Difficulty with a CNA

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I am an RN and I view myself and my CNA as team. Most of the time it works out... I treat the CNAs with respect. At the beginning of the shift I go over our patients with the CNA and at that time delegate appropriate tasks. I usually don't have a problem, like I said.

K back to me... I'm an easy-going nurse that has a very good sense of humor, I'm also not as good with confrontation as I should...but I start losing my sense of humor when I have to ask a certain CNA to get a BP like 5 times or if there is a scheduled task like rechecking a temperatiure or discontinuing a foley... and I ask if she has those scheduled task results... no I didn't do it. Or how about at the beginning of the shift, I tell her so and so needs to be repositioned every 2 hours and that I will help her if there isn't another CNA available. What is it that she doesn't get? I am not delegating things that are difficult or that she hasn't done a million times.

I feel like I'm constantly going over her work and either doing it since she didn't, or redoing things... She CONSTANTLY is saying "Why, I normally do it so-so way or only once a shift for vitals" to everything. I've tried to be nice about it, but I'm to the point where I want to say, "Well this is what I need done, and if it isn't, there will be problems." Of course I'm too chicken with confrontation...

I guess the point to this is, how do you deal with a nursing assistant (or even other coworkers) that deliberately does not do what I ask them to do??

Thanks in advance (o and I'm working on this communication problem of mine by reading a book);)

Thanks...Jenn

Please don't put yourself or any other CNA down. I haven't met a nurse yet who's into rocket science on the side. Our job is just as (if not more) important as the RNs and they couldn't function without us!!!!

0 Votes
Please don't put yourself or any other CNA down. I haven't met a nurse yet who's into rocket science on the side. Our job is just as (if not more) important as the RNs and they could function without us!!!!

Who do you think you're fooling? As it's often mentioned, an RN can do the job of a CNA but there are MANY things an RN does that a CNA cannot do. Also, I have worked many times without a CNA and have done a mighty fine job. I do appreciate working with a good CNA, but if they have the kind of attitude you do, I'd much rather them clock out and go home.

0 Votes

I'm surprised that with that attitude you've lasted long in nursing. In the facility where I work there are only three things that an RN can do that I cannot. 1-pass meds, 2-pull orders, and 3-hang an IV.

Our nurses rely on us as their eyes and ears and can't keep up with us when they are assigned patient care. Our nurses are appreciative of our work and let us know it.

0 Votes
Specializes in Lie detection.
please don't put yourself or any other cna down. i haven't met a nurse yet who's into rocket science on the side. our job is just as (if not more) important as the rns and they could function without us!!!!

this is a forum we use to vent, get info, discuss things, kvetch, etc.. you get the idea. this thread is titled "difficulty with a cna". so yes, nurses have responded with their stories and their experiences on difficulties with cna's. it's not personal. it's been stated a multitude of times that there are many good cna's too.

feel free to start a thread about great cna's and the wonderful job they do!

but please, no job comparisons. there are many intelligent cna's that post here that i'm quite sure would be more than willing to state their limitations as far as venturing into a nurse's job duties. rn's and lpn's however, can do all duties performed by cna's...

i can't count how many shifts i've done without a cna. probably more without than with. i appreciate the help when i have it but quickly learned not to depend on it. just never enough help to go around.

that said, lazy coworkers are found in all job titles, again, not personal...

0 Votes

I am definitely not attacking you so please don't take it that way. When I was a CNA I felt the same way that you do about what a nurses job is. Trust me there is a whole LOT more to it then just those three things. pass meds, pull orders and hang IV are only the very tip of the ice berg.

School has opened my eyes wide, it may not look like there is much to the job from your perspective but nursing is much much more than those few routine tasks.

I'm surprised that with that attitude you've lasted long in nursing. In the facility where I work there are only three things that an RN can do that I cannot. 1-pass meds, 2-pull orders, and 3-hang an IV.

Our nurses rely on us as their eyes and ears and can't keep up with us when they are assigned patient care. Our nurses are appreciative of our work and let us know it.

0 Votes
Specializes in Lie detection.

changed my mind...not worth it to continue this fruitless debate

0 Votes

I do agree that nursing is much more than those three things. However I work in a federal facility where our nurses don't have the time to do much more. We are also resposible for things that in state run or private facilities CNAs are not allowed to do by law. Our nurses are very capable, wonderful people (most nurses are!) I am just getting a feeling that most of the nurses who are responding to my original comment feel as though in general CNAs are not needed or capable people in thier own right and I am very frustrated over this.

Many of us have often said that nurses should have to walk in our shoes one shift a month as we would like to experience thier frustrations as well. Unfortunately there are many nurses who have not been in our place and use thier license as a letter of superiority. I only hope that when I graduate next May that I don't fall into that same behavior.

0 Votes
I'm surprised that with that attitude you've lasted long in nursing. In the facility where I work there are only three things that an RN can do that I cannot. 1-pass meds, 2-pull orders, and 3-hang an IV.

Our nurses rely on us as their eyes and ears and can't keep up with us when they are assigned patient care. Our nurses are appreciative of our work and let us know it.

I don't understand what you're meaning "with that kind of attitude". I was just stating fact in my previous reply. Like I said, I have worked many times without a CNA and did a fine job. I've lasted in nursing because I am a good nurse. I am my own eyes and ears and don't rely on someone else to look over my patients. It is my responsibility to keep an eye on them myself. As I also stated, I do appreciate working with a good CNA. I have been a CNA myself when I was in nursing school so I DO know both sides of the fence and I was intelligent enough to know that I did not do all the work for them nor could do all that they have to do. I respect the good hardworking CNAs and think they are worth more than their weight in gold. I would not ask them to do anything that I would not do or don't do myself and I do thank them for what they do.

0 Votes
Specializes in OB.
I'm surprised that with that attitude you've lasted long in nursing. In the facility where I work there are only three things that an RN can do that I cannot. 1-pass meds, 2-pull orders, and 3-hang an IV.

Our nurses rely on us as their eyes and ears and can't keep up with us when they are assigned patient care. Our nurses are appreciative of our work and let us know it.

wow, as a CNA you do the physical assessments, chart, go over the labs, do injections, start IV's, transfuse blood, give insulin, do care plan assesments, pt education????

you should be getting RN wages!!!

0 Votes
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

The topic of this thread is a difficult relationship with a CNA. It doesn't mean that ALL CNA's are difficult or any type of generalization. It is just an experience that the original poster is bringing forth.

Let's stay on topic please.

0 Votes

My original comment from yesterday was directed to someone who was being less than kind regarding the CNAs that she works with. I was not trying to start a debate (which seems to be what happened) but was asking that this particular nurse not regard all CNAs with the same distaste. However, my response was met with much sarcasm and on one or two occasions downright disdain for my profession.

I apologize to anyone that I may have offended with my comments, but would like to say that in order for any of us to provide the best possible care for our patients, wouldn't it be more fruitful to look at and listen to the opinions and ideas of the people that we work with the closest. I feel lucky, after this particular discussion to work with a team who is appreciative of each of it's members and who can work so well together. It's unfortunate not everyone here is so lucky.

0 Votes

Perhaps it is time for this thread to end.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment