Low Pay for What is Expected, Responsibilities Unclear
Pros
Very kind and lovely staff. There are a few really wonderful people I've met there who were helpful in explaining what they do, and making me feel comfortable at a new facility. It can be rewarding to help people and interact with the clients. They're mostly super appreciative of the help and care that is provided.
Cons
A lot of staffing transitions in a short period of time that can be overwhelming. Your attention gets taken in a million different directions so it's sometimes hard to focus on what you were actually hired to do, and it's really hard to play catch up when your tasks get neglected. Not sufficient onboarding or training to guide new people into feeling confident in their roles, very low pay, unrealistic expectations of only one or two people. In some areas, it really feels like the blind leading the blind and often feels like nobody really has a good grasp on what's going on. It can get really discouraging after a while when you don't see people improving or wanting to participate in any programming that is being offered to them. It's definitely a field in which you have to celebrate very small wins that are few and far between. Also, expect a lot of yelling, screaming, and overall conflict and hostility between residents in your facility.