Major venting about some CNA's

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Geriatrics, DD, Peri-op.

First, let me say that I am not venting against all CNA's or even most...I've been one myself. I know how hard they work. I applaude the good ones.

My problem is the majority of the ones at where I work. They talk back, they leave people in messes...it's really making me mad. Just this morning, I told a CNA that was going to get my blood sugars at 5:30, to wait until at least 6:00 because I didn't feel comfortable giving insulin at 7:00 on a 5:30 accucheck. I had originally told her 6:30, but, after she explained to me that she couldn't at that time, I told her I would compromise and make it 6:00. (Sometimes our patients don't get their breakfast trays until almost 8:00 and 11-7 is responsible for the insulin at 7:00) She flat out refused. She told me that the boss said it was ok. I told her, she's not here right now, is she? You're working on MY license, not her's.

She told me no and went and got them at quarter of 6 in defiance.

I told the 'boss' when she came in, but, this is the same boss that let another CNA get away with telling me to 'shut the hell up', as well as, telling a patient to shut up. (Which is why the CNA told me to shut up...I was getting on to her for doing that)

I am so SICK of not being backed up when I tell a CNA to do something. I know I am just a little 'ole LPN at this time, but, I still expect the CNA's to do what I tell them.

I try to be fair. Like I said, I was a CNA, I know how hard the work can be....but, I didn't talk to my nurses any old way I feel, much less, tell them no when they told me to do something.

If the big bosses won't do anything, what am I to do? Go over their heads?

This is my last night tonight. I've done decided that the next place I work, I am not going to be so nice. I've got an interview tomorrow and I am going to explain to the administrator that I DEMAND back up. If I tell someone to do it, and, they snap off, I EXPECT there to be repercussions.

I hate to be so down and dirty, but, I had an spiritual experience a couple of weeks ago that made me see that every patient I come in contact with, is someone's loved one. I don't expect to see them laying in pee or dried food for hours. That is soooo undignified. :o If I don't take up for them, who will?

Any advice? Should I go to the ombudsman if the bosses won't do anything about these CNA's with an attitude?

I hope any CNA's that read this don't take offense. If you do your job honorable, I am not talking about you.

Well I am sorry you are having such a rough time... However.. Do you have this same hostility when you are demanding that they do something??? Just curious.. I also work as a PCA and the nurses I work with DO NOT come and ever demand anything, they are a respectful of me and my job... Cause #1 they realize I am working my butt off anyways (I work on a busy Orthopedic floor) and #2 I always have ALOT more patients than they do... When they have 6, I have at least 12 and as many as 16... And we all work well together.. It sounds like with your boss, that there is no TEAMWORK of any kind..

But personally if a nurse came up to me demanding that I do this and that with an attitude then I would probably give her attitude back.. I think there is a polite and respectful way of asking/telling them to do something...

Good Luck with your interview :)

many different issues going on here.

i agree that management should back their nurses. and letting anyone get away with telling you to shut the hell up is just plain wrong.

but as a CNA myself, if one of the nurses came to me and told (insert attitude here) me to do anything, i'd prolly give attitude back. but then i'm one of the good CNAs that actually knows her job duties so the nurses and i usually don't have a problem. ;)

i realize you are just venting your frustrations here but i also have to wonder if maybe it's just a lack of effective communication that's causing the problems.

Not trying to start an argument but your post reads like you are the queen and the CNA's are at your beck and call. If it was a few incidents I think you could try and do some of the care they "missed" and nicely remind them that those patients need attending to. If it is a major problem of patients being left unattended to on many occasions then maybe this is something to bring up in a staff meeting or with your bosses. The point still is though that the same respect you have for the patients is also the respect you should have for CNAs as people, too. NO ONE should have to do what another "demands." That just doesnt sound good to me.

Being a supervisor of over 21 years, I tend to agree, honey gets more than vinegar. No matter how busy my staff is if I ASK them to do something they do it and when I have time I ask them what can I do to help you. It does sorta sound like a power play and maybe you could have offered to do something to assist the CNA to get you BS's when you wanted them, explaining to the CNA that giving insulin to soon can cause a reaction. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings but I will add, your bosses should be backing you as it is your license and there is no excuse for them turning the other way.

I grinned all theway through reading your post. This can be many potential aggitators applied here. So much has to do with language, and peoples perceptions. Age. Abilities. Minimum standards. Additude. Mood. Burn out.

I take stuff to the lab, though it's not my job. My job is easy. All I have to do is help everyone. I help move the meal carts, and manuever equipment around. I take direct orders from any nurse. See, I'm gonna become an RN, and I am highly motivated and supersonic. It would be nuts for me to even imagine having me as my own CNA one day. Thats not being arrogant either.

LOl - you have to watch your language too. I hear some people say "I had so and so do this" or "I had the CNA do it." or "for your purposes."

Slavery usta be around in america, and, though it is not the case here, I do hear additude in peoples voices , from time to time, that denotes some stupid pecking order. CNA should assist the nurse; Thats how I introduce myself, Nursing Assistant.

On the other hand there are older CNA's who ain't in it all the way and are looking to retire. Can't expect them to do stuff that younger motivated CNA's can.Lol - 252593820

A nursing student whose a CNA develops a dedication and "oneness" with the nurses because the more you help them, the more you learn, and the more those nurses will talk to and show you stuff. 133066309

I love the CNA's I work with. They are hard working. Though not everything gets done...they try their darnest. (e.g. today I asked for an EKG to get done--it never did get done) We are always short of help...I pull in my weight. Today I only asked my PCT to do 2 things--BGM/an E.K.G.

But on other floors...yikes it's scary. The unit above us...the secretary and the P.C.T's were in the back room for 1 1/2 hours. I hope never to get pulled to that floor again.

I'm looking for a new job....I found one!!!!!!! He He HE!!!

But anyway....out of the 4 hospitals I interviewed for 2 units the supervisor stated they're having trouble with the R.N./P.C.T relations.

I don't know when I was a P.C.T I loved every minute of it. I loved working with R.N.'s L.P.N's and P.C.T.'s I busted my butt...and totally got along with everyone and they got along with me. And now I do too. Though I've had some difficult with relations once in a blue moon.

Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

I am a CNA, and I did not take offense to that. I try to do as good as I can do. When a nurse asks me to do something (unless it is nothing that I have been trained to do) I do it as soon as possible, and if I am getting overwhlmed I explain all that I have left to do. Most of my nurses are really good to me . . . and If I am overwhemed they tell me I can do it later or if its something needed immediatly they'd ask some one else to do it (probably because I'm pretty new lol). I understand your reasoning for the blood checks closer to 7 (CNA's in my facility don't do that though)

BUT . . . . CNA's do lack respect for nurses who DEMAND things. If a nurse demanded something and a different nurse asked me nicely to do something . . . I would do the task pleasantly asked of me to do first. I'm not trying to offend you or anything.

that person should never have told you to shut the hell up though . . . I tell other CNA's to shut the hell up (jokeingly) and sometimes the nurses that can take a joke, but they know that I am a tease. But a CNA should not have done those blood checks so early and shold not have told you to shut the hell up in a rude way.

I know that CNA's and nurses both have different jobs, but we are all in this together and I have so much respect for the nurses that jump in there to help their CNA's . . . We do the grunt work. So how about a nice thank you every once in a while . . . When a nurse says "thank you so much" it means the world to me, and alot more respect for that nurse.

Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

Dunno what has gone wrong at your facility. I'm a cna myself (though at my facility, they hyphenate us with 'tech' if we are students). I get along just dandy with the great majority of my nurses. the few that I don't get along so well with, I just do what they ask (as well as my 'regular' duties) and look toward the end of the shift. Still, when I see some of the 'less motivated' cnas getting nasty or showing a poor attitude towards their nurses, I keep my distance from them.

I believe I have a pretty good working relationship with my nurses and expect to keep it right through graduation.

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

I think alot of you are assuming alot here; assuming she had an attitude?! Ok, nothing excuses an attitude, but if the nurse asked for a blood sugar at a certain time, even WITH the attitude, then act upon the attitude, DON'T risk the patient's safety by blatantly doing something against what you were told to do. I think you all lost the big picture here. The big picture is that FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PATIENT, her blood sugar should have been checked at 0600, not 0545 or any other time determined by an unlicensed personnel. Take up the issue of attitude (IF there was any) with the individual or the manager; certainly DON'T take out your anger on the patients by refusing to do cares when deemed appropriate by a licensed nurse.

So...if a physician told you in a bossy manner to give the patient a pain med NOW, would you refuse to give it NOW because he didn't ask you nice, and leave the patient in pain and give the pain med when YOU felt like it? Come on. Grow up. Give the pain med and address the physician attitude separately.

Take the blood sugar at the requested time, and LATER discussed how it was asked of you. For pete's sake. It all ain't about you, people. It's about the patient, remember?

That CNA was wrong.

But on the other hand like at my hospital when went through training we were told the times to do CBG's for each shift... And if I was told 5:30 by the hospital then that is what I would do, no matter when the nurse wanted it done... That is something he/she needs to take up with higher authority... I work evenings an we take our CBGs around 5 pm (if we aren't busy, and b/c dinner comes at 5:30) but there are times that it doesnt get done til 6 or so.. and THEN the nurses sometimes don't get the insulin until 6:30/7pm.. Then whose fault is it then... I have had a nurse who wanted it done at 4 and I told her I was not doing it that early, well of course she did get a pissy with me about it and I told her she could do it herself... Of course she turned me into my supervisor and whose side did the supervisor take MINE, why cause I was thinking of the Patient and not getting my meds done so I can go sit outside and smoke for 45mins (which was the nurses plan).... So the supervisor should back who is right, not just the RN/LPN because they have a license.. We all play a MAJOR part in patient care and should be able to work together.. I am glad we don't have this problem on our floor, at least for the most part...

i for one was not assuming the OP gave the cna's an attitude to begin with. i understand she is venting here and can use whatever tone she wishes. that doesn't necessarily mean that tone was used in the actual conversation.

and i agree that the finger sticks should be done as closely to insulin being given as possible.

but "FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PATIENT" find some effective communication skills on both sides and resolve the issue.

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