While most families Place their Elder in long-term care they are promised a standard of care. This standard of care is not possible due to patient-nurse ratio. A family is sold on a facility simply by a promise, an advertisement, a referral or a tour(which is known in advance and highly staged) As nurses, certified nursing assistants and other staff stand by and watch families tour, we are all thinking the same thing.... DO NOT PLACE YOUR LOVED ONE HERE! These facilities are grossly under-staffed per our law. Facilities only staff according to law, the bare minimum. As of right now I could name multiple long-term care facilities that I have worked for and that are grossly under-staffed. Here is an example of what my day looks like in a long-term care facility. Get report from the nurse leaving who is almost in tears usually. I start with vitals on all 28th of my patients which is very hard and time consuming being that they are all going in different places such as therapy,breakfast,out for the day, to smoke, to sit wherever,to play cards, to go to crafts, to do whatever basically. Then I must come back around and give all of their medications, some taking anywhere from 7 medications to 20 medications which is a whole other problem of polypharmacy. Again something else not being monitored in these places. Once that is complete then I must check blood sugars and sliding scales. In most hospitals, you need a double signature to give insulin. Why not in long term care? You have many more patients and alot more accuchecks then a hospital....it seems to me you would WANT that extra safety since the risk is increased. One wromg dose of insulin could kill someone, why do long term care elders not deserve the same treatment hopitals get? 28 patients takes me every bit of 5 hours to accurately assess and administer medications and insulin....that is rushing through without taking any breaks. IF nothing happens, IF no admissions come, IF no discharges, IF EVERYTHING IS PERFECT FOR THAT DAY, NO EMERGENCIES. Now its time for the patients treatments. Treatments are hard to do when you have more than 10 patients. It's near IMPOSSIBLE. TO DO THEM ALL and then be able to find help (to help them back i to bed if theure a hoyer lift, to hold them over while doing their care of on backside). most of the time you will find treatments not done for a few days. It is NOT because a nurse is lazy, it's because we are over worked and underpaid! To add insult to injury, we CAN NOT EVEN TAKE A BREAK TO URINATE MORELESS A LUNCH, yet human resources tells us they MUST tale out for lunches we did not eat. we all went to school and learned if we need help to ask.....well I'm asking and I've not been heard for 12 years. I've cared for extremely poor, extremely wealthy, I've cared for some people that even you may have known. While i have not met all of you personally I have met a few of you through one particular patient. This patient taught me if i want something don't stop and fight for it. Well I'm doing just that, I'm fighting for what's RIGHT, I'm fighting for the well being of my patients. When an elder is place in long term care, the truth should be told.....and here it is. "We will overload their nurse, giving them 20 plus patients. While we hope your family members stay here is pleasant we must tell you we aren't certain of that. In addition their aid will have a minimum of 14 patients in which she must bathe, feed and toilet all day. So if there is any accidents you will know why in advance. However we do have a FULL staff of 2 nurses that make sure our billing is in place. One specifically bills for therapies that sometimes aren't done, the other in MDS let's the floor nurse state she did the following things and can charge for those. So don't worry we get paid no matter what." Now there's some truth..... I plan on fighting for nurses and patients, it's a win win sitiation. Would you want a nurse that is not passionate about her job caring for your lives one....NO. I am asking to please change the law to govern how many patints a nurse can have in a long term care setting. The most realistic number i can think of, at highest would be 15. 15 patients to care for is alot but we can start here. Thank you all for signing!! My solution is quite simple......GIVE LONG TERM CARE THE SAME RESPECT YOU GIVE A HOSPITAL. 20 and 28 patients is too much. We need to start protecting our staff and loved ones. START NOW PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AND FORWARD TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW.