I may be too "slow" to work in a nursing home? Rea

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I was too "slow" to sack groceries the way "people" wanted them, even though I was supposed to work in photo and customer service where I was very efficient at the process of film developing. "fast" even.

I was too "something" not even sure what... for substitute teaching even after getting a teaching degree.

Today, I was painfully and honestly told that the person in charge of the nursing home where I have volunteered two or three times a week since August thinks that I might be "too slow" to actually work there, at a position where your job is to feed people who can't feed themselves, and hang up clean laundry in their rooms.

I felt really sad when my employment services person told me this. Sad, and frustrated, and embarassed. How is it even possible to be too slow in speed for a nursing home? How would be possible to not be capable of this position of work? I can't even imagine it, considering the other people that I witness currently working there.

Yeah, I don't get the charge person's assertion that you're too slow, either. What do they want you to do? Shovel the food down their throats as quickly as possible? Believe me, you'll have nothing but choking, non-breathing patients after that.

I once quit a job back in NY. I started on Monday and by Friday I'd quit. I watched how the other nurses medicated the residents. They had so much work do to do that they quickly crushed the pills, mixed it in apple sauce and spoon fed to the residents. They did it so fast, I mean like at blinding speed, that they may as well had been using roller skates on the floor. What kind of way is that to treat the most vulnerable citizens? I call that assembly line nursing. You may as well put all the patients on a conveyor belt like in that 'I Love Lucy' episode and take care of them that way. Disgusting.

Thank you for responding. It sounds like you have a lot of experience in this profession. It is really frustrating because I have so far only been a volunteer, and so I have not exactly had anything that I was told to do in a specific time frame. I like visiting with people, and I let them talk to me about their lives and tell me the same thing over and over if that is all they remember. They have very little to do all day, so if it makes them smile to tell me about their kids or grandkids, it is fine with me. Of course, if I were working I would get the tasks done more efficiently if that was necessary.

The head person also spoke to me in a way that I felt was like I was like a dog. "No, no" like I was a bad dog who was trying to tinkle on the carpet. It was so confusing to me, because all I did was stick my face in her office to ask a question and she wasnt on the phone or anything and there was one man in there wearing scrubs (not a dr or anything) and I didnt even say anything to interrupt because I wasnt sure if I should bother her or not. It felt horrible to be talked to like that, I didn't even know what to do.

My head was spinning from it, so I finally just sat down at a table with one of the ladies who is able to get around and read magazines and she chatted with me until I felt a little bit better. I know there are people like this at every job, but it still stresses me out.