work trouble

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

Sigh....

this sounds like almost every LTC I have ever worked in. Bad aides who call the shots nad have admin wrapped around their liitle fingers. I found this to be the case when I was an aide myself- other aides would get a kick out of pushing it to the limit-seeing how much they could get away with. Usually, it was quite a lot. I have no advice except for get a different job. That's the only thing that ever worked for me.

Each facility has it's own culture and dynamics. It's nearly impossible to change things, if this is the way things have been for a long time.

Disclaimer- not starting an argument about aides here. We all know there are some awesome aides- but the op is having problems with bad aides, not the great ones.

We also know that every great CNA has worked w/ a bad nurse, and vice versa.

jschut, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

Oh Honey~

Hang in there. Just answer what lights you can, and insist they let you know (or you can post a time list) of when breaks are to be taken.

I am currently going through the very same thing with a certain CNA who thinks she owns the place.

Fortunately for me, I have a DON who will back me, and talked to the aid about her behaviors. The CNA continues to ignore me, and although I don't want her to be my best friend, I do however expect professionalism at work.

I need this job and refuse to leave. (UNless I can find another LTC that will work with my school hours! :chuckle )

I'm thinkin 'bout ya, cause I know what you are dealing with! :rolleyes:

MandyInMS · Jul 12, 2004

Have you tried sitting down and talking with the cna's? explaining that you need them available especially during med passes so that errors are not made...seems more errors happen when you aren't able to focus on what you're doing...telling them you don't mind answering lights/calls when you can..and that they all don't need to break at the same time.....you are all 'grown' and know what your jobs are...just tell them how you are feeling, and listen to them as well and try to work it out among yourselves...if that can't be accomplished doccument and follow chain of command.....best of luck (((hugzzzzz)))

nontrad1964 · Jul 12, 2004

Hi,

Thanks for the input.

I cant go to them as they are the ones complaining and have the full time charge nurse wrapped around their fingers. They are going to turn in other nurses that work that floor also, so they tell me. The charge nurse said she was talking to me at the request of the floor supervisor, which I dont know if is true or not. But after our talk she spent a lot of time in the corner with the aides whispering about stuff. If she was talking to me at request of supervisor, she had no business discussing this with the aides on what was going on and how things handled. When I send in my letter of resignation I will mention the talk at the request of supervisor, this will let them know what I was told. Will be honest and tell them I cant meet their expectations as superwoman.

There is a lot of turnover in this place due to attitude problems and the "unwelcome wagon" greeting new hires. When I had worked as an aide in the past, my care load was double what they are carrying, and I had to give showers too, they dont (the bath aide on days gives 18 showers). I dont recall nurse/med person answering lights much cause as an aide I was promptly there to handle it, as were my coworkers. They were there to lend a hand for a quick transfer, just as I am when asked.

I really do appreciate the input on this and glad to know maybe I am not teh one with the problem. I think if they would up the wage of the aides and management would do their job keeping people in line or getting rid of them, LTC would be a great place to work. My last employer let people call in sick at least once a week and frequently on weekends and never ousted anyone cause looks good on paper to at least have them scheduled. ONce showed up for work and was the only aide when had 4 scheduled. AFter 2 hours some agency girls came in to help out that did not know the residents. What a night, I put 18 people to bed and quit shortly thereafter.

Thanks.

MandyInMS · Jul 13, 2004

Yikes...sounds like 2 week notice time...that's sad for the residents who will be loosing a good nurse though...best wishes to you.

DZcarrie · Jul 13, 2004

i came here to vent about MY job!

i work in a LTC facility as an aide. i pass meds. yup. we all (i think) can. they call us "med techs"

so....on the dementia floor, where i've been since i started, we serve food, shower, clean, take out the trash, take out laundry, toilet, change wet beds, do the laundry, put away dishes, AND pass meds. all the while we've got people who don't even know what planet they're on that we need to assist. i work nights, so there are about 5 aides in the building, no nurses (they are on-call), and little over 100 residents.i've seen aides get punched, screamed at, food thrown at, cursed....

and i've only been there for 3 weeks. it's unionized, but it's a service union, so all of the aides belong to the union, housekeepers, maintenance, kitchen staff, etc. nurses (management) do not. i think there are only about 5 nurses. only 2 being RN's in the facility. if there are more, i've never met them.there is a great dislike for management though i have not seen anything that they have done wrong! aides on the other hand.....well, for example my "charge aide" who i'm supposed to report to with any problems or questions, didn't even introduce herself to me. she usually hangs out in the laundry room on her personal cell phone all night.

i'm stuck between a rock and hard place with this job because i really need it to pay for school (RN) and it's one of the few jobs that i can work 3rd shift, plus get pt. experience at the pay i'm getting. i need to wait 3 months before i can get transferred to another facility (union rules).

to tell you the truth, i am afraid to tell the other aides that i am going to school to be an RN because i'm afraid they'll turn on me. it's like they all stick together so that everyone gets away with stuff. if i reported the charge aide on the phone, i feel like my job would be total hell after that.

in the meantime, i'm keeping my head low and working hard. i've developed a "tell nothin to no one" attitude but it's getting harder to not divulge information about myself because people are just curious. "break room talk" is hard to avoid!

anyhow, i commend you on caring enough for the patients that you DO YOUR JOB!!! that is the key here. we are there for the pts., not many people that i work with realize that!!! i think it's just inhuman to let another human being sit there in a poopy brief when it's "not my patient". ridiculous!!!

good luck!

:sniff: :bluecry1:

nontrad1964 · Jul 14, 2004

Hi DZ

I know how stuck you feel. If McDonalds paid better I would go there, but may do so anyway.

My residents are continent for the most part. Is sad when the ones that aren't have to sit in it. I cant stand to hear the call lights ding and that alone is enough incentive to get up and answer it. Maybe if the noise was more annoying they would get attended to faster. But I guess if you hide in teh laundry room you dont hear them anyway.

For the most part, aides work very hard and should be paid accordingly. If they raised the wages more good people would get in there and do it so they could get rid of the bad ones. I think the flexible scheduling is fabulous. If you run a tight ship, your aide will work there as a nurse, if you dont they are out the door when they pass the NCLEX. Most employers dont tolerate the abseenteeism and lack of productivity that LTC does and that is probably what brings many into the field. And the same can be said about some of the nurses, not just an aide problem. A lot of administrators just care about how things look on paper for the state and medicare reimbursement.

What I dont understand is how the powers in charge arent worried about their licenses from the actions of the people working the floor. I mean, they are essentially responsible for them and couldnt their license be on the line if things are real bad. You never hear of a DON or Administrator in trouble for lack of staffing and poor care.

Good Luck to you in your situation.

henry-106 · Jul 14, 2004

Wow. I thought I was the only one having issues working as CNA in a LTC facility! I haven at my job for almost a year. And I have enjoyed it. I do admit that there has been some issues with Mgt. but thats to be expected with any job,right? Well our current DON, was "let go" b/c of a minor disagrement regarding suspension of another employee who is LPN. Well, out new DON had a meeting with all of us CNAs, well come to find out, she is the wife of our accounting adminstrator. Who is the one who has but the pick up bonuses, plus decreased the amount for tutition reimbursment. Yeah, imagine that. We meet with the new DON. And she made this regulation, that we are not allowed behind the nurses station, to do whatever. So practically we are not allowed to sit on the job, unless we are on our breaks. Ok, I understand that cause there are alot of CNAs that lack and just sit around doing nothing. But, to the fact when she says its applicable to ALL shifts. Does that make sense? I work second shift, so after 8 or so everything is calmed down,and we have 2 hours before next rounds start. So what are we supposed to do when we have everything done? Interesting question, I know. But the thing is, the new DON says that is she hears or sees of people lounging around, then she will take it as a sign that we are over-staffed and will start "letting go" people. First, of all. We operate with 2 nurses and 5 CNAs for about 100-110 residents. Who the majority are total care. And if she decides to cut back more? Crazy is all I can say.

So, currently I am looking for a new job as well. And it kinda sucks, cause I love the residents to pieces- its just bad Mgt. So, hopefully I can hold out until the Fall. Because I just recently talked with someone from HR at Ohio State Medical Center who wants to hire me for SNA (Student Nurse Associate). But the thing is, you have to be in you Acute setting clinicals, which I won't start until Sept. So my dilemma: holding it out at my current work until then. :stone Not happy about it, but will do it.

Hm. I guess all LTC's are the same,eh? Interesting. Maybe when I go on to get my MSN that will be on my to-do list- to change LTC's. :) Maybe in my dreams.

Its nice to know though that I am not alone out there concerning this situation.