% >> WISCONSIN LOST 42 SKILLED
% NURSING FACILITIES FROM 2016 TO
% 2021, A REALITY SEEN NATIONALLY
% DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF NURSES,
% IDENTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS,
% OR CNAs, AND OTHER STAFF.
% A NEW REPORT FROM THE WISCONSIN
% HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SHOWS
% CNAs HAVE THE HIGHEST TURNOVER
% IN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE, ALL
% OF WHICH HAS MEANINGFUL IMPACTS
% ON THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE.
% MARISA WOJCIK HAS ONE COUPLE'S
% STORY OF THEIR CARE.
% WE ARE NOT NAMING THE FACILITY.
% >> WE'RE SO SHORT STAFFED.
% >> YEAH, VERY SHORT STAFFED.
% >> DICK AND LANEA HAVE BEEN IN
% THE SAME ASSISTED LIVING
% FACILITY FOR THE LAST SEVEN
% YEARS.
% SINCE THEN, THE FACILITY'S
% OWNERSHIP HAS CHANGED HANDS
% MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE STAFF,
% MANY MORE TIMES OVER.
% WE FIRST SPOKE WITH THEM IN
% OCTOBER 2021.
% >> I HAVE SPINOCEREBELLAR ATA .
% ATAXIA, WHICH IS, ATAXIA MEANS
% UNCOORDINATED, AND, YOU KNOW, IT
% GOES INTO ALL YOUR NERVES.
% BUT I COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED
% AND PUT TOOTHPASTE ON MY BRUSH,
% WHICH SOUNDS VERY SILLY.
% >> 2021, AROUND THE TIME DICK
% FIRST BEGAN FILING GRIEVANCES TO
% THE STATE FOR WHAT THEY WERE
% EXPERIENCING IN THE FACILITY.
% >> WE HAD A COOK, A MED-PASSER,
% AND ONE OR TWO AIDES DURING THE
% DAY.
% >> FOR HOW MANY RESIDENTS?
% >> I WOULD SAY ABOUT 50 TO 55 AT
% THE TIME.
% >> SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
% DOES THAT MEAN SOME PEOPLE NEED
% HELP AND THEY CAN'T GET IT?
% >> RIGHT.
% IT MEANT --
% >> THEY WAIT.
% >> SOME PEOPLE CAN'T GET --
% >> THEY MIGHT BE STUCK ON THE
% TOILET FOR AN HOUR.
% >> YOU MIGHT LIE IN BED FOR TWO
% HOURS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO
% HELP YOU OUT OF BED.
% ALSO, WE HAD AN INCIDENT THAT
% HAD QUITE A MAJOR IMPACT, I
% THOUGHT, WHEN A MED-PASSER COULD
% NOT FIND CHILDCARE.
% AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS A WEEKEND
% MORNING.
% THERE WAS NO BACK-UP PLAN, EVEN
% THOUGH A MANAGEMENT PERSON WAS
% IN THE OFFICE THAT DAY AND IT'S
% SOMEONE WHO HAD PASSED
% MEDICATIONS BEFORE BUT CHOSE NOT
% TO GET INVOLVED.
% DID FIND -- EXCEPT, OF COURSE,
% TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE EVENTUALLY,
% BUT WHEN 8:00 MEDS COME AT 12:30
% OR 1:00 OR 1:15, THAT IS REALLY
% A DELAY.
% WE'VE HEARD ALSO OF CASES OF
% PEOPLE HEARING THEIR NEXTDOOR
% NEIGHBORS IN THEIR APARTMENTS
% CALLING FOR HELP AND SEEMING TO
% BE IGNORED FOR A LONG TIME.
% >> DO YOU FEEL SAFE LIVING HERE?
% >> ONE BIG FEAR IS FIRE, BECAUSE
% SO MANY WHEELCHAIRS AND
% OTHERWISE INCAPACITATED OR
% PEOPLE WITH REDUCED CAPABILITIES
% ON THE UPPER FLOOR, WITH JUST
% ELEVATORS AND STAIRS.
% >> HOW DOES IT ALL MAKE YOU
% FEEL?
% >> I AM VERY STRESSED.
% >> STRESS LEVEL IS TERRIBLE.
% >> THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T
% COME TO THE DINING ROOM ANYMORE
% BECAUSE OF THE STRESS LEVEL, AND
% A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED
% OUT.
% >> FAST FORWARD TO PRESENT DAY,
% NEW CONCERNS HAVE APPEARED.
% >> NURSE IN JANUARY CAME AND
% IMMEDIATELY SAID ABOUT GATHERING
% VIOLATIVITALS AND SHE LEFT -- ST
% GATHERING VITALS AND SHE LEFT,
% SO NO MORE VITALS SINCE THEN, WE
% WENT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS,
% MAYBE WITHOUT A YEAR, WITHOUT
% HAVING THEM DONE FOR EVERYONE.
% BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO END TO
% THE NUMBER OF STAFF WHO ARE
% WILLING TO WALK OFF THEIR SHIFT
% AFTER AN HOUR OR TWO AND JUST GO
% HOME AND LEAVE ONE PERSON IN
% CHARGE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY
% ALL NIGHT.
% >> WELL, ONE THING, THEY DON'T
% PAY THEM ENOUGH.
% WHEN YOU GET JUST POVERTY WAGES,
% YOU'RE NOT VERY INTERESTED IN
% COMING TO WORK.
% >> AND STILL, SOME OF THE SAME
% ISSUES PERSIST.
% >> ONE REAL CONCERN IS THE LACK
% OF FIRE DRILLS.
% >> YES.
% BUT BASICALLY, WE'VE BEEN TOLD,
% WELL, JUST WAIT THERE IN YOUR
% ROOM AND THE FIREMEN WILL COME.
% WE'VE FILED GRIEVANCES WITH THE
% STATE AS WELL.
% NOT LATELY, WE BURNED OUT ON
% THAT.
% OFTENTIMES, THEY JUST CAN'T
% SUBSTANTIATE WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO
% HAVE HAPPENED.
% >> HOW DOES ALL OF THAT MAKE YOU
% FEEL AS YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO
% LIVE YOUR LIFE?
% >> DEPRESSED.
% I FEEL OUR NEEDS, THAT MANY OF
% OUR NEEDS ARE IGNORED AND THAT
% ESPECIALLY THE EMOTIONAL AND