Have You Ever Been Told You're Too Slow?

chadash · Jun 20, 2006

Arblunt, I read your post (I had just read the title! doh!) and to address you problem of being given the hardest assignment, then being put down....

Hmmm. I would question your supervisors motives. Why, if you are a little slower than most, would they give you the hardest assignment? I would think they would give you time to build up to that level. Just doesn't seem fair to you or the patients.

Find a LTC that approaches the work as a team. I did home health visits at a LTC where the CNAs paired up. It really worked great, and the patient got the best of both aides. Wow, they could roll and change a pt. with care and speed!

moongirl · Jun 20, 2006

Slow and pokey? Accurate or not - how do instructors with this level of tact get hired by nursing programs?

its a requirement at my school. You rarely hear anything you do well, they will just nod and brush off a supportive or awesome comment from a primary about a student, and when you go in for an eval, its all the nit picky break your spirit stuff that they point out, not the awesome things you have done during the semester. they thrive on breaking your spirit:(

chadash · Jun 20, 2006

its a requirement at my school. You rarely hear anything you do well, they will just nod and brush off a supportive or awesome comment from a primary about a student, and when you go in for an eval, its all the nit picky break your spirit stuff that they point out, not the awesome things you have done during the semester. they thrive on breaking your spirit:(

Hey moongirl! Don't let them do it to you......don't let them break your spirit!

This to will pass....

banditrn · Jun 20, 2006

My very first instructor was a saint!! Before she would point out somethiing that you needed to improve, she would tell you about something you did well! :saint:

When we were learning to do blood pressures - I was so nervous - she praised my technique, but then told me I might want to actually put the stethoscope in my ears! :lol2:

I've always tried to use her technique when dealing with others - I feel that you need to try to find the good in everyone - and tell them about it.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Jun 20, 2006

I haven't been told I am slow, but I know I was when I worked LTC. When I was a CNA, I wa always the last getting everyone fed, bathed/showered dressed and toileted/changed. I think I didn't know when to politely get out of the residents rooms.

I was SNAIL slow as an LPN in LTC. I worked per diem while in school to be an RN. I only worked about 4 shifts a month in a 160 bed facility. They had me on a different hall everytime. I had no idea who any of the residents were, and they were never in their rooms. Some traded arm bands or answered to incorrect names. They all got soooo many pills each..... I had no idea who took their pills crushed/whole/in applesauce/juice/ice cream. And they refused if you didn't put them in their preferred food/drink.

So I left after 4 months.

moongirl · Jun 20, 2006

Hey moongirl! Don't let them do it to you......don't let them break your spirit!
This to will pass....

thanks for the encouragement- I have one more year to go. I asked for some thicker skin for my birthday :)

and have been repeating the mantra " No one can make me feel inferior without my permission"

I really really try to focus on all the positive comments that I get, but man, those one or two barbs tend to stick with you.

moongirl · Jun 20, 2006

I've always tried to use her technique when dealing with others - I feel that you need to try to find the good in everyone - and tell them about it.

you would be a great instructor !!!!!!!!!!

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2006

I have a coworker who is too slow. It's not that she's lazy; not at all! She's an extremely conscientious nurse. So much so, that it's hard for her to let go any issues that arise. She is also very disorganized. I try to help her by asking if she needs anything, during the day. I smile alot and tell her I am here if she needs anything at all, but she's difficult to approach, very defensive, and wants to do it all herself. It's sad to see, because I think she will get fired for her slowness. She regularly clocks out between 10pm and midnight. Our shift ostensibly ends at 7pm. I don't want to see her go because she really cares about her patients, but I understand that management can't pay that kind of overtime.

The rest of the nurses get out usually around 7:30 or so.

rambisisking · Jun 21, 2006

I am relatively new in terms of my LPN and RN licensure, but I was a CNA for two years before that.
When I first started as a CNA, I was slow. I let the residents talk, b/c I thought that was what I was supposed to do. One day a senior CNA took me to the side and told me that I was a great listener, that I did a very through job of caring for the residents, but I needed to pick up speed b/c others felt I wasn't doing my share b/c I was too busy chatting with the residents. I admit, I went overboard for a while, no talking at all. The senior CNA took me to the side again, and chastised me for not haveing any heart for long term care residents. I was dumbfounded. I fired back that when I had talked to them before others had complained that I wasn't doing my job. She said that she and I would work together the next week of shifts. SO we did and she pointed out good tips for how to tactfully cut a rambling resident or family member off and how to exit graciosuly without hurting anyone's feeling. She also taught me short cuts that I found to be kosher with my newly aquired book knowledge. I have huge respect for the CNA that stayed to help me learn to be a better care provider. As to the others that just complained... well.. nothing ever changes unless you complain to the right people...Fortunately for me it was the person that it was who was complained to.
As a new nurse, I am slow. Slow b/c I don't know the residents, and their meds and their circumstances ect. I expect that with in three months of working this new job that I will be able to be in full compliance with the time restraints placed on us for Medication passes ect.
Speed comes with experience.

Oh Yes, it is such a trait of human nature to go to the opposite extreme when we are told we are not doing something right. You have a wonderfully balanced point of view on your self, what a gift. We are all hopefully trying to do the best job we can for our patients, our co-workers and ourselves. It is an ART what we do and you explained that learning process very well and you indeed had a wonderfullly balanced person teaching you. Learning to draw and creating art are two different things. Most anyone can read Nursing books and write answers to tests and complete procedures and medications according to specs. But to deliver all that, while having conversations with patients for any number of reasons, smiling most of the time, not allowing your actual LIFE to interfere with your work, remembering all that you are to do,to do it with love and care, dealing with real life trauma's, holding your favoritest most sweetest patient in your arms as she or he takes their last breath, to dodge bedpans (full) that are being thrown at you by combative patients, to take the time to calm Henry or Walter by telling them that you already went out and fed the chickens and milked the cows so they will relax and eat their breakfast, to please your co-workers and managers, to deal with families, to take on problems that you really don't know how to solve...but it's your job, to deal with any number of patients, co-workers and doctors requests and attitudes and not have one of your own and 20 or 30 other things that I can't think of to list here because creating this art for the last 30 some years has eaten most of my brain...and to do this all in a timely maner and not be considered slow. My Dears, That is an ART! And we all develop our own style and ethic of our art. You are right, this takes time. It sounds like your cna did you and everyone that you teach a great service by understanding that and finding a positive inspiring way to teach you that. I'm sure you pass on that style to those that you teach,and on and on and on. Can you all imagine what nursing would be like if we all realized this process and treated each other like that instead of trying to tear each other down?

Hmmmmmmm.............