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?

Don't feel bad. The aide was 100% wrong. This was not an isolated incident. She should not have been sleeping.

After all. You "snooze," you lose.

I agree with you. She shouldn't be sleeping but everyone is human. Sometimes you can tell someone about their actions and they can become a better person than they were before.

I agree with you. She shouldn't be sleeping but everyone is human. Sometimes you can tell someone about their actions and they can become a better person than they were before.

While I can't speak for every business/organization out there, I have noticed that not everyone is required to learn how to give feedback on job performance to others. I do agree that sometimes it can work, but it really depends on the willingness of the recipient to want to get better and his/her ability to accept constructive criticism. It has worked for me 99.9% of the time, but I did experience that 0.1% where someone got horribly offended (and I am the sweetest person in the world). I wound up pulling him aside and actually telling him why so was correcting him, telling him that it was part of our business culture, and making sure he knew that I wanted to see him succeed. After that, he and I were perfectly fine, but he resented a lot of other coworkers and supervisors. Not everyone company encourages or empowers their employees to give one another feedback if said employee was not a supervisor.

So yes, I am all for giving feedback when/if appropriate, but management should have taken the necessary steps to relay any complaints and make sure they are addressed. It helps to avoid unnecessary conflict between coworkers. People should never be surprised to be let go when people are let go for not doing what they their job entails. All it does it leave other coworkers to pick up the slack and leaves the patients at risk.

You did the right thing. These facilities have very tight budgets and can't afford people to sleep on the job. What disgraceful behavior. I've seen more of this than I care to over the years and good on you for having the courage to speak out. Folks in these homes need our full attention and care. And if she was slacking off in this area, I can only imagine how she was cutting corners elsewhere.

I agree with you. She shouldn't be sleeping but everyone is human. Sometimes you can tell someone about their actions and they can become a better person than they were before.

And sometimes you can't. What part of management knows about this particular employee's prior actions evades you? OP essentially had to force management to do their job. OP doesn't need to pull anyone aside and speak to them...that is why management is there. Managers manage the team. It is what they are paid to do.

Me and a few other nurses have complained about her, but we were basically blown off with nothing done about it.
Specializes in as above.

the lazy ass nurse had the NERVE to lay and watch Netflix. But she is fired, so dont worry. You STILL have a job. If it happends more than 3 times..time to complain.

Specializes in retired from healthcare.

Even on some jobs where you can get away with watching TV and sitting around, this will be full of interruptions from your patients and you better get used to it.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I would have spoken to her and asked if she was getting enough sleep and such. Would also have let her know it could get her in trouble and attempt to address any other issues. If she blew me off so be it, manager can deal with it. If she heeded advice then all is good.

I am just reading more and more lately about RNs fearing for their licenses over non-narcotic and/or non-major mistakes which used to be handled just fine without BRN. Same goes for reporting everything to management, she was certainly out of line in some of the behaviors you describe but it is possible no one had brought it up before.

According the the OP, it had been brought up before.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Omg. Yes you were completely wrong. From your own testimony you said she is giving you and the other nurses a hard time and you have reported her on multiple occasions to supervisors. What I never heard you say is that you and the other nurses called her in to have a meeting and tried to correct the situation yourself. It's like following the chain of command. You said the job is pretty laid back. By saying that this aide may have been under the impression you all did not mind. I am in no way condoning what she did. But you had an opportunity and you went in for the kill. If you would have had a conversation with her you may have found out a reason she was so tired and lazy or whatever. Please understand in no way am I condoning what she did because as a CNA\nursing student myself I can't stand a lazy worker. However, I have to humble myself because everybody needs their jobs. If I was in the situation I would at least like to say my nurse told me I was wrong and I continued to do wrong so I deserved this. I feel bad for the CNA and I hope she finds another job.🙇🏽*♀️

I don't see that it matters why the person was habitually sleeping on the job. She took the job, presumably she's cashing the paychecks, but she's not doing the work. While the picture-taking may get the OP in trouble, I don't feel bad for the CNA, nor do I hope she finds another job. She just might find that job in MY institution and then I would have to deal with her.

Specializes in neuro/trauma ortho/trauma.

From personal experience with sleeping aides/techs/sitters having a long talk with them doesn't work. I've tried everything offering the a break so they can get the blood flowing and "wakeup" which has been repeatedly turned down by multiple aides. I did not feel one bit bad when I turned in the one sitter who was sub-contracted to us from an outside company . We had had her before and I remembered she liked to sleep on the job. I just waited--offered her breaks and such as care and time allowed --she fell asleep--I called the shift supervisor and let her come to the floor and wake her up and demand she turn in the badge that allowe her to work/come in the building and she was fired from ever coming back to our facility

I would have woke her up and talked to her about it and talked to her about what she needs to be doing in the nicest way possible.

If she continued to do the same then and only then I would tell my superiors.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Honestly, if the CNA wants to sit around and watch Netflix, she should look for a job that will her allow her to do that. As a home health nurse, I've been paid to sit in Starbucks. I've had co-workers who were paid to go to the movies and the fair.

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