Tired of nurses treating aides, CNA, HHA, etc. like crap!

kids · Apr 7, 2012

How long have you been doing this? It seems like you don't have a good understanding of the 'whys' behind some things.

The supervisor asks how things are going with the assigned HHA because it's part of her job to make sure the client is satisfied with the caregiver and the questions should always be asked in private so the client feels comfortable being honest. Those candid client interviews will probably make up a good part of your evaluations.

Calling in when you arrive at the client's home is no different than punching a time clock, it's like any other job and it's to ensure the employee actually shows up for their shift and works the hours they claim they are. If you're "running to get groceries" the employer has to know, you're still on the clock, your employer has to know where you are, it's a worker's comp and licensure issue.

Just because you're a "responsible college educated adult" doesn't mean anyone else is. Education and the appearance of responsibility doesn't preclude or prevent abuse or exploitation nor does it ensure honesty. Nurses abuse and exploit patients and the system as do doctors, lawyers, clergy, school teachers and the Avon lady. Agencies have to establish and enforce policies to satisfy their licensing entity. Home care is rife with abuse of the system, policies have to be put in place to minimize the potential for it.

Some agencies pay mileage, but in my experience most don't, you knew the terms when you were hired. Transportation costs are part of the expense of having a job, McDonalds won't pay you for showing up for your shift.

I realize this was a vent but most of what you're expressing unhappiness with is the nature of the business in a heavily regulated industry and isn't going to change significantly from one employer to the next. Maybe you would be happier at McDonalds.

caliotter3 · Apr 7, 2012

As a nurse working for home health agencies, I have experienced much of what you discuss in your vent. Everyone gets treated that way to some extent, not just HHAs. It is the way most agency personnel approach the job, and what the external employee has to put up with in order to stay employed. As far as not being informed about call offs, check with your state labor board about "reporting time or show up pay". My state mandates that an employee who reports for work and is sent home must be paid a certain amount. Only one agency I have worked for provided show up pay. The others have blown me off when I have asked about this. They know that I value having a job at all over making a complaint with the Labor Board. However, you may find that you want to approach it differently. Since all of this is to be expected from any agency, you may want to reconsider your decision to stay with home care. Even if you decide to leave the agencies out of the equation by doing private duty, there is nothing to prevent the private client from treating you in much the same manner. It comes with the job.

sharpeimom · Apr 7, 2012

i'm sorry you're so frustrated and unhappy with your job. for what it's worth, frustrations come with every job on the planet. what frequently makes the difference between surviving without going absolutely crazy and not is how you are able to cope with them.

as another poster said, calling in when you arrive is just like punching in on the job. your supervisors aren't checking up on you and

asking your clients what and how you're doing because someone complained or to be nosy. a part of it is law and some of it is because

so many many of the agency's clientele is elderly and they're so often abused and mistreated. their money and other assets are too easily taken away from many seniors who aren't really demented but who aren't quite able to manage their finances the way they did before. families don't live close by as they did a generation or two ago and it means keeping tabs from far away without offending either the client or any agency worker. t'ain't easy to do either!

until i moved back to the area, i managed my dying mom's care from 1000 miles away. i walked a very thin line. i tried not to treat my mom like a child and i felt i had to ask certain questions of the agency workers and i wanted good accurate answers. not just because

inquiring minds want to know but because it would direct future care and treatment.

now i've come full circle and have home healthcare workers myself. i direct my own care because mentally, i'm the person i always was, but physically, i need a lot of help. as a client, i must be able to have a worker who steals, who is rough with or who hurts me, or

who isn't careful with my things removed. that's part of what they watch for.

if i give a home healthcare worker $20.00 to buy bread, oj, and a dozen eggs, she had darned well not try to tell me i only have $2.01

in change coming back. i can question that but many hh clients either wouldn't think of the change at all or would just say, "ok." and that would be the end of it. you wouldn't do that but some would.

i had one hh worker who turned all my new underwear bright green. she also put several things i had told her to line dry in the dryer on high and shrunk them. when i pointed out what she had done, she answered, "so xxxxxxx what? it's not like you can't just go buy more." the same worker, on the same day, grabbed my torn shoulder when i wasn't moving quite fast enough to suit her and tore it even more. what if she did that to your mother or grandmother? you can believe you would want to report it! i'm not picking on aides either because nurses behave the same way if they're dishonorable.

every job you will ever work, comes with restrictions and someone checking up on you. it's simply a part of life. you won't always like it but you do have to get used to it. the carrots on the sticks are job satisfaction and your paycheck.

mazy · Apr 7, 2012

The sounds like a issue with your agency's management team, not nurses. It also sounds like a typical scenario for an agency worker, that if you want to work you have to be available to work, and if they want to plan their patient care, they have to know when you are available.

Most likely, the nurses working for the agency are dealing with the same issues, so why are you griping about them? If you want to have some kind of organized effort for better treatment, you would be better served by not lashing out at your colleagues, but rather, trying to communicate with them about how things could be better.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 8, 2012

I've never had to call the agency when I got to a house, or when I left, or to go anywhere. In fact, the nurses didn't like to be bothered much. I had no issues with my nurses actually, only once was I accused of anything and that was not cooking for a woman, even though I had made her food, it wasn't up to her standards. The nurses at my agency were very on the ball and very polite to the CNA's and HHA's.

The issues I really had were with management. I could never get work when I needed it, and they would call me during school hours for work that they knew I couldn't do (I was in high school at the time). They would ask me to do double shifts and get angry with me when I couldn't. One time, I actually fell asleep at a night shift after working an entire day shift. I was sure I was going to get fired, but they had scheduled me when they shouldn't have. I just never went back to that client.

There are some very good reasons why they have you call, it's to make sure that you're doing your job. There's no time clock to punch in on in home health, only a sheet that you fill out yourself and a pt signs off on. If the pt likes you they'll sign on anything, even if you leave an hour early. It's to prevent more seedy character from scamming clients. I wished that my agency wanted me to call when I took people on drives. Driving presents extra risks, say you get into an accident and you can't reach your phone, if the agency sees that you're gone out for four hours when it only takes one hour to go grocery shopping they can send somebody out to see that there's no danger.

cna23 · Apr 8, 2012

As a cna, I understand what you're going through. We get treated as if we're scum on the bottom of their shoes. Families, Patients, fellow co-workers, management...... but what can we do other than put up with it. If you really love what you do, you wont let it get under your skin. As a black female cna with dreads, I have been called just about everything in the book. But I love my patients. I guess it just comes with the Territory. Not all nurses treat us like that. There's one nurse i work with in particular will go above and beyond for me. She knows im a damn good cna, and im really patient with everybody. Ive heard a few coworkers complain in front of the patients. Maybe thats why some nurses are they way they are, they've witnessed some bad things between a patient and a cna (stealing, yelling....)

northernguy · Apr 14, 2012

Most of the RNs I work with treat the aides well as long as you are competent and hard working, if for no other reason than they need our help. Treating their aides like crap is a good way for an RN to make life harder for themselves, especially in a hospital. In LTC its not as important, since RNs kind of do their own thing largely independant of the aides, but in a hospital the aides and RNs work closely together, at least where I work.

I have no experience with home health so I cant really comment on that. I can see how the RNs might not have any incentive to be nice to aides since they work independantly.

nguyency77, CNA · Apr 16, 2012

We CNA work under the nurse's license. Anything and everything we do wrong will ultimately fall on the nurse.

All of those checking-in things are for the protection of the client. In home health, abuse and incompetence occurs so easily.

I have an 11-year old cousin who suffered a CVA about two years ago. He coded twice on the way to surgery, and spent many months in the PICU. His family situation is bad. My clueless aunt has no idea what goes on at home while she's working.

There are these two HHA who care for my cousin, and neither speak English. They're Vietnamese, just as we are. Clearly they have no idea what they are doing. Whenever I see my cousin, he hasn't eaten anything healthy; they allow him to eat McDonald's, do not adhere to his diet (he has hypertension, which apparently led to the CVA), fail to dress him appropriately (clothing inside out? Shoes on the wrong feet? No ankle brace on?), and let him play violent video games all day long. He's not supposed to be playing Halo or Mortal Kombat or anything involving guns or gore because his doctor said his brain is very malleable at this point, but the HHA don't give a crap.

My point is that maybe you or I won't do anything bad, but others might. It's not fair to just single out one person and be all, "Well so and so does a good job so I don't have to check on them."

It's a safety issue. I'm sorry you're unsatisfied with your job, but that's just how it goes. We're CNAs-- poorly educated, and we're also a profession filled with all sorts. You've got the 'college-educated' CNA like you and me, and then you've got the

types who dye their hair purple and ask the nurses constantly if they can have some Valium. Is it any wonder that we get no respect?

mid2348 · Dec 13, 2015

This is an old post, but I can't help but reply. They treat you poorly because they feel superior to you. I work in telemetry, and I've worked there for years. The course to become a PCT was eight months, and I'm also certified in phlebotomy through the NPA. In tele we draw blood, do EKG's and give compressions as part of the code team. I decided to go back to school to become a RN, and after completing nearly all my pre reqs. (with high honors) a medical condition forced me to leave school. I can tell you with certainty that you will never be respected as a CNA, PCT, PCA, Tech or whatever your title. It's a thankless job with a ridiculous pay in most settings. I'm paid extremely well, and I don't think anyone should accept less than $15.00 per hour to start. If every "aide" walked out tomorrow they would pay what your worth. They treat you horribly because you let them. I cringe every time I hear a nurse say, "I love my aides!" They have no idea how deeming it is to hear those words. Now before I get pounced on by 50 nurses, there are definitely exceptions to the rule. I work with so many great nurses, but the ones that treat me poorly are only hurting themselves. I'll do vitals (their job) on admissions, because I want to help them. Obviously if someone treats you as less then human then you won't be dying to go out of your way for them. I think hospitals treat "aides" better than LTC facilities. I would go work in a factory before long term care;however, in order to work in a hospital you need experience so you have to pay your dues in long term care. The patients will help you get through it, because at the end of the day you're truly there for the patient and no one else.