[StarNurse2006]

Kristi-

I think what you want to do is great! Someone mentioned little cards that everyone can fill out for each other, and I worked at a large retail store that did something like this. If I remember correctly, they would toss all the cards in a bowl and do a raffle or have the person with the most cards at the end of the month win a prize. It was great because everyone could see if you had gotten a card, and if you didn't, you sure wanted to!

I am a CNA, although I'm not working right now, getting ready to go into nursing school, but I once worked with a nurse who always had the best candy and would only share with "her" CNAs...kind of silly, but you sure did feel appreciated when she walked by and gave you something good!

I worked at a hospital and we had a coffee cart that management would give coupons for, and free meals in the cafeteria (although those were useless to those who worked nights, since the cafeteria closed before we ever thought about getting a break!).

I love the idea of the bulletin board with pictures where everyone can see it. I would have loved it if we had something like that when I was working. Too often CNAs are forgotten...I will say that I was appreciated by most nurses I worked with, but we all felt ignored by management, our union, and respect was reserved for nurses, doctors, PT, etc. I don't think most people realize how hard a GOOD CNA works. Yes, we are paid for our work, but not as much as many of us are worth (and some are overpaid for what they are worth!), but EVERYONE needs to be appreciated...no different from when I was a secretary and received flowers on Secretary's Day, or a Christmas bonus. So nurses...appreciate your CNA (even with a simple thank you) and your CNA will thank you right back by making your job easier! And thank goodness for the nurses out there who appreciate their CNAs...I appreciate good nurses for all their hard work!

Jennee

[HyperRNRachel]

we get paid to do our job) GET REAL. Not one person wouldnt like an additional pat on the back, something special to just make your day. I know I would. For those of you who gave me wonderful ideas, thank you very much!!!!! I think they are wonderful!!!! and my aides will love it!!!! Perhaps the slackers will start picking up the slack to be recognized too....

A slacker is a slacker. I just do not believe we need to turn work into a game in which the hard working need to motivate the slackers. I work, I love the care I provide, and I do not expect anyone to motivate me by dangling a carrot (or other gift of thanks) in front of my face. Yes, a thank you goes a long way, but only to a person who already values and takes pride in the service they are providing.

I use to work at a car dealership and we had a sign that read: The best way to get back on your feet is to miss a payment! That was all the motivation most people needed in order to stay on track. You want a motivated staff? Remove all the slackers!

[michelle126]

Yep....a simple thank you goes a long way.
I think a big reward for the great CNAs I work with is to get rid of the bad ones thru progressive discipline. It burns me to see the lazy, careless CNAs get away with what they do and then see the other hard working ones just working away.

[sbic56]

I vote for a sincere thank you to show your appreciation, but dealing with the slackers is just as important! Those very good CNA's won't stick around for long otherwise, despite the appreciation.

[jb2u]

first of all it is wonderful of you to appreciate the hard working CNA''s!! I am one of those hard working CNA's in LTC. however, i also left because of the situation. the nurses, resident's, and family members all loved me there. i received many "thank you's." i gave my best every shift, but in the end it was not enough. we were short staffed many days because of the call ins. this lead to substandard pt care, IMHO!

i believe that the best thing that you can do for the hard working CNA's is to make sure that the other CNAs do their own work and weed out the ones that don't.

the other problem that i see is CNAs need to be viewed by the public as valuable members of the healthcare team!! when asked what i do, i respond with, "i am a CNA," and then receive the normal reply of ,"oh..." unfortunately the public views us as the person that assists you to the restroom and gives baths. i do that, but i do so much more. i keep your loved one from getting decubs. i observe changes in status that even the nurse may be unaware of. i keep your loved one safe and provide comfort. i feed pts. and encourage those that can feed themselves to eat. most of all, i do the things that alot of family members say they could never do! i do it because i care, not for the 6.15/hr that i get (i assure you of that).

so, in my opinion, to improve the situation CNAs need to be seen as more professional. to make this happen, i propose that the certification test should be much more difficult. the test is a 70 question test. of the 70 questions the first 10 that you get wrong don't count! now out of the 60 questions left that do count you only have to get 40% of them right!!! this is the honest truth!!! that is 24 of 70 questions. and the questions are very easy. i honestly just looked at the four answers and without looking at the question i could tell you which one was the correct answer on most of the questions. the second thing that needs to happen is we must pay CNAs better. we can not pay CNAs just above min. wage and expect to have CNAs viewed as important. and CNAs are important! we are the first line of defense. i am usually the first to notice a pt begining to have skin breakdown or behavior changes as i get to spend more one on one time with said pt because the nurses are swamped with med pass and paperwork! the final step would be to have a public awareness of the important job that CNAs do. i truly believe by increasing the standard, pay, and public awareness that we will recruit many more quality CNAs. i am NOT saying that there are not CNAs out there now! i am only stating my opinion that right now people think of us as "just CNAs." if getting certified was harder and the pay was better then in the public eye we would be a more professional part of the team and more quality people would want to join that team. this is just my suggestion as to how to solve this problem. i do not view it as a be all end all, but being viewed as more than just a bottom cleaner would increase the respect that the general public has for us.

thanks again for the appreciation!
sincerely,
j.b.

[Plagueis]

Originally Posted by jb2u

so, in my opinion, to improve the situation CNAs need to be seen as more professional. to make this happen, i propose that the certification test should be much more difficult. the test is a 70 question test. of the 70 questions the first 10 that you get wrong don't count! now out of the 60 questions left that do count you only have to get 40% of them right!!! this is the honest truth!!! that is 24 of 70 questions. and the questions are very easy. i honestly just looked at the four answers and without looking at the question i could tell you which one was the correct answer on most of the questions. the second thing that needs to happen is we must pay CNAs better. we can not pay CNAs just above min. wage and expect to have CNAs viewed as important. and CNAs are important! we are the first line of defense. i am usually the first to notice a pt begining to have skin breakdown or behavior changes as i get to spend more one on one time with said pt because the nurses are swamped with med pass and paperwork! the final step would be to have a public awareness of the important job that CNAs do. i truly believe by increasing the standard, pay, and public awareness that we will recruit many more quality CNAs. i am NOT saying that there are not CNAs out there now! i am only stating my opinion that right now people think of us as "just CNAs." if getting certified was harder and the pay was better then in the public eye we would be a more professional part of the team and more quality people would want to join that team. this is just my suggestion as to how to solve this problem. i do not view it as a be all end all, but being viewed as more than just a bottom cleaner would increase the respect that the general public has for us.

thanks again for the appreciation!
sincerely,
j.b.

I agree that CNAs are often underappreciated and underpaid. Also, what you told me about how the certification test is scored is interesting. However, I thought that a 70 percent score was required to pass. (This may vary by state, I think.) I'll admit that the written test I took recently seemed "easy," at least compared to the tests that I had in my CNA course. However, the skills exam that us aides had to pass before we took the written test was difficult, since (at least in my case) if we forgot to do one step, or forgot a safety feature, we would fail. Also, we had to pass ALL five skills in order to pass the skills exam, so, as far as the skills exam goes, we had to follow a high standard. Also, as far as pay goes, it bothers me that nursing homes pay agency aides almost twice the hourly wage of aides who regularly work here, but then claim that they can't pay us the same amount as agency. If nursing homes want people to work for them, they need to realize that $8-$9 per hour is not enough to live on.

[boulergirl]

When management sends out memos informing everyone that this isnt right, that isnt right, you arent working to our standards, etc....and NEVER EVER tell you THANK YOU! JOB WELL DONE. Its crap!!!!!!! And the over all moral of a facility goes down hill. Those who are working hard everyday says screw it, why should I keep doing my job when so in so is screwing off??!? Ive heard my good aides say that.

Totally agree with this. Lately at our facility people are getting written up like crazy. I know a coworker who got written up because she wasn't "smiling enough" when serving in the dining room. Good gravy!!!
Every staff meeting (and they're all mandatory) is the same--criticism and threats from mgmt., shift wars, etc. I'm tired of hearing it, but still have to go to these things or I'll get written up. And mgmt. wonders why things never improve??? HellllOOOOOOOOOOO!!

[germain]

I think thank you's and recommendation letters to charge/ nurse managers go a long long way. Everyone wants to be appreciated, right?

One thing the nurse manager did for us as aides was buy us lunch on days when we were really overwhelmed, especially when it was because other people called in sick. A thank you AND a Rueben? I remember it recharged me to come in to that place everyday to remember that the hard work I did wasn't invisible.

[michelle126]

Originally Posted by boulergirl

Totally agree with this. Lately at our facility people are getting written up like crazy. I know a coworker who got written up because she wasn't "smiling enough" when serving in the dining room. Good gravy!!!
Every staff meeting (and they're all mandatory) is the same--criticism and threats from mgmt., shift wars, etc. I'm tired of hearing it, but still have to go to these things or I'll get written up. And mgmt. wonders why things never improve??? HellllOOOOOOOOOOO!!

We have the opposite problem here...not one is ever called on poor performance.

[MsLandOLakes22]

Dear Kristi,

I realize that you only have the best intentions, which I can appreciate. A "pat on the back" is a beautiful thing, especially in our industry -- they're way too few, and far between. We need our affirmations from each other. Though, here's the thing - and not necessarily directed at you, Kristi:

A reward system implies that one is superior to the other, which is evident in certain poster's referring to a CNA as "my."
They do not belong to you.

Along this same vein; We are actually talking about two separate jobs here.
It is completely impossible for one human to give meds, etc., while also handling the other (numerous) needs of the residents, plus vitals, of anywhere from 22-30 residents -- the usual patient load of a CNA on night-shift.
The nursing assistants (this title needs an overhaul), while technically "assisting," in actuality have their own job. Nurses know this, CNAs know this; so let's give up the charade.

The reality is this: We are a team. Nurses have their assignment, the CNA's (not "aides) have theirs. Many are also in nursing school, and occasionally come to work exhausted. I certainly hope that they are not the "lazy" ones to which you refer?
Surely you remember those days of complete exhaustion? Or, maybe you don't, depending on whether you worked as a CNA during nursing school - or have any prior experience with this particular job.

We don't have "lazy" CNAs where I work, anymore than we have "lazy" nurses. Apparently I work at some magical facility where we all respect - and enjoy - each other, with an understanding that this is "teamwork."

To truly gain the (much deserved) respect of "the" CNAs, may I suggest that the only treat that's needed is some basic respect? Let Admin. give out any "incentives."