I hate my resident :(

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Someone please give me some insight because I don't know what more to do.

Here's some background.

Started a new job with a private care agency. They assigned me to an 86 year old woman. Healthy as can be but she's a fall risk and her family doesn't wanna her bing by herself. She's also completely sane in her mind. I'm here Mon-Fri for 8 hours everyday. I do way more than my job description as far as house keeping goes. It started off ok at first but now she's rude, orders me around, demands the most ridiculous things from me, talks bad about me in front of other people, she called me her "Mexican maid." My mother is Mexican but I'm from the US, so....

Typing it doesn't sound that bad after a couple of months dealing with all sorts of people with different backgrounds, I've never been treated and abused so badly. I've tried unsuccessfully to get transferred to another resident but my agency says no. They don't understand how bad it is.

This has me wondering if I'm even cut out for the job. I was about to apply to nursing school since I've finished all my pre-reqs. The only reason I can't quit is because I'm 19 weeks pregnant and need all the money I can get. :(

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I'm sorry your agency is not helping you out.

What are you employed to do for her?

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I think that's what upsets me the most.

I'm mainly there to make sure she doesn't fall. She fractured her L1 on her spine the last time she fell. I also do her laundry and heat up her food. However, she's a huge believer of "the customer is always right" and has me do everything else. She makes me clean her kitchen, her bathroom, her room. I've told her multiple times that this is not part of my job description but she sure doesn't care.

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How can you be watching her to prevent falls if she has you all over the house doing chores?

So... if she falls while you've got an armful of laundry... then what?

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I've been doing private duty since the beginning of the year. Call your agency and explain to them you need an accurate description of what your job duties are, and then tell them what she is asking you to do beyond that. I had this issue as well with a few clients. For instance, our company policy is "light housekeeping". I had a client wanting me to sweep and mop almost every day. That is not light housekeeping. She also wanted me to use the rug doctor to clean the urine spots out of her carpet from her dog. The dog was peeing everywhere and we were laying out training pads. The point is, communicate with your agency and if they don't back you, up look for work elsewhere.

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Hygiene Queen, I've expressed that concern multiple times. Everyone just shrugs me off and her daughter always says "Oh she always falls." I think if that's the case' she either needs constant supervision or needs to be put in a home or facility.

If things don't change soon, I may just have to quit and look elsewhere. It's not healthy to be put under so much stress, pregnant or not. I would not wish such a problematic patient on anyone.

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Could you ask to be taken off the case. At our agency we as well as the clients have the right to say this is not working. I would talk to your agency more about how she is belittling you and calling you inappropriate names. I'd be more concerned over that then the housework. actually all you have mentioned I do for my clients. They are considered house keeping. Now if she was saying for you to rake her yard, or mow her grass, wash her car, then those things are going to far. But cleaning the house and laundry are things that need to be done and you are being payed to do those things as a home care provider. You have to think if she is a fall risk, she would have more risk of falling if she cleans her bathroom or does her laundry. If you are doing those things for her then you are creating the safe enviroment for her. It is part of the home cares job is house work. It is a part of the service we provide to make it possible for our cients to be able to still be at home instead of a nursing home. If you only want to do care then I'd work in a nursing home, or rehab facility.

You do have a valed point of the name calling and such. That you should never have to tollerate from anyone. Maybe you dont have to quit the company. If you could get a different client you still may like the job very much. But if the company tells you no and says you have to stay with her then I'd think about quiting. Not fair to have to be verbally abused at work.

Hope things can work out for you good luck.

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Although I would usually agree, our job description in my agency is "light housekeeping" and the amount of work she has me do is anything but light. Like I said, it's concerning to me that I have to be running all over the house, doing house chores and making sure at the same time time that she doesn't fall when she decides to walk around. I usually have to drop whatever it is that I'm doing to stand/walk behind her when she gets up.

I've expressed to my agency multiple times that I'd like to be transferred to another case, however I have a nagging suspicion that they brush off my concerns and complaints because I am the only Spanish speaking CNA they have at the moment, and my client "prefers" to speak Spanish, although speaks fluent English as well. I think that's the only reason why they don't want to transfer me. They try to make me feel better by saying that all patients are this rude and abusive but I've come across many patients/residents and it has never been this bad. I'm honestly at my wit's end and the only reason I haven't quit is, once again, because I'm pregnant and trying to save up as much money as I can. I'm scared that I won't be able to find another job right away if I quit now.

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hmm definetly seems that you are in a tough situation. All I can say is that it stinks to quit and not have the income, but what is better for you and your stress level. with you being pregnant you should not be getting too stressed out. Maybe if you were able to swing it, it might be a plan for you to think of quitting and after the baby you could work somewhere else that would be a better fit for you. You can always tell your agency that they pushed you into having to do this because they would not grant your request at being taken off the case and you simply can not handle it anymore. I hope things work out for you no matter what you decision is, it sure not an easy one

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As a CNA, you're not going to like ALL your residents/clients. I have residents who honestly make me cringe. They curse me, they call me their maid, etc. The tough thing with home health is that you ONLY see that 1 resident who irks you. I see 60 residents a day, a few are a pain in the orifice and the rest make my day.

My advice: Dont say you're not cut out for this, I would ask to get another client. Also, why are you not applying for Nursing Homes/Assisted Living? I did home health and hated it, I'm working in a facility now and its my dream job.

Smile dear and keep on trucking :)

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