nursing assistant

licensed practical nurse

registered nurse

qualified medication aide

director of nursing

CarDon & Associates

If you are reading this review and do not already know this information, you are most likely new to nursing in Indiana.  Carmel Health & Living is well known for the strain it puts on nursing staff.  Though I think it's extreme not to give a single star, I struggled to find positives worth adding a star.  

Job Work/Life Balance:  I almost gave this category two stars for the "Life Balance" portion of the category.  All nurses are scheduled for four days a week, so you get at least 3 days away from work.  However, they schedule this way because no nurse will ever get out of work when their shift is over.  Working 3-11pm I never got out before 1am.  Usually it was closer to 3am.  
Though common in nursing and healthcare in general, getting out late was always due to an unsafe workload.  A call-in was guaranteed almost every day, every shift.  Only two members of CHL's rather large management team ever came in to cover staffing deficits.  
Often times a rehab hall would typically have one nurse for around 20-25 residents with one or two CNA's.  Their long term care halls typically had 30+ residents with one nurse and either one or two CNA's.  These numbers aren't exaggerations.  The only manageable hall was the dialysis unit, usually averaging 22-35 residents with two nurses and one aid.  Unfortunately, one nurse covering half the dialysis hall would also have to take on half of the larger LTC hall when a nurse or aid called in.  Rather than working the floor, members of management would pull a nurse from any given station to work the deficit and create a split assignment. Before I moved to rehab there were a handful of days where I had 35+ residents with one aid.  That's dialysis and LTC and it included 10+ diabetics, 3 trachs, 10-15 dialysis residents, primary care when the CNA could not manage 35 residents, and dining room duties.  Yes, on top of all of that work nurses also had to manage the dining room for an hour or more.  
Staff mistreating residents was not uncommon at CHL.  I, personally, never witnessed staff being let go over abuse.  With a high turnover rate, standards for hire and retention are more likely to be lowered.  At least from my time of employment to the time I left, CHL did not require a drug test during the hire process.  I had to send home staff on more than one occasion because they were clearly high or drunk, once resulting in resident injury.  I had one staff member leave her own prescription narcotics in a resident's bed.  Even after she was reported to management, this staff member was allowed back to work the following week.  This was management's attitude toward employment.   
I'm certain I could think of more "Job Work" aspects worth mentioning, but the only other area of concern I'll mention was cleanliness.  Urine could be smelled standing outside the building.  The facility basement is entirely unfinished, broken concrete, exposed wiring, broken glass, and other hazards (yes, I did inspect the facility's basement on break during orientation).  While off limits to the residents and staff, it was entirely accessible to all.  Other important structures of the building were also in disrepair.  Mold was another major problem.  Whenever mold was reported to management, in would come the painting team to paint right over it.   

Compensation/Benefits:  This category received two stars because of the hours.  The compensation was actually not bad.  And even though nurses were only scheduled for four days a week, the amount of time each nurse had to stay over added up to well over 40 hours most weeks.  
Benefits, however, were terrible.  At my time of hire, the company offered very few incentives.  None even worth mentioning.  Healthcare coverage costs were very steep.  What's worse, though, was the coverage sign up policy.  New hirees were told by the HR representative that benefits must be signed up for AFTER 90 days of employment.  After 90 days, I approached HR about signing up for healthcare only to be told that I had to sign up within the first 30 days.  After many other employees encountered the same frustrating miscommunication, a bulletin was posted at the clock-in station clarifying the "within 30 days" stipulation for health coverage.  The miscommunication was far too common.  Health coverage is important to all full time employees, especially those in health care or other high-risk career fields. 

Job Security/Advancement:  At this point, not much more about job security needs to be said.  At a facility like this, you walk into the building knowing that you're playing against difficult odds.  You are essentially risking your license by clocking in every day.  
One incident, the one that finally prompted my job search, involved my license.  Without going into specifics, a manager attempted to coerce me to chart false information and statements on a situation involving resident injury.  A 'write up' disciplinary action was threatened.  I still refused and the threat of discipline was never followed through.  I immediately began a job search and reported the facility to state.  Job security is absent at CHL.  
As far as advancement, my experience was negative.  Others I know were able to advance.  I can only comment on my experience.  I had requested day shift at the start of my employment.  I was put on 'a waiting list' for day shift.  With the high turnover, I would have reached day shift before my second month with the company was over.  After 6 months I reapproached my DoN and my scheduler and asked to be put on days.  They agreed to change me to days at the end of the month.  When the next month came and I found myself still on evenings, the DoN said that I was "too strong of a nurse" to be on days because they were drastically short on evening nurses.  They needed to first fill my position on evenings.  The very next day I arrived on my unit and found 3 nurses who were shadowing (had not even interviewed) for 2 open day shift positions on my unit.  While not necessarily "advancement," this is along the same vein and perfectly describes my experience with management in terms of advancement. 
Having perfect attendance, volunteering to pick up difficult assignments due to insufficient staffing, and having a perfect customer satisfaction rating from residents and families, I thought I might inquire about a raise.  I was laughed at, flat out.  Being one of the few nurses volunteering for difficult assignments and always being reliable, I felt that being laughed at and told that I would not ever receive a raise was unprofessional and inappropriate, even if I was not eligible for a raise.  For my actual value, at least to my unit, I felt that management's response to my raise request was enough to tell me how much my career would advance.  
To be fair, I did learn a lot at this facility.  Much of what I learned was what not to do.  Knowledge of the wrong way in healthcare can be just as important as the right way.

Management:  Again, not much can be said at this point.  From the above summaries, one might infer that management was unprofessional, uncaring, and more of a danger than a help to residents.  Without going into specifics, a lot of decisions made by management in the name of money or convenience killed several residents during my experience.  
Only two members of management were helpful and understanding.  

Job Culture:  The culture of CHL represented management.  That's one of laziness, unwillingness to help, dangerous practices, and selfishness.  Management was especially ready to shift blame to anyone else in times of accusal.  
Turnover was high.  Most of the nurses I knew when I started were gone well before I left.  
 

Overall, I do not recommend even trying CHL out.  Well known for its dreadful atmosphere, CHL is a dangerous place for residents and staff alike.

They put on a happy face when hiring you, promising they are "temporarily" going thru a " rough patch" losing staff NOT SO!
you get absolutely NO training at all, all their friendships are formed, so let the drama and lies begin.
as a staff nurse you are responsible for 40 patients in assisted living, then all the patients in independent living, then all the apartments.
good luck on breathing or eating taking a break
and the  head clinical supervisor will make sure she gets her moneys worth out of you by working you 6 days in a row at about 55 hours with ONE DAY of training, then you are turned loose to fend for yourself and God forbid if you ask questions because then you will be accused of not knowing what you are doing.
sad thing is the director will smile right to your face offer to help and then NOTHING!
They have patients in assisted living that are clearly not able to assist themselves with anything, the med passes are DANGEROUS as you are expected to pass medication on 40+ people that the night shift nurse sets up and you have NO way of knowing what these patients are taking as they are locked up in their room after the brand new nurse fills the medi-planner and they are put in the patient's room any nurse with common sense knows you DO NOT PASS ANOTHER PERSONS MEDICATION but we are told that "OK" Beacause its home health???? sorry ladies no it ISN'T!
the management cares about numbers and money,
while the staff nurses are grossly overworked and new not having a clue as to what they are supposed to do but you don't dare complain as to management that is a red flag of weakness,
same for home health aides if they complain as often they work 50 plus hours a week and manage 40 patients by themselves 1-2 home health aides, (trust me they dont stay long) which is beyond a unreasonable expectation, then they to are labeled as weak and have alot of "drama" 
basically they dont care about you as a nurse or a person, 
as it was mentioned to by the head clinical supervisor as long as the patient is VERTICAL they can pay to live there or the family can take care of them LOVELY SENTIMENT!
severe dementia patients living alone in apartments with stoves that get left on, you tell administrators nothing done these patients need so much more care, but again you dont ask, because they pay very good money to stay there. THATS THE BOTTOM LINE I heard it over and over, they pay the money to live there, family very unaware of what goes on there.
it's a shame the community perception of this facility is not at all what the facility really is, 
the administration ladies do a great job of concealing what really goes on therefore the public is clueless very very sad!
WORST JOB EVER! NEVER BEEN SO MISTREATED BY AN EMPLOYER EVER!
patients not given proper care or attention because staff cannot keep up the patient ratio. the patient to staff is extremely low therefore ALL suffer!
just another messed up company, dressed in a pretty package, with lying administration which seems to work well FOR THEM!
any nurse with her dignity and morals would not work here

Perform defined work routines, using various dietary utensils, supplies and equipment as assigned by the Dietary Manager. Provide assistance to the cook in the preparation and service of meals. Meet scheduled meal and snack times. Follow Federal and State long term care regulations and Dietary Department policies and procedures. Follow cleaning schedules and perform cleaning duties as scheduled. Assist in arranging tray cards, loading food carts, and serving meals.Setting up the dining room and serving residents. Wash and store dishes. Follow established reporting procedures for the following: Supply or equipment needs. Any damaged or loose fixtures, flooring, or tiling requiring replacement or repair. ny unsafe or malfunctioning equipment. Any conditions conducive to breeding insects, rodents or other vermin. Assist in receiving and storing food and supplies. Attend in-service educational programs. Follow defined safety codes while performing all duties. Follow defined Infection Control procedures. Understand facility’s fire and disaster plans; follow established procedures during drills and actual emergencies. Be knowledgeable of Federal, State, and Facility’s rules, regulations, policies and procedures.Perform other department duties or special assignments as directed by the Dietary Manager

The day starts off with you waking up your residents who wanted a shower that morning, then getting the rest of the residents after breakfast their showers. After morning showers we would get the rest of the residents up for breakfast and helping some with feeding. After breakfast we would lay residents back down for naps or take them to their activities for the day. Once lunch came around we would get them back up. We would help with feeding and making sure to chart their inputs. Then after lunch we would lay some of them back down until second shift came in. I learned patience and how to reserve time for all the residents, and how to take care of older patients and making sure they are in a safe environment. Management was awful, it was hard to do a job when you had 40 patients to two people and you could never find someone to help you if need be. The workplace was great because the residents make it more enjoyable. The hardest part of the job was not being able to take care of all the residents because you didn't have enough time to get to them, so the next day you had extra piled onto your day. The most enjoyable was being with the residents because most of them become your family because some of their families are too busy to come see them, and I think if you treated them like how they wanted to be it was a great and fun environment to work in.

     I started working for this company back in 2010 and you would not believe what a nosedive this company has taken. They treat thier residents and staff like numbers instead of people. I transfered to a different facility in the company that is suppose to be the best in their company. What a joke! The turnover rate is so high and will continue to be that way because they do not care. As a CNA, I am disappointed in how they treat their employees. Just today I had 19 residents to get ready before breakfast and no one on a get up list because the residents do not want to get up early (they never take the time to ask, they just assume)! Also, most of the time I receive no help from the nurses, and I really mean NO help! They will go out of their way to hunt you down to put someone on a bedpan and walk past call lights on a regular (the majority of the time it's requests for pain medication). What type of care am I suppose to provide 19 people? Exactly, very poor care. 

     If you like inadequate staffing and high turnover then this is the place for you. I love my residents with all my heart and I do my job well, but I'm going to have to leave and hang up my gait belt because I am too burnt out to continue providing inadequate care to this many people. Because this company cares about the numbers in thier faciltities and greed, they will never change. 

I have never been treated so poorly by staff in my many years of nursing nor work with so many people who don’t report to work . So many call offs , long days . Plenty of needy patients who over use call lights , Work place is ghetto and messy. My typical day is always a suprise , your constanty thrown everywhere around the building , I wasn’t hired to be memory cafe staff when they open Memory care but instead was sent to different halls due to low staffing . No room to grow , they did a major pay cut for QMAs and also took away the shift differential. No room to grown within the company , fake staff. Scheduling is updated the night or even daily due to call offs and your constantly asked to work doubles . They mess up your schedule. They hire you in with a 2,500 sign on bonus but it isn’t worth it , there’s no incentive here. No perks ...I will be leaving soon due to messy management and environment. It isn’t healthy to work there , atmosphere is dry ...gives you a headache . UNIT MANAGERS , SOME NURSES AND UPPER MANAGEMENT doesn’t chime in to help you unless there’s a code in the building , other than that it’s harder on you. Therapy and hair salon money hungry , want you to get patients ready regardless of how short staff is . You constantly have to stop breakfast lunch or dinner to answer 1,000 lights and is overwhelming

I was hired part time to assist with Covid testing.  I was given virtually no training.  My mentor was very disorganized and that made the job very difficult and frustrating.  I felt I was not given even the most basic information needed to perform my job duties.  After a few weeks I was told the job I was hired for was a full time job and it was being given to someone else.  I was offered another job that was nothing like the one I was hired to do.  The hours were not clear and neither were the duties of the “new” job.  At no time during the performance of my job was I counseled or told I was not doing a satisfactory job.  I had been clear from the beginning that I only wanted part time work and was assured that the job I was hired for was part time.  I was flexible and changed my days/hours to meet the needs of the job but it was decided that it would be taken away and a different job which I in no way showed any interest in was offered.  I was just called in one day and told either I take the new job or there would be no job for me.  I have worked in long term care for 25 plus years as a Director of Nursing, LTC Administrator, MDS coordinator, and Corporate nurse consultant.  I have had excellent performance evaluations and have always left positions on very good terms.  I have never been treated so poorly as I was at Car-Don!

I have worked here for several years and always feel like any concerns will be followed up by management and care staff that have the residents in mind first. This company is very care-oriented. While the pay is not always as competitive as it could be for entry level staff in comparison to other healthcare facilities, what is gained (resident care, teamwork, dependability, etc) is incredibly important to me. Many local companies advertise their pay without giving away much about its work environment, which is a red flag when I am job hunting.

 I have worked for several other companies, and a huge plus here is that we do not do much work with the public. Retail, food service, healthcare in general is usually extra stressful because you never know who is going to come in and make your day worse. In this company we get to know every single one of our clientele and we know what to expect coming in to work every single day. 

Overall I would recommend this company to anyone in healthcare, in school for healthcare, looking for a first job in food service, or looking for volunteer opportunities. The jobs are varied and the schedules are flexible enough to accommodate other jobs and class schedules. 

Fast paced job, Approachable Management Team. HR Actually CARES about the employees. Sometimes it can be stressful, Most days it’s strictly routine. Every team member treats the Residents as if they were their own family. No matter if it’s Employees or Staff, Everyone from the Top/Executive Managers, To the Neighborhood Managers all of them are involved in the care of the Residents. The Administrator The HR Director ( Just to Name a few ) Have helped in Dietary, From preparation, serving the residents meals. To washing dishes all the way to helping Environmental Services. Covering when short-staffed. I personally witnessed Executive Management help with Funeral Expenses for a former.. Yes, A former Employee’s Funeral expenses. Show me where another Company would do something like that. People that care that much are people that do what it takes to succeed. If your one of those people who sit around and wait for someone else to make the difference, Aspen isn’t for you. They want people that will BE THE DIFFERENCE. That’s what truly sets this facility aside from all the rest. Expectations are high. That’s true. But, The results exceed that. And it shows.

I was recently a CNA at Brookside Village, a building owned by CarDon. When I started working here, the administrator told me that I would have a flexible schedule and would work no more than 15 hours a week because I was still in high school. However, while working here, they had me working 30-40 hours a week... while I was still in high school! I worked everyday after school from 4-9 and working the weekends 5-2. They did not care that I had a life outside of work. No matter how many times I tried to tell them to stop scheduling me so much, they didn't care. The management here is bad. We have been through so many DONs, ADONS, and floor managers, it's insane. They have overworked the nurses to the breaking point. We had a nurse that was 7 months pregnant and working 16 hours a week because of call-ins. Management refused to stay and help. On-top of all of this, most nurses do not help aids. On the skilled floor, we have about 35 patients, the majority are 2 assists, stand-aids, or hoyers. With only 2-3 aids on the floor, it makes it almost impossible to get everything done on time. The nurses roll their eyes and complain anytime you ask for help. I'm so done with this facility.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Nursing assistant 1 salary reported	$18.00 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 1 salary reported	$5,000 per month
Registered nurse 50 salaries reported	$29.09 per hour
Qualified medication aide 1 salary reported	$5,000 per month
Director of nursing 8 salaries reported	$95,000 per year

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