Got a nurse aide fired... did I do the right thing?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone, I'll just get right into it. I work as a LPN in a group home with a few individuals with intellectual disabilities. We also have a nurse aide who comes and helps out during daylight hours. This specific nurse aide has given the nurses multiple problems since she was hired. Essentially her job as the nurse aide is to make sure the house is kept clean, cook, laundry, plan activities with the residents, take them on outings, simple tasks. The job is fairly laid back, however the residents must be closely monitored by all staff due to behaviors. For weeks, this nurse aide has done nothing but lay on our couch and watch netflix for her entire shift. Does not clean, cook, and barely says a word to the residents. Me and a few other nurses have complained about her, but we were basically blown off with nothing done about it. Today I walked in for my shift to find her asleep on the couch and snoring. I had a hunch that she was sleeping on a few other shifts but never caught her until now. I immediately took a picture and sent it to my supervisor for proof. Long story short, the nurse aide was immediately fired for neglect. Sleeping is not tolerated. However, when I reported it to HR, they gave me the impression that I should have spoke to the nurse aide about it or simply woke her up instead of reporting it. So now, I am second guessing what I did. My intention was not for her to get fired, I just wanted the management to see what she was doing and possibly re-train her. I didn't like her, but I would never want anyone to lose their job. What would you have done?

I have worked in places that the CNAs are union and the only way to discipline for sleeping on the job is to have 2 people see them and have a picture. Without this the union fights it and usually wins. So I would not necessarily bash the camera use but I would check whether your facility has a policy regarding camera use.

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Why is this even a question? The aid was not performing her duties.

You reported the issue, she was canned. That is the process.

Do not take on guilt for reporting a slacker.

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Specializes in PACU.
Why is this even a question? The aid was not performing her duties.

You reported the issue, she was canned. That is the process.

Do not take on guilt for reporting a slacker.

Exactly, I don't know why human resources is bent on you. You didn't fire her, her supervisor did. If HR wanted it handled differently they should be talking to the supervisor about how it was handled... All you did was report, (and report and report). What ever happened after that was out of your hands. IF the supervisor hand really wanted to just "counsel her" they could have (although that sets a really bad precedence, I've seen managers make exceptions for people they 1. liked or 2. when they were really short staffed.)

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I don't understand the comments that are against taking a photo of her while sleeping? OP already reported multiple times that she was slacking off on the job. It's common sense that you don't sleep on the job or watch NETFLIX while working (are you kidding me???). Even 5 year-olds know better than to sleep on the job when watching Squidward on Spongebob Squarepants. :rolleyes: The CNA's behavior was so absurd, that a picture pretty much sums it all up and is proof for management. I would've done the same thing if after multiple attempts, nothing was being done. The problem is THAT THE AIDE WAS SLEEPING ON THE JOB. :banghead:

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Every single time I've complained about issues involving a co-worker, management (multiple units) has stated they want proof or for me to write down specifics (time, who's involved, what happened)...basically be a detective and do the hard work for them. I think I've only once had a serious issue with someone that I attempted to address personally but my charge nurse got involved and explained to the inappropriate nurse (not me) their wrong doing.

Anyways, what I'm saying is that I would have done the same. The management that I have worked for always seem to not want to bother unless you have proof and if you don't then it didn't happen in their eyes. I imagine a picture of a sleeping employee (neglect you said) causes the manager to HAVE to do something because now they're liable.

It's unfortunate the aide got fired but it sounds like it wasn't the right fit for her and the patients really deserve more than what she was providing.

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I reported a PCT for sleeping on the job for a pt who was on a 1:1 for harm to themselves and others. The supervisor came to see for herself and caught the PCT sleeping. She warned the PCT. I caught the PCT again in the same shift and the supervisor had her leave for that shift, and said they would review her case. Apparently, this was not her first time snoozing on the job. Not sure if she was fired. Supervisor did not provide any extra PCT, so I would up doing the 1:1 til the end of the shift! Anyway, I believe its important to report these things because pt safety is the priority. And since the pt was mine, I would also be in trouble for not managing the pct appropriately should the pt have harmed themselves or others.

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The nurses aides duties were laid out to her, did she receive any type of verbal counseling or write ups to let her know that the behavior needs to be corrected? If you have zero tolerance for sleeping on the job I would say you did the right thing, sounds as if she wasn't a good fit for your organization I wouldn't loose any sleep over it.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Hi everyone, I'll just get right into it. I work as a LPN in a group home with a few individuals with intellectual disabilities. We also have a nurse aide who comes and helps out during daylight hours. This specific nurse aide has given the nurses multiple problems since she was hired. Essentially her job as the nurse aide is to make sure the house is kept clean, cook, laundry, plan activities with the residents, take them on outings, simple tasks. The job is fairly laid back, however the residents must be closely monitored by all staff due to behaviors. For weeks, this nurse aide has done nothing but lay on our couch and watch netflix for her entire shift. Does not clean, cook, and barely says a word to the residents. Me and a few other nurses have complained about her, but we were basically blown off with nothing done about it. Today I walked in for my shift to find her asleep on the couch and snoring. I had a hunch that she was sleeping on a few other shifts but never caught her until now. I immediately took a picture and sent it to my supervisor for proof. Long story short, the nurse aide was immediately fired for neglect. Sleeping is not tolerated. However, when I reported it to HR, they gave me the impression that I should have spoke to the nurse aide about it or simply woke her up instead of reporting it. So now, I am second guessing what I did. My intention was not for her to get fired, I just wanted the management to see what she was doing and possibly re-train her. I didn't like her, but I would never want anyone to lose their job. What would you have done?

Welcome to the wonderful world of Group Home nursing! I work as a nurse consultant for a rather large corporation with many (over 100) group homes. Issues with staff sleeping, stealing from residents and generally not doing their jobs was a common occurrence. When I had a strong suspicion that a staff was abusing a resident with photo's of injuries and a non verbal resident who displayed fear of the staff in question - I pushed and I did get the staff fired. But I had to threaten to contact the police to make it happen. Just a few short months later my position was terminated because I didn't "Understand and conform to the culture of the company" I told the boss on the way out that if the culture of the company was to turn one's back on abuse then I didn't want to work for them.

Hppy

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I concur the picture was not professional, and this is probably why H.R. was taken aback by her methods to remove the employee.

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It's solid proof, there's nothing unprofessional about it. If there were cameras there and they wanted to catch said employee in action, they'd use those footage of the offending action, too. HR doesn't want to use it against the employee in question due to the post from #31 from hppygr8ful - they'd have to hire someone to replace them to do a job that virtually nobody wants to do. That's why most of them are filled with people like the one OP is talking about - lazy, unmotivated, just looking for a measly paycheck. And a lot of these group homes are state funded, so they are public employees backed by powerful unions. It literally takes an act of congress to terminate state employees. It's nothing to do with the OP's actions, per se. HR is just using it as a crutch against her to benefit their bottom dollar.

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It's solid proof, there's nothing unprofessional about it. If there were cameras there and they wanted to catch said employee in action, they'd use those footage of the offending action, too. HR doesn't want to use it against the employee in question due to the post from #31 from hppygr8ful - they'd have to hire someone to replace them to do a job that virtually nobody wants to do. That's why most of them are filled with people like the one OP is talking about - lazy, unmotivated, just looking for a measly paycheck. And a lot of these group homes are state funded, so they are public employees backed by powerful unions. It literally takes an act of congress to terminate state employees. It's nothing to do with the OP's actions, per se. HR is just using it as a crutch against her to benefit their bottom dollar.

I'm glad you brought up the fact that had there been a camera filming in the room she was sleeping in, they would've accessed the tapes to see that she was sleeping. Besides, what was OP to do? She already talked to the aide, and to management. It's unprofessional that the company was willing to pay for an employee who did nothing but sleep on the job or watch Netflix.

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Specializes in Neuro.

Don't feel bad her behavior got her fired.

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