Being Asked to Come in and Work as CNA...

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Wondering how many nurses out there get asked to come in and work on the floor as a CNA.. My employer does this quite often, they have even mandated nurses to come in and work as CNAs. My scheduler called me the other day and asked if I would come in and do a 12 tonight, 4 hours as a CNA and then my regular 8 as a nurse, I did not call her back for fear she would try to mandate me.. I have no interest in working overtime and I have even less interest to work as a CNA. And no, it's not because I think I am better than that or what not.. I have nothing but respect for CNAs, they have the hardest job in healthcare. It's been 12+ years since I worked as an aide and I put myself through school to be a nurse, not a CNA. If I had wanted to work as a CNA I would've saved myself from the student loans, stress, and hardwork..

Anywho, just wondering who else gets asked this and what your thoughts are..

It will depend on where you are as well. When I am working as an aise I can still function as a nurse and pass meds if needed.

You are correct, I forgot to mention that in my post. It depends on the State you are in and what the BON says.

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Just wanted to say that your avatar is awesome. Have a good day!

Whose? Mine? If so, thanks! That's my goofy boxer, his antics always brighten my day!

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Please redirect yourselves back to original topic.

Thank you.

What were we talking about again?! :saint:

At the end of the day my biggest issue is the possibility of being told I would HAVE to come in and would HAVE to work as an aide. I understand our patients and residents don't get to go home, but to say or imply that the nurses who choose to work overtime care more than the nurses who don't work extra shifts is wrong. Those patients may not get to go home but my kids only have ONE childhood and ONE mom they will always come first to me.

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In North Carolina once you pass the NCLEX you can no longer legally work as a CNA. I asked an ADON about it once and she said it had to do with scope of practice. Of course this puts new grads in an awful position. You can't apply for RN jobs without your license, but once you had it you couldn't continue to work as a CNA while you looked for work. Talk about a catch 22. It makes me really glad I'm cross trained as a Unit Secretary and a Phlebotomist.

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In North Carolina once you pass the NCLEX you can no longer legally work as a CNA. I asked an ADON about it once and she said it had to do with scope of practice. Of course this puts new grads in an awful position. You can't apply for RN jobs without your license, but once you had it you couldn't continue to work as a CNA while you looked for work. Talk about a catch 22. It makes me really glad I'm cross trained as a Unit Secretary and a Phlebotomist.

Out of curiosity, they don't have nurse intern positions? In my neck of the woods those positions are for recent grads awaiting license in hand, as it's said.

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What were we talking about again?! :saint:

At the end of the day my biggest issue is the possibility of being told I would HAVE to come in and would HAVE to work as an aide. I understand our patients and residents don't get to go home, but to say or imply that the nurses who choose to work overtime care more than the nurses who don't work extra shifts is wrong. Those patients may not get to go home but my kids only have ONE childhood and ONE

mom they will always come first to me.

LOL No, QT, I Never said nor implied that at all. My apologies if it seemed that way. It was more to explain that care is care, and ADLs are within range of LPN and RN, and even though money is first and foremost the reason I came in as a CNA, I still gave good, proper and respectful care to the residents. Like your children come first to you, my home-life comes first to me. But being single w/ no children, I have the time to pile on the hours for awhile & rake in the money, then pull back for awhile and work shorter hours and enjoy life at home.

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Specializes in corrections and LTC.

You are held to the standard of your license, so as an LPN.

I cannot physically do the work of a CNA. I was one for years and loved the patient contact that I had, but I was younger and healthier then.

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Specializes in IMC.
This question came up in my facility when I was an LPN. We contacted our BON questioning what we could and could not do if we were working in the CNA capacity. We were told if working as a 'CNA' we had to stay within their scope of practice. For example, Mrs J asks you for her PRN med (narc or not)...you could tell the nurse in charge of her care that Mrs J wanted it, but you could not admister the med to her. Anything that required a LPN or RN license was not allowed for you while you were working as a CNA (the LPN or RN working that shift in a CNA position).

In that facility, only LPN's and RN's are required to have CPR certs so the CNAs (the vast majority) did not have training in it and none regardless of having their CPR cert or not were allowed to initiate or assist in CPR (blew my mind..but I digress). If someone coded, LPN's or RN's working as CNA's for that time could assist with the code however the nurses working as 'nurses' that shift were in charge of the code.

Right because the RN/LPN working as a CNA does NOT have the keys, so they are just in the CNA capacity and will report anything to the nurse in charge of those residents or patients.

I do not get why some people are making this so hard. There are some nights I wish I was an aide! My stress level would decrease tremendously!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Right because the RN/LPN working as a CNA does NOT have the keys, so they are just in the CNA capacity and will report anything to the nurse in charge of those residents or patients.

I do not get why some people are making this so hard. There are some nights I wish I was an aide! My stress level would decrease tremendously!

We don't have keys. i can still access meds if need be.

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