CNA's, I need YOUR help!

[love_being_an_aide]

Hi all! I'm in need of some advice. I hate complaining, really hate it, but I need to vent and I need some of your wonderful input!

I just returned to work on my floor after having a month and a half off for a personal issue that came up. While I was out, I was seriously contemplating just not returning, because the stress and tension on my floor is so thick, you'd need a chainsaw just to break through it. It's not the patients at all, but the staff I work with. The staff I work with HATES each other. And i'm not even exaggerating. They can't stand the sight of one another. This aide hates this nurse and vice versa, this aide hates that aide, blah blah blah. It goes on. On my first night back, this nurse and aide had a blowout right at the nurse's station, while i'm talking to the doctor about a patient's blood sugar! Insanity, right? Now the nurses have a vendetta against the aides because this one aide finally stood up for herself against the nurse, and are now creating more work for us to do, like stocking THEIR medcarts with syringes and alcohol wipes (by law we aren't even supposed to TOUCH the med-carts), putting THEIR paperwork into the charts, checking THEIR diet/lab orders, and so on.

Last night a nurse told me I was rude to them because I had to transport a pt. down to get a CT done and called to have her fax his paper down to Radiology!? WHAT?! And this nurse and I have always gotten along before! It's gotten so bad (and i've only been back 5 days) that my stomach is in knots constantly again because I know I have to go to work. It takes every ounce of energy I have to get out of my car and walk across the parking lot to go into the hospital. I LOVE MY JOB! I absolutely love being a nursing assistant. It's a rewarding profession, and one I plan to stay in for a LONG time, but I don't know if I have the strength to do this anymore. Because I had to leave my job, I now have to wait a year to put in a transfer, and I am anticipating doing this because I like where I work, but I don't know if I can last. Any advice? Help, or similar situations, and how would you deal with this?? Thank you guys so much. And i'm sorry about the rant.

[casi, ASN, RN]

RUN far and fast. This job is toxic. Under no circumstances should you be expected to work in it. There are tons of good places looking to hire a good CNA.

[TiggerBelly]

You said you love being an aide and that you plan on being in this profession a long time HOWEVER with the kind of stress you are under and you already can barely drag yourself into work, you will burn out quickly. Don't let this bad environment turn you off from being an aide completely. Why do you have to wait a year before you can transfer? I just put in a transfer down to the ER from Medical, and at first my boss tried to tell me I had to wait a year, then turned around and said I had to be out of orientation (which is only 90 days. I passed that a long time ago)

Review your hospital's policies and procedures and see if and why you have to wait so long for a transfer.

Does your NM have any idea what is going on? To me this seems like a very childish environment and for staff members to be blowing up at each other right in front of the nurses station within ear shot of the patients and their family members is ridiculous. I would hate to think that because staff members can't get along that the patient care would suffer. Teamwork is so important and even though you all may not love each other, you all have to find a way to work together with some degree of peace.

good luck to you and don't apologize for rant. Thats why we are here!

[love_being_an_aide]

Thanks guys for your replies! They helped a lot. My NM is aware of the animosity the staff has for each other. I spoke to a co-worker today and she told me that when I left, the NM had a meeting with them to talk about their negativity. I am not sure that was probably best, because it seems to have added fuel to the fire. But regardless, I am looking for another position, because I called human resources and found out I can put in a transfer after six months. So luckily for me I am only per diem now (I knocked myself down when I came back so I wouldn't have to deal with the crap) and only have to work my every other weekend. Again, thank you guys!

[walkingon, CNA, LPN]

Aw man, that sucks.....you sounded so excited about that job what, a week or two ago? Isn't there anyone you can talk to? If the NM doesn't do anything, surely there is someone higher up. I agree with Tiggerbelly that kind of behavior is unprofessional and not terribly concerned with pt. safety. I don't want to have to see you change your username!!

[Absolutely13]

Get out and move forward. Sometimes we can't help the toxic environments we are presented with.

good luck!

[ILClaire]

Well, I guess I'm afraid to even say this...but honestly, I'll be in the minority here and say that my advice would be to try and stick it out...ONLY because I have been in a somewhat similar situation. We had a VERY competitive floor, it seems the nurses were always competing over who was better, bla bla bla, and us CNA's really suffered because of it. They were mad at us all the time, and just a really akward situation. I stuck it out, because I love working CCU and wouldn't change it for the world...eventually most of them got sick of eachother and transferred to other floors...but I'm still here in the unit that I love!:redpinkhe

If you think you would enjoy another unit as much...then by all means go...but I figured that soon enough they would get sick of eachother and leave...and they did, so I didn't have to!

Good luck to you, I can only imagine how horrible it must feel to go to work...I was there once, and I remember it certainly wasn't any party. Now I've got great nurses working with me, we do potluck wed's and all sorts of fun things. So do what is best for you...and realize that no one rules your job but you.

Good luck to you!

[BL7162]

It's a lousy shame that most people want to move on from a job because of the people they work with. Don't other people hate to go to work there? The tension must be a nightmare for the patients too. I wonder if some donuts would help!!!! Don't let them get you down. At least you care!