No cna's ??

Specialties Med-Surg

Published

I just got my first RN med-surg position and during the interview she said they don't have any cna's right now?!?!? How can this be?? I took the job because I'm a new grad and I don't have many options....I am nervous about this!!

Specializes in Pedi.

One of my good friends works on a medical unit with no CNAs... she loves it.

If you have good CNAs, they can make your day easier... my experience in the hospital was with lazy ones- I'd have rather had none at all. If I started my day knowing that I had to do vitals, baths, all I&Os, etc. I could arrange my day better from the start. As it was, I'd start my day thinking I had a CNA helping me with my 2 heavy patients but at 10am, no vitals were done, no Is&Os were entered, no beds were changed, patients hadn't even been offered baths and the CNAs were sitting down eating breakfast or hiding in the locker room talking on their phones. At night, we'd often find them sleeping. So then, I'd be scrambling to make up for stuff they didn't do and would get behind. Overall, I don't think lack of CNAs is any sort of red flag- the unit may run just fine, ask a lot of questions!

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.
One of my good friends works on a medical unit with no CNAs... she loves it.

If you have good CNAs, they can make your day easier... my experience in the hospital was with lazy ones- I'd have rather had none at all. If I started my day knowing that I had to do vitals, baths, all I&Os, etc. I could arrange my day better from the start. As it was, I'd start my day thinking I had a CNA helping me with my 2 heavy patients but at 10am, no vitals were done, no Is&Os were entered, no beds were changed, patients hadn't even been offered baths and the CNAs were sitting down eating breakfast or hiding in the locker room talking on their phones. At night, we'd often find them sleeping. So then, I'd be scrambling to make up for stuff they didn't do and would get behind. Overall, I don't think lack of CNAs is any sort of red flag- the unit may run just fine, ask a lot of questions!

I definitely agree with this. I sometimes would rather do it myself with some of the CNAs we get. I would be able to do it if I had to but I've had the luxury of always having CNAs so it would be something I would need to get used to.

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Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.

Maybe the acuity and nurse to patient ratio is different, hard to judge cultures unless you worked in both

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

One of the hospitals in my area doesn't use CNAs. They have a team nursing model where a RN and an LPN provide all of the care for 8 (I think) patients on med/surg.

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I work in Canada. My province does not use aides much in hospitals. I'd like to keep it that way. If there were aides I'd have more pts and less time. I like bathing pts, I can do skin assessment, look at dressings, listen to breathing, assess for pain, discover knew things. Best of all it's surprising how well you get to know someone just by helping them to the bathroom.Good luck! I'd like to think your ratios are less by not having aides

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Specializes in L&D.

Not a nurse, I'm a student...but I did clinical on a floor that only had one aide, and they would get floated to a different floor some days. The nurses were kept very busy! As nursing students, we really helped them out by doing baths, ambulation, toileting, etc. The floor wasn't that big, and the nurses had about 4 patients each. If your floor is similar, you're probably going to do okay. If you're on a bigger floor with more than 5 patients, you may have a difficult time adjusting (at least, I would). I am in semester 3 of nursing school, so this is coming from someone who observed rather than did.

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The ratio will be 4 pt's to one RN unless short staffed she said possibly 5 pt's to one RN...this to me sounds almost ridiculous!!!! I don't know how I can do all my RN duties on top of CNA work?!? It's hard to get into the hospital as a new grad so I'm thankful however, I'm nervous as to how I can perform my job safely :/

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I definitely agree with this. I sometimes would rather do it myself with some of the CNAs we get. I would be able to do it if I had to but I've had the luxury of always having CNAs so it would be something I would need to get used to.

I agree as well actually now that I think about. It's sometimes to do the work yourself and know that's its done! Rather than nagging a lazy CNA over and over. But if I have 5 pt's with high acuity it will be tough :/

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
The ratio will be 4 pt's to one RN unless short staffed she said possibly 5 pt's to one RN...this to me sounds almost ridiculous!!!! I don't know how I can do all my RN duties on top of CNA work?!? It's hard to get into the hospital as a new grad so I'm thankful however I'm nervous as to how I can perform my job safely :/[/quote']

1:4 with no tech is doable. I frequently work in an overflow area where I have 3-4 pts (5 max only if none of the others are step-down status). You just encorporate vital signs and blood sugars into your rounds, and remember to keep track of I&O's. The times I do have a tech they really don't have much to do and they are honestly bored. I do work mainly nights so it is easier to do a small assignment without a tech on nights as opposed to days when you are doing baths

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I used to work 5-6 with no aides and it is doable.

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It is definitely doable. It's a really good idea to start working in a SNF, you find out what you can really do! I worked in a SNF w/sub acute patients mixed w/ LTC patients, 30 patients total and I was a new nurse. At 5pm med pass I had to get BS on at least 5-7 patients and inevitably an aid would tell me about someone's B/P that was lower than normal, so I would manually go and take it. If I was outside out a room and the patient needed to use the bathroom, I would take them. I can't forgot that sometimes a patient would fall in the middle of med pass and the RN has to do the assessment, start neuro paperwork- even if they didn't hurt themselves! All while doing a med pass for 29 other patients! You will learn excellent time management skills- it's doable :woot:

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I worked LTC/SNF for 3 years. I never felt like I gave my patients the care they deserved. I ran around in a 12 hour shift and only took one 10 minute brake and even stayed over at least an hour (sometimes 3) to finish my charting. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Where I worked nurses (not techs) did all the VS making it even more difficult to get things done on time.

I am now working med surg in a hospital and its like a vacation. I have a hard time sitting in the brake room for my full 30min lunch break because I feel like I am getting behind on my work, but in reality I'm not. I love it. I am still PRN at the LTC/SNF, but I am considering quitting. How could I go back to that after I've had a taste of the good life? :yes:

It is definitely doable. It's a really good idea to start working in a SNF, you find out what you can really do! I worked in a SNF w/sub acute patients mixed w/ LTC patients, 30 patients total and I was a new nurse. At 5pm med pass I had to get BS on at least 5-7 patients and inevitably an aid would tell me about someone's B/P that was lower than normal, so I would manually go and take it. If I was outside out a room and the patient needed to use the bathroom, I would take them. I can't forgot that sometimes a patient would fall in the middle of med pass and the RN has to do the assessment, start neuro paperwork- even if they didn't hurt themselves! All while doing a med pass for 29 other patients! You will learn excellent time management skills- it's doable :woot:
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