quality care for the aged. do we deliver?

A recent Australian news report has raised concerns over the quality of care being delivered in our aged care facilities. Traumatised relatives have raised shocking claims that their loved ones were left to die unnecessarily or in great pain because of a critical lack of staff and training in nursing homes…. …Their complaints include relatives being left in faeces and urine, rough treatment, poor nutrition, inadequate pain relief, verbal abuse, and untreated broken bones and infections. You can read the complete report here: Mistreated nursing home residents ‘better off in a concentration camp’ :: ABC News :: What do our nurses and carers think after reading about these sorts of claims? Here are some of the responses when I asked them on my Facebook page: Micheal Sadly i think that this is very close to the truth, nursing home simply do not employ enough nurses and carers. Danielle The pay is poor as well so they don’t attract the quality or quantity of staff required. Brent As an RN working as a Paramedic, I’ve seen everything type of neglect and absence of basic nursing care and heard so many excuses. “Not my patient” “Not my problem, take it up with management” or vague giggles. Some think because you are an ambo you have no idea, so dropping the ‘I’m a nurse’ bomb is an epiphany for some. I am so over the dumping of aged care residents into the emergency health system (especially Friday nights and early Monday) when they deserve solid support...
Source: impactEDnurse - Category: Nurses Authors: Tags: the nurses desk: Source Type: blogs