Need Some Answers Please!

[NursingRoomate]

Hi Everyone! I know I haven't introduced myself yet, but this was important enough to come directly to this forum.

My roommate is an IV Certified LVN/LPN and we're living in Southern California. Tonight she was supposed to have worked a 2p - 11p in a nursing home. It's now 1:00a and she's still there. Here's what's happened...

1) She works agency
2) Prior shift RN went off shift before giving a report to my roommate or to anyone else for that matter
3) My roommate was not permitted a lunch AT ALL
4) She had 31 patients and didn't finish her med pass until close to midnight

Isn't there some law in California that is supposed to help avoid all this?!? She won't be off work until close to 3a or 4a and she's still not being allowed to eat or even so much as take a break. She's having to chart on 12 different pts.

I've looked through California law on LVN - pt ratio, but all I can find is a floor, not a ceiling number.

Someone please help! How can this SNF get away with what they're doing?!?

A Concerned Roommate

[cougarnurse]

I used to be an LPN (now an RN), and have worked in a facility (8 years) where I have had 60 patients. The place was NOT a SNF, though. Still, what you've posted sounds a bit insane.

I have also worked agency, and personally, I'd let the agency know exactly what the heck went on. Has the agency had trouble staffing this place in the past? Does the facility your roommate work at have a 'reputation' of being hard to staff? Just wondering right now.

[amberdouglas]

first thing I would do is write up the prior shift RN. Then, when I was informed that I was not getting a break, I would be calling the DON, and informing them they had 30 min. to get down there, becasue I was leaving. Forget about the job, what about her license?

[Big Al]

First tell the agency about the issue. They will have contacts on the facility and should be able to see what the heck happened.
Second tell the agency to make you a no return to that facility until they know their has been some major improvement.
Third write a letter to the DON, administrator, and the local ombudsman (if the facility takes Medicare money in any way
Tell your friends of the expearince so they don't suffer like she did.

[pamelalayn]

Write up the R.N.,Call agency and D.O.N. demand payment for no break and all hours worked and never go back.