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I work in one of these facilities, and, I oftentimes wonder, given the stereotypes of Nurses/Nursing Assistants, where oh were is the compassion, where it's needed the most?
Increasing patient loads, those working way too much overtime, doesn't help matters, and the pay scale which attracts many into this field for the money and money only, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to spot those who are there only for the money.
I'm no stranger to this compassion fatigue syndrome either, but I do have my moments, even with 25 patients to attend to at night.
Unwarranted noise is more my territory for compassion, 2 people to a room, one wanting the TV up loud, or on all night, and the other person in the room has to suffer for it. Those blaring, screeching Tab Alerts for Fall Risk patients will do it everytime for me, a resident being jolted awake at any hour of the night, by a Tab Alert going off on someone sharing their room, and some of these alerts can be heard from one end of the hall to the other! Yes, I've done it a number of times, encouraging this resident to call 311 for a Noise Disturbance. So far, no one has done that, why? They don't want to cause trouble. Fear of being evicted for being a troublemaker.
If I bring this up to the Nurses, the unwarranted noise of Tab Alerts to the residents, it falls on deaf ears as they're penalized for Falls on their shifts, and they say there's no other choice, they must be on every Fall Risk victim or potential Fall risk victim. Compassion, where art thou!! And so, you have these Tab Alerts going off all hours of the night, and oftentimes you don't know what region of the facility it's emanating from as there's so many of them.
Typical night at the Nurse's Desk: Computerized charting all night long, after their med passes, which is more time-consuming when it was all done by hand. Even for us nursing assistants, the computerized charting can take up to an hour, whereas, before it could be done in 15 minutes or less. Less time to spend time with the residents, missing opportunities for compassion!
First, thank you for all that you do! I understand your frustration since as a respiratory therapist I deal with ventilator alarms. The alarms can be frustrating but they are necessary!
Honestly I would be more concerned about your patient loads at your facility. That's way too many residents to give quality care to. It's so dangerous to overload staff! Nurses and CNAs in New York had to find this fact out the hard way!
This makes me definitely want to end it before I ever have to pass through the door of a nursing home. My sensitivity to noise is off the charts (no pun intended). If I hear a motor way off during the night now, I wake up and get agitated. I HATE the sound of TV or radio (unless I'm the one listening to it). I'd probably strangle my roommate in a nursing home, really.
I'm a member of NoiesFreeAmerica, and I've alerted the founder of this unwarranted noise in nursing homes. Yes, there are potential Noise Lawsuits, and I can't wait for an irritated resident of one of these facilities to wage a lawsuit against this torture!
Long ago, I had a resident who was "lawyered-up", and he knew what decibel levels of noise was acceptable and what was not acceptable. He'd make me go down the hall and turn the volume down on TV sets in the rooms, until it was acceptable to him.
I once had a feisty woman I took care of, long ago, irritated by the Christmas music being played in the halls, during the Christmas season. One nite, irritated beyond belief, she called 311, the police came responding to a noise disturbance. After that, no more Christmas music in the halls!
I don't why some of these residents don't heed my advice and call 311 when shaken awake by these tab alerts at night!
If I were a resident, first time I was jolted awake by a Tab Alert going off in my room, I'd be on the phone, lickety split, calling 311! And damn the consequences!
What a miserable way to spend one's last years. I cannot imagine why families don't raise cain over this. After all, the residents are PAYING to be there. There has to be some recourse, like in the Patient Bill of Rights??
What I find disturbing as a pastor visiting people in nursing homes is the number of residents I hear shouting and cursing God. I'm often perplexed as to what has happened or is happening inside that poor soul lying or sitting there. Sorry, I wasn't trying to take this off topic, the part about noise brought this to mind.
What I find disturbing as a pastor visiting people in nursing homes is the number of residents I hear shouting and cursing God. I'm often perplexed as to what has happened or is happening inside that poor soul lying or sitting there. Sorry, I wasn't trying to take this off topic, the part about noise brought this to mind.
That would be disturbing.
Fortunately I can say that in all my years serving those who live in nursing homes, I have not heard this. Except... Except when working in geriatric psychiatric units. And then not often.
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Yes, I've done it a number of times, encouraging this resident to call 311 for a Noise Disturbance. So far, no one has done that, why? They don't want to cause trouble. Fear of being evicted for being a troublemaker. 
