CNA Rant

Sarah,you are going to make a good nurse.Keep on caring,it's what we do.

You'll be a wonderful nurse. I admire your passion for your patients.

I agree you will be a great nurse. The cnas you mention are the reason so many good cnas get a bad rep. I think RNs and LPNs would give more respect if everyone worked hard, put their patients first, and took care of all the patients not just theirs

This is the kind of thing my instructors is drumming into our heads, just because it's not our patient, doesn't mean we get to ignore them. What if it were an emergency, and we just walk by?

You're a great CNA, and will be a fantastic nurse, because you care about the patients.

Yes, yes, yes!!! One of my big pet peeves is aides that walk into a room where residents are sleeping, flip the lights on, throw their covers back, and yell "Time to get up!". Who wants to be woken like that? You don't necessarily have to baby them out of bed (because some would never get up if you did), but for pete's sake, let's remember the golden rule here.

Congratulations on be a great CNA... I too am frustrated with lazy do-nothing CNAs.....

And while they are responsible for doing their work, I can't realistically blame them for their lazy behavior.... They're lazy because can get away with it and nobody does anything... There is no accountability and very little leadership... In many cases the charge nurse, floor supervisor, and DON seem BLIND....


Before my move into CNAing (and nursing school, I hope) I was a professional manager and supervisor for 20+ years and know that most of this "slacking" will go away with an active hands-on leadership.

I hear all the excuses as to why there are so many "slackers"... lack of pay... lack of training standards...tough working conditions.... etc. etc.... I don't buy it.

There are a lot of similarities between the restaurant industry and LTC. I spent many years in the restaurant industry doing everything from washing dishes to owning 10 different places...

Both restaurants & LTC have lots of low paying jobs, not much training standards, tough working conditions....incredibly high turn-over rates etc. etc.... But some restaurants do great and others suck... Just like LTC facilities.

Why? Because of good vs bad vs no leadership.... Ever see a great restaurant go to hell-in-a-hand-basket when new owners come in? (Or when the parents retire and the kids take over?)

Leadership suffers and so does the quality of the experience. As an Army medic, you had leadership and there was accountability. Unfortunately there isn't much there at your workplace now. I'm sorry that's happening to you.

Keep your chin up... You'll find a place that has good leadership and when you do, you find a loyal hard-working staff... Just like you!

Didn't mean to be so long-winded, but this is one of my major pet peeves....
Blessings...

Wow, great post. I have been a CNA for 15 years and I am in nursing school now. Yes, I had such a hard time. I worked in LTC and was written up because I didnt take a break. I could not just walk by the residents room, even if they were not mine and help them!! The DON in my facility was sympathtic to my cause but she said regulations say I HAVE to take a break. Now I am not martyr by any means but come on. What really angered me was I do not smoke and because I dont need a cig brake so why cant I do what I want to do. Instead of smoking I just chose to sit for 15 min and chat with residents. anyways, I feel your pain. I personally feel that the pay is so low and turnover is so high that DONs feel a warm body is better than nothing. But when the ### hit's the fan because a resident is forgotton or neglected all of a sudden the cnas are as we say in Maine "front and center". I have worked with great cnas and lazy cnas. You are a great one. Just remember just when you dont think you are making a difference YOU ARE. The residents might be quiet but THEY KNOW you care. I work in a hospital now in ICU and I love it. I am 50 and the LTC is too physically hard for me but I am a fast mover and hard worker so it is a great fit for me. Hang in there you will excel as a Nurse and you will look back and because of your experience you will be a exceptional nurse.