Ok, first off.....I know not all CNAs are lazy. Those who are lazy know who they are and if they are lazy or not, so if you are a CNA and you are not lazy then this does not apply to you or to others who are NOT lazy. Don't get upset or flame me for this posting, because I am seriously frustrated with SOME my CNAs on the nightshift at the LTC I work in part time.
I am posting to seek suggestions for this frustrating situation.
So here's the story.
I work nights, sometimes a 12 hour shift from 7p-7a and sometimes an 8-hour shift from 11p-7a.
Most of the CNAs are good on these shifts and do their work.
The ones who do not do as expected are the source of my frustration.
We have 2 wings, and an ACU, {Alzheimer's Care Unit.**
We usually have 5 CNAs at night.
Some of them are known to pile up in the chairs in the lobby in front of the television, sleep, snore, spend enormous amounts of time smoking out on the patio and conveniently forget to do their rounds at 1am and 3 am. At 5 am, they do that round, because they have to start getting people up and dressed.
It is the 1am and 3am rounds I am concerned with.
Night before last night, 1 CNA slept in the lobby there in front of the desk. I was very busy around 1am doing some work in the medicine room, so I did not really notice if he did that 1am round or not. I give people the benefit of the doubt and assume people will do their jobs.
But..............as the clock ticked on, I noticed him staying in the chair and sleeping and snoring. I then started watching closely to see if he was going to do the 3am round. At 3:20am, I asked him was he going to get up and do the bedchecks. He says, "In a couple of minutes."
So I say, "I did not see you do the round at 1am, and am not sure if you actually did, but for this round it is already 3:20 and you have not yet started. When do you intend to start this round?" So he sat there for about 30-45 seconds, and then got up and went down the hall and started doing the bedchecks.
Another area of concern is the Alzheimer's Care Unit. The CNA who is covering that unit spends alot of time....altho, not all of the shift....out on the patio smoking and talking. This leaves that unit...which is behind double doors that are closed, UNcovered while she is on the patio. If someone got up and fell who would know it, until she decides to go back on the unit?
She doesn't ask to be relieved for a break, she just leaves the unit whenever she wants to.
All the CNAs, sometimes all meet on the patio for smoking and chatting, which leaves just me and other LPN on the halls.
This is all very frustrating, because if we write up any CNA for anything we get no back up from the DON. She made the comment once to another LPN, "Well as long as they are here............." She also told one LPN that she did not do the write up on the official form and so therefore the write up was not valid. But the "official" forms were never put out where we have access to them. I don't think they want us to write the CNAs up for poor job performance. We LPNs are being underminded by the DON and other administration staff and the CNAs are therefore being allowed to walk all over us. And the patients are the ones who are suffering for it.
I am SICK of this situation. Do you all hear what I am saying? I am SICK of it.
I need suggestions for getting these CNAs up off their lazy butts and doing some work.
I don't know what to do. It is so frustrating. I just cannot take this anymore.
Leaving and getting another part time job is out of the question. This job, these hours and the location to my home, is just what I need for extra work and the convenience of being close to my house, which is just practically around the corner from where I live.
This job can be made better, and I need to know how to do it.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
How can I be more assertive and a better supervisor?
I think I could get more support from the ADON.......I think I should talk to HER and not the DON.
