What is a “dirty little (or big) secret” about an industry that you have worked in, that people outside the industry really ought to know?

I worked at a home and the people there are treated about a well as they realistically could be; which isn't very well. I don't know where you work or what position on the ladder you hold, but in Germany nursing homes are pretty fucked. Insurance companies, private and otherwise don't pay out nearly as much as they should to really anyone; hospitals, homes etc.

We had to severely cut back on the number of times the patients were 'changed' in a day because I only had 1€ a day per patient to buy pads/diapers. That works out to 3 pads, 1 diaper the staff never had time to put on because pull-tabs are a pain in the ass or 1/3 of an actual, usable diaper. We routinely had trouble paying for MRSA equipment; masks, gloves, special sprays, are all expensive shit insurance companies won't pay for unless they absolutely have to.

My boss payed out of pocket for longer and more frequent room service and decent quality food. By that I mean 30min a day while the patient was at breakfast/lunch/dinner and fresh meals served by a fairly cheap caterer. In some places they get frozen microwave food spooned onto a plate.

I could go on, but basically everything I had to order and distribute came in over budget and I was buying the cheapest shit available. What pisses me off even more is that they're a religious home (almost none aren't in Europe), which means we had to follow tonnes of dumb, strict rules or get fired (Catholics are exempt from anti-discrimination laws in Germany).

/r/AskReddit Thread Parent