clueless coworker

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Specializes in LTC.

This person is nice, caring, hardworking, and always willing to help when asked. But no one can stand working with her because she's so clueless. I have to work with her all the time and I think it's starting to burn me out. I'm losing patience with her, and she's noticed. I'm looking for advice on how to deal with her nicely without eventually exploding. I also just need to vent!

The other day her and another CNA (who NEVER works this wing and had no idea what to do with anyone) took one end of the hall. Normally the residents eat supper in their rooms, but we've recently gotten slammed with a lot of feeds/total supervision with meals, so now we have around 7 people to wheel into the dining room so they can be supervised all at once. I highlighted all the feeds on a sheet of paper and reminded this person to make sure they put all theirs in wheelchairs so they could be brought down to the dining room quickly. She made a comment about me ordering her around.

I wasn't trying to be bossy, but if I hadn't said anything, she wouldn't have done it. She's not lazy, she just doesn't think. Everyday I have to tell her who the showers are, or she'll put them all to bed without realizing it. This is with everything. When she works, others end up doing half her assignment because for one thing, she's slow with HS care, and on top of that, she's completely disorganized. Most of the residents on this wing are pretty alert, and they all get p*ssed off at her. She wastes your time by asking you for help and then not showing up or not being prepared. She's always wandering off somewhere. She doesn't know anyone's name. We constantly have to make suggestions to her about how to manage her time.

Later on the same day I asked her for help toileting a 2-assist. When I said the person's name i got a blank stare and a "who?" I repeated the name a few times (this resident did NOT just show up yesterday). She agreed to help me so I started down the hall, turned around, and saw her going into someone else's room. I thought "oh crap she's already distracted by something else" and went to go get her. She's in the room getting that resident ready to sit on the commode. I said "can we do my resident first because she's jumping in her seat and REALLY has to go." I get another confused look. It turns out that she thought I was talking about someone else the whole time. These people have COMPLETELY different names and live in rooms at different ends. I don't know how on Earth she heard what I said and had this other person come to mind.

So, basically, she drives us nuts. We all have plenty of our own work to do without having to waste time waiting around for her or following behind her getting everything in order while she runs around in circles. WHAT DO WE DO WITH HER? :banghead:

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

Idk what to tell you really since I don't have any experience dealing with that yet. But your co-worker does sound like one of the GNA's we saw while we were at the nursing home for clinicals. She would talk talk talk talk!!! And we're all looking at each other & saying "um...doesn't she have things to do?" She seemed very lazy because she was telling us she didn't like to deal with pts that needed a lot of care. The other GNA's on duty were complaining about her too & from what I pieced together, it sounded that she was getting complaints on the 3-11 shift so they moved her to the 7-3 shift. Maybe you could discuss your concerns with someone ? If enough of you complain, maybe she could be moved to another shift or something. Or reprimanded for her actions.

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she is either passive aggressive, and a consumate actress; or she has processing problems......i would think she needs a neuro psych eval.....

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how long has she been working at the facility? I hope I dont slow anyone down and have them upset with me,but I'm sure I will for awhile,because this is all new to me.

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Specializes in Alzheimers and geriatric patients.

I am in the same boat! WE have 6 new girls at my ltc and most of them are awful! I never diss a new person for being slow because there is a period of adjustment that i think all CNA's go through, but they have all been here for a month and they are still walking around like it's their first day in the facility! One of them doesn't know her a** from a hole in the ground and actually tries to tell us how to do things! So annoying.

Anymore I make lists of what needs to be done and when, who goes to the dining room to eat, who needs a shower, who the 2 assists are, etc. and pass them out to these girls. I still end up doing my work and over half of theirs but i'm just praying something clicks and they get better.

If she is not new and the behavior persists, i would report her to the head nurse. If she can't even remember patient names then i doubt she will remember who is on fluid restriction and can't have an extra glass of water, or who is diabetic and can't eat the candy she's about to give him, which could lead to a health concern for the residents.

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Specializes in LTC.
how long has she been working at the facility? I hope I dont slow anyone down and have them upset with me,but I'm sure I will for awhile,because this is all new to me.

almost a year. no one expects you to be perfect right away, but after that long, you better at least know people's names!

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You should tell your supervisor.

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Specializes in LTC.

^She knows. She heard us talking about it one day. I don't think she's going to do anything.

I don't want this woman to be fired or anything. I just want her to improve! Or to have more staff on when she works.

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ahhhhhhh I didnt know she had been there that long! wow. I havent even started a job,I know at first I will be slower,but almost a year! wow! hehe...I still remember some residents names from the 4 days of clinicals we had!

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Specializes in Alzheimers and geriatric patients.
almost a year. no one expects you to be perfect right away, but after that long, you better at least know people's names!

OMG! i assumed she might have worked there a month or 2 not almost a year!! Something is definetly up with this girl! I know how it feels to be torn between getting a coworker in trouble but not being able to pull her weight anymore.

Any of the CNA's here new or old know how much work has to be done in a given shift. It is unfair for you to have to carry this girl and get your work done! Was she ever "good" or has it been like this since she started? I'm asking because if she was good at one point maybe she's gotten lazy. Also, after almost a year of getting away with this behavior maybe she thinks she won't have to account for her actions. Our residents suffer when we have cluless coworkers. I hope your situation improves.

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Specializes in med/surg, psych, public health.

Sounds kinda like she's playing the game of acting dumb & doing things really slow to get out of doing any real work.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.
Sounds kinda like she's playing the game of acting dumb & doing things really slow to get out of doing any real work.

I agree!

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