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| |  management situation with nursing assistant?
So I'm a relatively new nurse, been at my facility for a little over 2 years. Not too sure of myself still and not too keen on managing people. The charge nurse role rotates among the nurses on a nightly basis, and I've been CN about 3-4 times a month in the last 6 months. There's no difference in patient load or pay, but the CN is responsible for assigning admissions and is the go-to person for problems that night.
There's one nursing assistant that has asked me if she can leave early, about 15 minutes, at least four times in the last 2 months. The first two times I said ok, as long as your work is done and your fellow nursing assistants are willing to cover you. The third time another nursing assistant complained to me that it's not fair that she "constantly" gets to leave early. So the last time she asked I said yes just because it was busy and I didn't want to deal with it but I found out the reason why is that she wants to catch an earlier bus home. I thought about it later and wrote an email to her stating I will not be letting her leave early as her shift ends at midnight and if she needs to be home at a certain time she will have to find alternative transportation. Once in a while is fine but not on a regular basis.
She approached me after that and said she only asks to leave early once every 3 months and no one says anything when she doesn't have time to take a break or cuts her break short because the other nursing assts are late to work. If she takes the next bus, she has to wait 40 minutes. I don't know what to do. I don't know how often she's asking the other CNs to leave early; she says "everyone else" lets her leave early.
Is this something that should be brought up with my manager? Just this past month during evaluations my manager told me as a nurse I need to supervise the NAs, no matter that they're older than me, been there longer than me, etc. What's the next step if I want to be be diplomatic but keep good relationships? If one NA is already complaining about her leaving early, I don't want it reach my manager's ears and then be held accountable as to why I let it happen. Thoughts?
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Dec 25, 2008, 11:18 PM
Re: management situation with nursing assistant? Originally Posted by mariesmist  So I'm a relatively new nurse, been at my facility for a little over 2 years. Not too sure of myself still and not too keen on managing people. The charge nurse role rotates among the nurses on a nightly basis, and I've been CN about 3-4 times a month in the last 6 months. There's no difference in patient load or pay, but the CN is responsible for assigning admissions and is the go-to person for problems that night.
There's one nursing assistant that has asked me if she can leave early, about 15 minutes, at least four times in the last 2 months. The first two times I said ok, as long as your work is done and your fellow nursing assistants are willing to cover you. The third time another nursing assistant complained to me that it's not fair that she "constantly" gets to leave early. So the last time she asked I said yes just because it was busy and I didn't want to deal with it but I found out the reason why is that she wants to catch an earlier bus home. I thought about it later and wrote an email to her stating I will not be letting her leave early as her shift ends at midnight and if she needs to be home at a certain time she will have to find alternative transportation. Once in a while is fine but not on a regular basis.
She approached me after that and said she only asks to leave early once every 3 months and no one says anything when she doesn't have time to take a break or cuts her break short because the other nursing assts are late to work. If she takes the next bus, she has to wait 40 minutes. I don't know what to do. I don't know how often she's asking the other CNs to leave early; she says "everyone else" lets her leave early.
Is this something that should be brought up with my manager? Just this past month during evaluations my manager told me as a nurse I need to supervise the NAs, no matter that they're older than me, been there longer than me, etc. What's the next step if I want to be be diplomatic but keep good relationships? If one NA is already complaining about her leaving early, I don't want it reach my manager's ears and then be held accountable as to why I let it happen. Thoughts?
As a new nurse it is hard to manage experienced healthcare workers. To groom yourself adequately, find an experienced RN to mentor you. Someone that you can get advice from and talk to in confidence. Preferably an RN not at your current work location and someone you can bounce ideas around with. In the meantime, feel confident that you can take uncomfortable situations to your supervisor. Personally, I would elevate to the supervisor and ask for assistance. You stated you are a new nurse and with that you are expected to have challenges in your current role. Practice makes perfect and leadership is learned over time and not overnight.
| | No. 3 |
Dec 25, 2008, 11:22 PM
Re: management situation with nursing assistant?
No No NO
Quit letting this person go home early, her transportation problems are not yours.
This person is not keeping a good working relationship by asking you if she can leave early
you go to work to work, not make friends, the next time she asks you if she can leave early,
you must tell her NO.
| | No. 4 |
Dec 25, 2008, 11:32 PM
Re: management situation with nursing assistant?
Thanks for the replies. I think I'll speak to my manager when I get back to work. The NA says it's only every so often she needs to catch that bus because while she usually has a ride home, that ride is sometimes not available. I haven't been keeping track how frequently. It just feels like it's more often than once every 3 months. I guess I was really wondering if this was something I could handle on my own.
| | No. 8 |
Dec 26, 2008, 08:54 AM
Re: management situation with nursing assistant?
If all her work is done and none of the other CNA are upset, I'd say don't make a big deal out of it.
I take the bus home - on Sundays and Holidays the schedule is different. The last bus is at 11:30 pm - shift ends at 11:30 pm. If I stay to the end of the shift, I have to take a taxi home. If I leave just a little bit early, I can get the bus and safe money.
Is work being left undone? Or is everyone just sitting, waiting for the next shift to arrive?
| | No. 9 |
Dec 26, 2008, 10:55 AM
Re: management situation with nursing assistant?
I also have to commend people who take public transportation at night. Depending on where you live, bus stops are dark, cold and isolated. Does this CNA ask the other nurses as well or just you? I would find out a bit more about her issue and take it to the powers that be. Also, observe her work habits. Are her patients well care for? Is she a trouble maker or team player? She may have a legitimate reason to worry. Many times, we are concerned about people while they are on the clock, but know nothing about what it takes them to get to work on time, what bills they have to pay... Maybe she has a babysitter who will charge extra if she is too late...who knows?
I would bump it up to the nursing supervisor to see if her hours can be accomodated, if that is possible and if she deserves it. I'm not so quick to want to throw someone under the bus in this economic crisis unless they are completely dead weight. She may actually be worth the investment to work with.
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