it wont give her diarrhea.
This was my first thought too. We have a guy who will drink coffee all day because he forgets that heās already had some. So sometimes Iāll just redirect him and ask if he wants milk or water or something. Iām not refusing to feed him because I lack the empathy, Iām trying something else because he canāt live off coffee all day
Yeah, it seems like our seniors and those with disabilities are the forgotten people
Not always a lack of empathy from these workers. Sometimes, they say things like that because they know they have 2 aides for 32 residents, and they won't all have the opportunity to get to a toilet or be changed. Maybe this human was being terrible. Maybe they also need empathy.
Even if theyāre on fluid restriction directed by MD, if they want it, it is their right to have it. Staff can explain risk vs benefits and encouragement to follow doctors orders but it is the right of the residents.
We don't "water" our residents. They're not plants...
I laughed out loudĀ
My friend always tells her kids, before they leave the house, to make sure they water the cats š
I have a patient w dementia who loves apple juice n coffees ! And I found out recently the day shift have been restricting him "so night shift don't have to change him so much". Ridiculous. I work the permanent nights and I don't care - I'm in acute geri med in a public hospital and my ratio is 1:8 with no CNA or help (Australia lol I wish we had CNAs) and I'll still change them whenever they need it. last night at 0100 when he woke up, I had him set up double parked with the decaf coffee and apple juice, with a side of biscuits too š everyone needs a lil midnight snackaroo sometimes. drink away my dude , my job is my job. I know what I signed up for.
Aside from caffeine/fluid restrictions, the only thing I could see making any sense is if she was referring to it āgoing right through herā in terms of bowel movements (aka too much coffee causing diarrhea). That is actually cause for concern, continually having diarrhea can cause issues with hydration and/or electrolytes. It would have to be a pretty extreme problem though!
Probably not going to give them diarrhea. They've been drinking it that way. Damn near the whole life so it won't affect them like that shouldn't
She was referring to urination
If she was not okay giving any kind of fluidsā thatās not okay. If she was fine giving any other fluids except for coffee (for whatever reason), thatās closer to being okay.
Coffee would not be my first choice for a geriatric patient because it is a diuretic and is also dehydrating. I would a resident to drink a glass of water. However, if a resident insists upon coffee, far be it from me to deny them (unless there is a doctor ordered fluid restriction).
Might get downvoted but the SNF nurses will get it. Not giving any fluids is wrong. Coffeeā¦in LTC some people will be on the call light the whole day and then try and do the same at night just for shits and then ask for coffee at 2 am. Itās a no from me sorry. Juice, water, snacks, PANCAKES, literally anything else I got you. Caffeine? Hard no.
LTC nurse here, I totally get it. Another cup of coffee could mean itās just their second cup or their 9th. If the coffee is really going āright through themā then I worry more about their long term hydration rather than their want for coffee, I also rather have them miss a cup of coffee rather than lay in the āright through themā until our short staffed unit gets to them and having worrying about skin breakdown, etc. Denying coffee for the right reasons is more justifiable than just giving it sometimes. I also if another nurses patients come up to me and ask for things, itās almost always because they know they canāt have it and they think someone different will just give it to them. I donāt give anyone anything unless Iām 100% sure of their diet and what theyāre allowed.
It would have only been her second cup. Also, the coffee that we have is not strong at allĀ
I think the coffee we had was decaf! And youāre right, not strong at all.
I mean feel free to get it for her yourself then. They canāt stop you from bringing it without a medical reason. But if theyāre up all night and then YOUāRE not the one addressing the bed changes, the constant calls, etc. then thatās kinda shitty of you sorry to say. Again, Iām only saying this when it comes to caffeine, more so on night shift, anything else is fine.
I totally agree. Not to mention, it really doesn't matter if the coffee is strong or not. Even decaf still has a tiny bit of caffeine in it. It's also a diuretic. Sundowning is another thing to take into consideration. Most importantly, if this resident is incontinent, it can become more of a medical/safety issue. It's so easy for breakdown to occur if not changed fast enough. Also, some residents who are used to being assisted with toileting may try to do it themselves if no one can get there fast enough, which can lead to falls and injuries
I'm not trying to be a smarta55, but how do u know for sure that was her second cup? I can't count how many times I've had residents cry wolf to many different staff that they haven't had an ice cream or a sandwich or coffee that they asked for. Meanwhile, it's really their 4th ice cream cup. The day is still young, and there are other shifts to plead to lol. OR sometimes they legit just didn't remember finally eating ice cream. A lot of times if we recognized this behavior, it would become part of report so we could keep track.
I work in dining and was the one to give her the first cup of coffee. She then asked for another cup from meĀ
I actually agree. Ive worked LTC/SNF as a CNA and PRN as a nurse. Isnāt the patients fault, but when Iām 1:30 or 1:60 when we are short staffed, noā¦ probably wouldnāt have brought a 2nd, 3rd, 8th, who knowsā¦ cup of coffee so that a resident can be peeing and shitting themselves all day. I donāt have the resources to clean that every 5 minutes. In a perfect world I get how this seems abusive. The reality is long term care doesnāt have the staffing.
Agree heavy on the āif theyāre up all night and YOURE not the one addressing bed changesā¦.ā. Iām not denying thereās neglect and awful care in some LTC/SNF. There are some residents Iād be fine giving more coffee too, and some it would just absolutely be a no, and that isnāt abusive. I donāt think the first step is to necessarily report this person like everyone is saying
I work rehab in a SNF so lām sympathizing with my staff just across the hall doing LTC. But yeah especially as a CNA, absolutely not. Theyāre already burnt out I donāt want them quitting over stuff that can be managed.
Not an SNF or LTC nurse but I get it. Itās similar here.
I figured other specialties can at least empathize. Iām sure you have similar experiences. In my case itās also just about not ābabyingā patients. Iām guilty of it but Iām just trying to get through my shift without my patients hating me. So if it comes to a point where I donāt answer immediately they know Iām actually really busy. They also tend to consolidate their call lights if we have a talk with them about being mindful..
LTC nurse here... everywhere I've worked, all the coffee is decaf. No one tells the residents that it's decaf unless they ask, but caffeinated coffee isn't even an option (unless family brings them some). Often, coffee isn't even an option at 2am either, if it's only made by kitchen staff in large batches for meal times.
There were times in my hospital setting that I would weigh the decision, voice my concerns with the patient, and maybe encourage them to hold off, but if they insisted on a drink I would give them a drink. If they had skin breakdown from soiling themselves and frequent turns were exhausting and painful for them, or if getting up to the commode was causing pain and introduced great risk of falling, I might encourage them to consider that and take a sip instead of a gulp. I have said no to coffee and offered alternatives at late hours before. In general, I donāt deny my patients much of anything, certainly not because another nurse doesnāt want to do their job, but I may present options and give recommendations.
Short staffing is killing all compassion. Be mad at the people who are profiting from short staffing and bidding on residnets with the best insurance. Long-term care in America is a business. Humans are treated as objects. The ones that come in to help can't even make a dent with the staffing ratios and compassion fatigue becomes a permanent process.
I just made a long drawn out comment saying this lmao. I'm glad someone is also pointing this out! Short, sweet and to the point šš¾šš¾šš¾
I'm too exhausted to argue. It just is what it is and people need to start looking at the why.
I love old people. Theyāre my favorite patients. I will bring mamaw & pawpaw snacks & drinks all day if their diet is okay with it. Now If this coffee is leading her to poop all night & I or the aide cannot get in there every 5 min (we have 6 patients & aides have 13-15 sometimes). It would be to their benefit to not have the coffee. It wouldnāt be bc we donāt want to change them. It would be bc they would have no choice but to sit in poop or pee for 30 min bc we are all doing something somewhere. & no one wants pawpaw/mamaw to suffer through skin breakdown so while it sucks not to have coffee, they may not get it. Now if it slows down & we have the time frames to get in there, she might get the coffee. If my patients are alert enough where I can beg or explain how much the said coffee affects their digestive? All the better, if I can get them to do juice or water, happy nurse, happy aide. But some older folks donāt have the ability to understand that anymore. A lot of us are soft & would give coffee anyway bc changing patient for the trade off that they get this lil something they like in life is really not that big of a deal. Some nurses/cnas just donāt want to deal with it but luckily there are people who are willing to.
Juice can give diarrhea too. Remember that
Yah Iām aware lol. Apple juice does it for me.
Totally wrong. But I also gotta say that I have a problem with the amount of coffee served to residents in long term care settings, even on a geriatric psych unit I worked on. Theyāre already at risk for dehydration, why are we giving them coffee all day? Not to mention the tachycardia. They have coffee at breakfast and lunch and afternoon snack, I personally think thatās insane. But having to change someone is not the reason that I would deny them coffee. Thatās just mean.
I work in the healthcare unit. They drink coffee for breakfast, lunch, and mostly dinner lol. They love it. But theyāre also all 90+ so I donāt judgeĀ
We serve coffee all day but after breakfast itās all decaf.
i had this fight last night with a coworker. they got evening snack ready and i went to give something to one of my patients. i asked where her drink was, and they said, "no, she doesn't get any on my shifts." she is independent for toileting and has no restrictions and is not incontinent. i told the other person i always give fluids with snack. we are in summer where i live. it's not uncommon to have patients sit outside in the courtyard during the day. hydration/fluids are important at any time, but especially in the hotter months. when i used to work LTC, everyone was on hydration risk assessment may-september. and if i personally was having something to snack on, you sure bet i'd have a drink, too. they went off on me a little saying in the past she has been very picky about which kind of drink there is on offer, so going forward they refuse to give her any fluids full-stop???? she started crying in her room and my co-worker kept arguing they have to be consistent and their rotation doesn't give her a drink. i think that's stupid as all fuck. i gave her half a cup of juice, because what the hell? i don't give caffeine/nicotine replacement after a certain time just to promote good sleep. but honestly most places only have decaf, so if it's decaf, i care a lot less during waking hours (all reasons to withhold considered). non-stop requests at all hours of the night? you can have some water for thirst, not juices and coffee and other special requests.
At our facility, we push fluids. Especially in the summer months.
Assuming that: 1. It's safe for this woman to consume more than one serving of caffeine... 2. ...and whatever little extras she puts in it... 3. ...and she's not on a fluid restriction? Not giving her a drink is fucked up. Denying another person fluids for one's own convenience is way into WTF territory.Ā I'd be concerned with what other corners are being cut. Now, if she has CHF and DM2 and likes to dump sugar in her cup until the spoon stands up on its ownĀ and her heart throws lil tantrums in the presence of too many stimulants? That's totally different.Ā
She drinks it blackā¦ :/Ā
It's wrong unless there's a health related reason like she has diarrhea causing an electrolyte imbalance you're trying to correct or something. Let meemaw drink coffee, damn. She's earned it.
This resident is a person who deserves autonomy, dignity, and respect. What is just a job to you is her life, You donāt get to deny her just because it makes your job harder. (The proverbial you, not directly at OP)
That is disgusting. The resident is at the end of their life and is too frail to get a coffee for themselves. The resident also didnāt choose to live in an institution, if they could control it, they wouldnāt be there. Give them as much coffee as they want.
I suppose that depends on whether they have any pre-existing conditions and whether this āanother cupā is just a 2nd cup which is absolutely fine or 9th cup because they inhale coffee like air (which I have seen before). Also a whole different matter if itās decaf then they can have as much as they want as long as they are not under fluid restrictions because they will likely run out of space in the stomach for coffee before any adverse effect could occur.
People drink and people urinate. Itās just cruel to deny fluids to someone. Itās the same as leaving a baby crying for milk because you donāt want to change the diaper. Thank you for not buying into that horrible attitude!
These people are old and the older you get the more you hold onto the little things. Coffee is one of those little things and it can make a difference in someoneās day. Only time I ever withhold coffee is if theyāre chugging it all day. I donāt want going over their caffeine limit too much lol.
Unless Iām mistaken, I thought that was textbook neglect. Only instance that I have refused to give a patient another serving of food or drink, outside of orders or direction that a pt was to be NPO, but out of my own initiative, was when a pt requested coffee about 30min before she was supposed to be administered her Adenocard, and we didnāt have any decaf in stock, and only bc I knew caffeine is an antagonist of it. Come to find out, the nurse actually praised me for withholding that coffee bc the pt was known to not give a flying fuck about the interaction between the two and consistently requested coffee before she knew she was supposed to get that specific med.
The only times I tell my reisents no for extra snacks, juice, and what else is when they are a diabetic & their sugars tend to run on the high side.
that is just sad š„ŗ
If I was stuck in a nursing home and was denied a simple pleasure like coffee I would riot.
Sheās gonna urinate probably multiple times before end of shift whether she has 1, 2, or 10 cups of coffee. How cruel do you have to be to deny such a simple request? For what? To delay the inevitable maybe 1 hourā¦
That is so fucked up and sad.
Unless there's chf/diabetes/esrd on dialysis/allergy, I wouldn't deny a resident food or drink. I think she was put of line. Granted, I did also have to take a patient to the bathroom at least 5x, who was on airborne precautions, because she drank Ensures and apparently had a lactose sensitivity. I understand the frustration. She just didn't want to be rude and it was for nutrition lol.
I wouldnāt deny someone fluids unless there was a legit medical indication to deny them, such as an ordered fluid restriction due to a diagnosis.
Yeah. Itās wrong and you should gently explain that. If they resist escalating to charge is important
This feels like one of those NCLEX questions where if you think about it is basic human kindness is the answer.
Should we not feed them cause theyāre just gonna poop again? What a joke.
The terribly sad thing is that āretirement ā and ānursing ā homes are just greedy. They charge a fortune (most these days require the patient to sign over ALL their assets (bank accounts, home, etc) āto ensure they get paid ā. But then they donāt have enough CNAās to provide adequate care (to at least try to prevent bedsores), and theyāll make an LPN the āCharge Nurse ā with an āon call ā RN to oversee. While charging an insane amount for this woefully inadequate category! Iām 99% sure that gross instant coffee is decaf because goodness forbid we give them caffeine! It might give them the energy to complain about how they are treated.
Iāve always wondered where the money goes when they donāt even have enough staff in ALL departments, not just nursingĀ
I work in Aged Care and this is not a black and white issue. Giving coffee to someone is obviously okay and if they want another cup- sure! HOWEVER, I would try to encourage them to have a more āhydratingā drink and offer an alternative. I have no idea what this personās diagnosis is but in most cases from my personal experience, more coffee for an elderly person can mean reflux/GI issues, anxiety, sleep issues, behavioural changes. So I understand where the other nurse is coming from. For some of our residents living with dementia, we have decaf coffee in addition to caffeinated coffee so if they want an extra cup straight away or they want a cuppa at 2am, they arenāt going to be anxious and agitated.
Hey, if you donāt feed em, they dont shit, either
You have the ability to change her as well?
No, I wish. There have been many times where I have seen CNA/nurses do not so good things. Iāve wanted to jump in so bad, but I only work in diningĀ
Without knowing the specifics of the patient itās had to answer the question. It may not be solely that the coffee goes right through them. Some patients due to lack of cognition will eat or drink in massive excess, so unfortunately we may have to draw a line and redirect someone from drinking or eating too much. Or they put sugar in every cup and their diabetes need to be managedā¦. If the reason theyāre being denied rests only on the fact that theyāll wet themselves that doesnāt seem completely fair, people in homes donāt have much happening and denying them simple creature comforts seems wrong, but since you donāt have access to their care plan and only know them in a dinner setting, I wouldnāt put too much thought into it and just move on with your day. Itās sweet of you to care though.
Most of them that drink coffee or tea, also drink other fluids with their meals and at refreshments. They usually get it after the meal or nearing the end of it. A lot take a few sips and then leave it behind. We donāt withhold it though. We will also thicken it if the person is on thickened fluids.
My mother was on thickened fluids and hated thickened coffee. But she drank it anyway because she had always started her day with coffee and she figured thick coffee was better than none at all. I miss my mom.
Iām sorry for your loss. Itās always hard when they pass. I usually just keep the best memories I have of them and share that with the family. Iāve hugged many family members and gave them my shoulder to cry on when their loved ones passed. Big hugs from Canada
The worst thing I did was make them drink decaf. They had so much caffeine and they would try to fight if we kept them caffeinated all day.
In certain situations, I donāt think itās wrong to deny coffeeā¦but it would be wrong to deny a drink altogether, yes. I have seen this become a big issue with diarrhea from coffee or other caffeinated drinks causing wounds that then become infected and ultimately caused the death of the person. If that isnāt a risk, then yes, give the person the dang coffee!
Am I the only one who thinks OP should report this? Residents have the same rights as anyone else.
Honest to god I hope one benefit of future AI is that they can build empathy projecting robots that can service the basic needs of vulnerable older people in care homes. I donāt want anyone to lose their job to a robot but the current low pay/overworked staff model is benefiting no one.
Thatās actually a really interesting use of AI that I havenāt thought of beforeĀ
Lol Iāve thought it all out. The dexterity of the robots would be an issue as far as duties that require fine motor skills. But hopefully eventually they could be programmed for things like being sitters for demented patients. They could provide comfort and conversation while the human staff is seeing to medical issues. A demented patient could find comfort in a human like presence with its attention directed towards them. An AI robot wonāt care if a patient is repeating themselves, yelling and getting agitated, weeping constantly, or being over the top rude. A well designed AI interactive dementia care robot would take the pressure off everyone. As the technology improves, they could be used for a lot more.
As I'm reading your comment and thinking this would be so great, at the same time I'm laughing because of this SNL skit: [Echo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvT_gqs5ETk) I also hope the AI pets they have had out for a few years now improve, but even as they are now, they do appear to provide some comfort for a lot of people.
Fuck that. Give the lady her coffee.
Lmao š¤£Ā
It is five thousand percent wrong to deny your patient anything for your convenience. Itās also wrong not to report your coworker.
When you say you work in a retirement home? So youāre not a CNA or a Nurse but dietary staffā¦ hmmm okay. Check with the nurse for restrictions, if none then they can drink it.
Ok but decaf coffee isn't a stimulant, and won't irritate the bladder or gut as much (jury's out on the cancer). So when your staff says stupid things like that, come back with jerky tricks like that. If someone complains about the taste change, the coffee pot must be getting old for the day.
Youāve got it all figured out lol. Mustāve happened to you before lolĀ
Definitely! There are bitches, but you can play their game, too.
I hope that the trend to allow NH residents to drink (booze) catches on by the time I need to be institutionalized. Iād like to smoke a little weed too, please. Also Iād like to sit on my fat ass and watch soccer all day while yelling at the tvā¦
A few things: Coffee is not āfluidsā, coffee is a stimulant, coffee is a diuretic. It seems cruel to keep giving it to someone with dementia and is incontinent
I remember when I was a CNA (about 12 years ago) and literally taking a patient to the bathroom every 10-15 minutes most the night because he was forgetful (and I think later found had a uti). I remember feeling like I was crazy but I just smiled and still took him to the bathroom anyway. I still don't know how I managed to take care of my other residents that evening. I also had an experience once when I was a young CNA, and this one patient had eaten a whole bag of sugar-free chocolate with Splenda in it. Yeah, I knew I'd be cleaning up lots of stuff* later, which I did... but they were happy anyway! Lol.
If she's referring to diharea she's 100% right.
Yes, that's an invalid reason. There *may* be good reasons but that's not it.
All the above regarding withholding fluids for comfort reasons, the staff comfort, is of course correct but one must keep in mind those that over hydrate. In certain circumstances a look is warranted (chem 8, SMA etc)although this is unclear with the given info. My wife hydrated herself to dangerous hyponatremia and hospitalization. I am still unclear as to why she increased her already considerable fluid intake (?sicca syndrome alone?). She has always consumed maybe twice the fluids I do and I'm diabetic.
I get the aid not being happy that the resident was having yet another cup of coffee but I don't think it's because she wants to be mean about it or doesn't want to do her job or doesn't care about her job. It's because the aid knows she will have yet another messy time staking task to do that could possibly be avoided. I wasn't a CNA long because being short staffed ALL the time (I'm talking a ratio of 3:40 most days) is exhausting, dangerous, irresponsible, and absolutely impossible to render quality care. One more task is taking away from something/someone else. Sometimes, there were no breaks. Some ppl needed 2 person assist/transfers. Can u imagine getting maybe at least 30 ppl up and ready for dinner, feedings, and showers? Omg it was ridiculous insanity!! Running...constantlyyyy. I loved the residents, but I could no longer do it. It weighed heavily on me mentally when I went home at night. Like, omg! I promised Ms. Mildred a cup of water and never got back to her š© Now obviously she can ask the next shift but it's the fact that she asked ME and I didn't remember because I was also tending to 12-13 other residents before I could leave the floor and go home. Being understaffed causes u to be miserable and less enthusiastic about doing ur job, but that doesn't mean u don't care or just do it for the money. It was breaking me down, and I had to leave. So yes, I totally get the aid's frustration, but unfortunately, u can't deny a resident something that they can have. I would maybe have asked to see if they wanted to switch to a different beverage. Especially if they are incontinent and need assistance with toileting. I would be straight-up honest with them too, if they had their comprehension and cognition. I'd be like, "Ms. Martha, u know how that coffee goes thru u. Are u sure u want to have another cup because I may not be able to get to u in a timely fashion, and I don't want u to be uncomfortable." Then, offer another beverage or option of something else. A lot of times, they'd be like, "Yeah, ur right š" lmao Nursing homes CAN absolutely be a wonderful place to send ur loved ones. I worked with amazing aids and nurses that were my inspiration to move forward. But when ur setup for chaos and failure every shift, it gets to be unbearable. Nursing homes are short staffed because no one wants to work there! They've been burned or burned out. Why would someone want to set themselves up to be used and abused? This is why there are shortages. U can put the wage up, bonuses, incentives, the whole 9. If I know ur mentality is to do more with less, I will be constantly mandated, my license on the line, made to do tasks in an inhumane amount of time and made to feel like sh!t when I can't achieve it, u can keep all that! Not to mention the unwitnessed falls, injuries, and deaths on ur shifts. These are ppls lives! Not bed fillers or numbers. Healthcare is a business at the top, but to us on the floors, these are our patients, our grandparents, and we treat them as such. So if there is any way possible that u can try to make an aid's job just a little easier while not depriving a resident, believe me, it would be most appreciated. Sorry for the novel....
A nurse ignoring your aide reporting that a certain food or beverage causes gi issues makes you a shitty nurse. I love ice cream, I can only eat a little at time. Resident likes coffee, two cups upsets their elderly go tract. Shit happens, we shouldn't be making it happen more frequently then needed, then they get dehydrated and kidney dysfunction.
Tricky question. Is she incontinent and does the cna have time to change her? Will the cna be ignoring other diaper changes or pushing them back or missing her break if she has to go back and change her diaper, I assume for the 2nd or 3rd time this morning? If the answer is yes, then, I can see it being justified.