Nursing Home Observation
A few days ago I took New York City public transit subway system and I visited Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home (MMW). MMW is located on the Upper East Side of New York City. MMW provides residents with skilled nursing care 24 hours a day. They also provide short-term rehabilitation and a small, 10-bed Hospice unit. Mr. Joseph is one of the nursing directors and was kind enough to extend professional courtesy to me providing me with information and a tour of the facility although he made it clear that he was extremely busy. MMW believes in providing residents with physical, emotional and spiritual health. There are clergy and social workers available daily to provide residents with advice, counseling and also to console and pray with them.
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Personal spiritual advisors, as well as priest, ministers and rabbis are all welcomed and arranged for residents. This nursing home has 280 beds that provide long term skilled nursing to patients of all faiths. They receive residents from local surrounding hospitals and walk in admissions. There is a diverse population and a mixture of both male and female residing here. The residents that reside here range in age from their early 60’s and some passed 100 years old. Care of the residents is individually tailored to meet both their medical and social needs, which are managed with an interdisciplinary team approach. The interdisciplinary team consists of, physicians, nurses, and social workers. In addition, there are physical, occupational and speech therapist that all meet frequently with the residents and or family members to review their progress and life goals, making changes to the plan of care as needed. The cost for a private room is $453.00 a day and a semi-private room cost $444.00 a day. Medicare, Medicaid, Managed plans, most major private insurance plans and self-pay is accepted. Additional services are provided such as a beauty salon and a barber shop; Internet lounge and library; newspaper subscriptions; personal laundry service, dry cleaning on site and a notary public. Residents are provided with three meals a day and two snacks. Special meals and diets are available. There is also an interfaith chapel. Catholic mass and services for the Jewish residents are provided to meet the religious needs of the residents. Services for high holy days and other holidays are celebrated by meeting the traditional rituals and foods for the Jewish residents. There are many activities available for the residents to participate in daily. There are arts, music programs, games, exercise class, yoga and gardening to name a few. There is a coffee shop available on the premise, which is a favorite place for residents to go to with their guest. There is also a lounge to obtain cocktails, socialize with guest during the evening hours. Residents, friends and families celebrate all regular holidays. Plenty of music, dancing and food are provided for the residents and their families. There is also a holiday pageant and talent show.
When you walk into the building you can’t help but to notice the home feeling. The facility allows their residence to decorate their own room and they are able to bring their own furniture. If the resident is not able to or chooses not to bring their furniture, then the facility will provide it for them. Either way the furniture is lovely. The main floor has a huge auditorium with a stage. This is where their holiday pageant takes place. I was informed that MMW was a facility only for those of high class and with money. As the decades past MMW began admitting those less fortunate and with Medicaid insurance. I was informed in confidence that one of the floors still holds that standard and reserves that floor only for the wealthy and of elite status. One of the other floors was for those that had hardly any money, family / friends or anything for that matter. I was immediately taken to the elite floor. I can understand why it was referred to as the elite floor. When you came off the elevator you could smell a clean, home scent almost like apple pie was baking in the background. There were fresh flowers at every nurses’ station, flat screen televisions, vending machines and the list went on and on. The residents doors even had their pictures so they would remember where their apartment / room was located. The halls and rooms were immaculate; almost clean enough to eat off the floors. The female residents all had their hair, make up and nails done, dressed to impress with jewelry and pocket books to complete their outfits. I must say I was impressed and happy to see that this facility treated their residents so warm, respectable and as a family. I arrived shortly before lunch and the meal trays began to come up. The food smelt absolutely delicious which also surprised me as my previous experiences with facilities where far from this. The staff was so loving and patient. I was introduced as a registered nurse, which made the staff believe I was seeking employment. One of the nurses introduced herself to me and offered to complete my tour since Mr. Joseph was being pulled in every direction.
For her protection I will call the nurse Mary.
Mary confided in me rather quickly and said if I am offered the position I should request a different floor. I explained I was not applying for a job and what my purpose was. At this moment Mary and I became best of friends! She informed me that this unit was a horrible unit to work on as you have to watch everything you do because one wrong move or even one resident that doesn’t like your hair or the color of your scrubs will have your terminated or written up. She expressed how unfair the other residents are treated which shocked me. Mary took me to a lower floor and as soon as the elevator door open I was immediately welcomed with the strong smell of urine and feces. There were no flowers, no pictures on the doors, residents looked as if they hadn’t bathed or changed their cloths, beds unmade, and the food looked like something I wouldn’t serve an animal. Mary stated, “Welcome to the poor unit”. I cannot begin to tell you how upset this made me feel and how it broke my heart.
I was lead to believe MMW was this elite, upscale nursing home in a very ritzy part of Manhattan. Now I know why their reviews are so low. Mary confirmed to me that years ago only those financially secure would reside in this facility and those who paid cash. In order for MMW to receive accreditation and other certificates they needed to open their doors to the public and allow a diverse crowd to apply and …show more content…
reside.
This project gave me a ton of feelings and emotions.
I initially felt the first floor I toured was kind of fake and the people were snooty and everyone was over doing it almost as if it weren’t natural, but I was happy to see how clean and happy the residents appeared for the most part. The “real” units broke my heart. I learned at a very young age that sickness does not discriminate against anyone rich or poor, black or white. Those residents should have been treated the same way, regardless of money and or status. Nobody wants to die alone or in a home, let alone a place like this. I believe every floor should have flowers, and every floor should be almost identical to each other. The staff was even miserable and with attitudes. I couldn’t wait to exit the facility and once I did I never went back to speak to the nursing director as I felt he should be ashamed of himself and embarrassed as a nurse that he allows this. This assignment only confirmed and validated my plans for the future. It also made me realize why I am so humble and treat all my patients the way I would my own family. Life is beautiful and many take it for granted, including myself at times, but nobody deserves to be treated in that way. We are all getting old and some of us will be in a position that we will have no other choice but to depend on someone else. I make it a point when I am precepting a nurse to inform them that nobody asks to get sick or require medical treatment and nobody asks to get old
and become dependent on others, I ask them to treat all their patients the way they would want to be treated such as would they want their hair messed up or to have coffee stains all over their shirt or have their pillows on the floor to then be thrown back on the bed as if nothing happened.
We need to begin making changes and stop running health care as a business although it is; it needs to be handled differently. I mentioned earlier that this assignment confirmed for me that my plans for the future where correct. I began saving money and being smart with saving for my future. I would never want to burden my daughter to care for me when I am old, but I also will not enter a facility that treats their residents this way. I would rather pay out of pocket a private hire to care for me and assure that I am treated with respect and dignity. At the end all some of us really have is our dignity and that should never be taken from someone.
I will be honest in the beginning of this assignment, I felt like the project would be a waste of my time and what more could I learn going to a facility when I am a registered nurse already. I was wrong! I learned a lot and I also learned never to change the way I practice nursing or the way I treat and respect people.
Personal spiritual advisors, as well as priest, ministers and rabbis are all welcomed and arranged for residents. This nursing home has 280 beds that provide long term skilled nursing to patients of all faiths. They receive residents from local surrounding hospitals and walk in admissions. There is a diverse population and a mixture of both male and female residing here. The residents that reside here range in age from their early 60’s and some passed 100 years old. Care of the residents is individually tailored to meet both their medical and social needs, which are managed with an interdisciplinary team approach. The interdisciplinary team consists of, physicians, nurses, and social workers. In addition, there are physical, occupational and speech therapist that all meet frequently with the residents and or family members to review their progress and life goals, making changes to the plan of care as needed. The cost for a private room is $453.00 a day and a semi-private room cost $444.00 a day. Medicare, Medicaid, Managed plans, most major private insurance plans and self-pay is accepted. Additional services are provided such as a beauty salon and a barber shop; Internet lounge and library; newspaper subscriptions; personal laundry service, dry cleaning on site and a notary public. Residents are provided with three meals a day and two snacks. Special meals and diets are available. There is also an interfaith chapel. Catholic mass and services for the Jewish residents are provided to meet the religious needs of the residents. Services for high holy days and other holidays are celebrated by meeting the traditional rituals and foods for the Jewish residents. There are many activities available for the residents to participate in daily. There are arts, music programs, games, exercise class, yoga and gardening to name a few. There is a coffee shop available on the premise, which is a favorite place for residents to go to with their guest. There is also a lounge to obtain cocktails, socialize with guest during the evening hours. Residents, friends and families celebrate all regular holidays. Plenty of music, dancing and food are provided for the residents and their families. There is also a holiday pageant and talent show.
When you walk into the building you can’t help but to notice the home feeling. The facility allows their residence to decorate their own room and they are able to bring their own furniture. If the resident is not able to or chooses not to bring their furniture, then the facility will provide it for them. Either way the furniture is lovely. The main floor has a huge auditorium with a stage. This is where their holiday pageant takes place. I was informed that MMW was a facility only for those of high class and with money. As the decades past MMW began admitting those less fortunate and with Medicaid insurance. I was informed in confidence that one of the floors still holds that standard and reserves that floor only for the wealthy and of elite status. One of the other floors was for those that had hardly any money, family / friends or anything for that matter. I was immediately taken to the elite floor. I can understand why it was referred to as the elite floor. When you came off the elevator you could smell a clean, home scent almost like apple pie was baking in the background. There were fresh flowers at every nurses’ station, flat screen televisions, vending machines and the list went on and on. The residents doors even had their pictures so they would remember where their apartment / room was located. The halls and rooms were immaculate; almost clean enough to eat off the floors. The female residents all had their hair, make up and nails done, dressed to impress with jewelry and pocket books to complete their outfits. I must say I was impressed and happy to see that this facility treated their residents so warm, respectable and as a family. I arrived shortly before lunch and the meal trays began to come up. The food smelt absolutely delicious which also surprised me as my previous experiences with facilities where far from this. The staff was so loving and patient. I was introduced as a registered nurse, which made the staff believe I was seeking employment. One of the nurses introduced herself to me and offered to complete my tour since Mr. Joseph was being pulled in every direction.
For her protection I will call the nurse Mary.
Mary confided in me rather quickly and said if I am offered the position I should request a different floor. I explained I was not applying for a job and what my purpose was. At this moment Mary and I became best of friends! She informed me that this unit was a horrible unit to work on as you have to watch everything you do because one wrong move or even one resident that doesn’t like your hair or the color of your scrubs will have your terminated or written up. She expressed how unfair the other residents are treated which shocked me. Mary took me to a lower floor and as soon as the elevator door open I was immediately welcomed with the strong smell of urine and feces. There were no flowers, no pictures on the doors, residents looked as if they hadn’t bathed or changed their cloths, beds unmade, and the food looked like something I wouldn’t serve an animal. Mary stated, “Welcome to the poor unit”. I cannot begin to tell you how upset this made me feel and how it broke my heart.
I was lead to believe MMW was this elite, upscale nursing home in a very ritzy part of Manhattan. Now I know why their reviews are so low. Mary confirmed to me that years ago only those financially secure would reside in this facility and those who paid cash. In order for MMW to receive accreditation and other certificates they needed to open their doors to the public and allow a diverse crowd to apply and …show more content…
reside.
This project gave me a ton of feelings and emotions.
I initially felt the first floor I toured was kind of fake and the people were snooty and everyone was over doing it almost as if it weren’t natural, but I was happy to see how clean and happy the residents appeared for the most part. The “real” units broke my heart. I learned at a very young age that sickness does not discriminate against anyone rich or poor, black or white. Those residents should have been treated the same way, regardless of money and or status. Nobody wants to die alone or in a home, let alone a place like this. I believe every floor should have flowers, and every floor should be almost identical to each other. The staff was even miserable and with attitudes. I couldn’t wait to exit the facility and once I did I never went back to speak to the nursing director as I felt he should be ashamed of himself and embarrassed as a nurse that he allows this. This assignment only confirmed and validated my plans for the future. It also made me realize why I am so humble and treat all my patients the way I would my own family. Life is beautiful and many take it for granted, including myself at times, but nobody deserves to be treated in that way. We are all getting old and some of us will be in a position that we will have no other choice but to depend on someone else. I make it a point when I am precepting a nurse to inform them that nobody asks to get sick or require medical treatment and nobody asks to get old
and become dependent on others, I ask them to treat all their patients the way they would want to be treated such as would they want their hair messed up or to have coffee stains all over their shirt or have their pillows on the floor to then be thrown back on the bed as if nothing happened.
We need to begin making changes and stop running health care as a business although it is; it needs to be handled differently. I mentioned earlier that this assignment confirmed for me that my plans for the future where correct. I began saving money and being smart with saving for my future. I would never want to burden my daughter to care for me when I am old, but I also will not enter a facility that treats their residents this way. I would rather pay out of pocket a private hire to care for me and assure that I am treated with respect and dignity. At the end all some of us really have is our dignity and that should never be taken from someone.
I will be honest in the beginning of this assignment, I felt like the project would be a waste of my time and what more could I learn going to a facility when I am a registered nurse already. I was wrong! I learned a lot and I also learned never to change the way I practice nursing or the way I treat and respect people.