Just Venting: PCA with an Attitude!

Nurses Relations

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Okay, I'm just venting...not trying to cause trouble, judge or bash all PCA's (or CNA's) because not all of them are like the one I experienced over the weekend. Just wanted to vent and get this off my chest, that's all.

My son was admitted to the hospital this past Saturday (with bleeding complications from his tonsillectomy). He stayed in the pediatric surgical unit in case he had to go back to the OR for cauterization. (Thank God he did not have to go back to the OR!) The nurses who took care of him were awesome, so no complaint there. But the PCA who came in the next morning and wheeled him out when he was D/C was a real drag! :down: Right away I picked up on her negative attitude from the time she came in just after 7 a.m. to take his vitals, and then brought him breakfast. No smile at all, didn't say hello (I told her good morning, and she barely said it back...like it hurt her to say it) and when I asked her a question, it was always a short, snappy answer. And when it came down to escorting us out, we waited about a minute outside while my hubby brought the car around, and she didn't even look at me or say one word! I'm not taking this personal, but geez, shouldn't someone who is in healthcare be a little more friendly??? Especially when it comes to working with children. I'm sure she was probably having a bad day (even though she was like that from the very beginning of her shift)...maybe? I know PCA's work hard...but she shouldn't be taking it out on us. I didn't expect her to be bubbly, but at least a little smile wouldn't have hurt. She just made me uncomfortable...:icon_roll

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

I would send a note thanking the nurses and letting the manager know of the PCAs behavior. They have a right to know if their staff is rude.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I'd say give her a break. If she didn't go out of her way to be unsafe or plain mean, maybe she's just having a bad day. You don't know what was going through her mind. She could have been overworked, her dog might have died, any number of things could make someone not feel like being perky and/or friendly.

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Just to play devil's advocate: remember this episode after you start working and you have a million things to do at once and some relative takes issue that she's not the center of your attention. And if that's not enough, maybe someone aspiring to climb the corporate ladder will eat up even more of your time by lecturing you on rendering customer service with a smile.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

There is no excuse for anyone to go out of their way to be rude. That's not about her job, that's just her basic disposition. If she doesn't like being around people, she needs to be doing work independent of the public.

Bottom line.

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I'm glad he got excellent care from the nurses. You should send them a thank you note as well as one to their managers. I can speak from experience that we love that. lol Truly it makes you feel so good when someone takes a minute to say something nice.

You could take issue with the PCA's attitude up with their superior of you see fit. If it bothers you that much do it. I wish she'd been a little warmer but not everyone in healthcare is. That's just the truth of is and if they did their job in a timely manner and your son suffered no ill effect due to their care I would tend to let it go.

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Specializes in CVICU, ER.

A bad day or problems at home are no excuse for this kind of behavior in my opinion. I have found that in my dept, many of the PCAs are resentful of the nurses and get mad or roll their eyes when we ask them to do anything, even tasks within their job description. I have personally heard them bad mouth the RNs among themselves, and say how we can do our own dirty work. There is enough for us to do already with pt care and all the paperwork that comes along with it. I have found very few PCAs who love their job enough to be nice. I wouldn't let it go. I would do as livetolearn said and write a note. Most hospitals strive for excellence, and with the way the economy is, they would have no problem finding a replacement.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.

Even IF she was having a bad day, the patient should not have to be victim to it! Whatever is going on with her personally, is not to be shown to the patient. That is what professionalism is all about.

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Doesn't sound like she "went out of her way to be rude" but rather didn't go out of her way to be nice. Think about it, she's stuck at work the Sunday morning after July 4th. If she got the holiday off to spend with her family, didn't get to bed until late after fireworks. We're all supposed to put the patient first, but come on, we're all human too. And I don't see the hospital administrator thinking that the patients are important enough to bring themselves in on a weekend, much less a holiday weekend.

I recently had a family member in the hospital. I had thought it would make me more sensitive to pt/family complaints. Instead, it's made me realize that what's important really should be getting the patient better. I didn't care who smiled or was all business or even who was kind of mean. I cared that she went from could have died to better than before her admission. The emphasis on "customer service" make me even more angry than it used to. It's a huge mixing up of priorities.

So you didn't get service with a smile. Your kid is better right? Isn't THAT what's most important?

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.
A bad day or problems at home are no excuse for this kind of behavior in my opinion. I have found that in my dept, many of the PCAs are resentful of the nurses and get mad or roll their eyes when we ask them to do anything, even tasks within their job description. I have personally heard them bad mouth the RNs among themselves, and say how we can do our own dirty work. There is enough for us to do already with pt care and all the paperwork that comes along with it. I have found very few PCAs who love their job enough to be nice. I wouldn't let it go. I would do as livetolearn said and write a note. Most hospitals strive for excellence, and with the way the economy is, they would have no problem finding a replacement.

I remember when I was a tech There was a couple of nurses I just hated working with. When I was a kid my granny told me repeatedly "If u don't like the way things are then get in there and change it." So I went to school to becaome a nurse so I would not treat anyone else, CNA's bad.

I still do the same thing even today

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I'd say give her a break. If she didn't go out of her way to be unsafe or plain mean, maybe she's just having a bad day. You don't know what was going through her mind. She could have been overworked, her dog might have died, any number of things could make someone not feel like being perky and/or friendly.

It's really not the job of the patient/parent to nurse the workers. We need to leave our troubles at home when we are on duty.

Next time, send her away and tell the person in charge you want a different staff member taking care of you and yours, not someone so sullen and unfriendly, no matter what her reason - unless you are very mature and can speak frankly to the aide and let her know that "You seem unhappy. What's going on with you. Maybe I can help." Or "don't you feel well? Trouble?"

Do let the boss know that she has a sullen, unfriendly staff member. Give date and time. Let the boss figure out if she deserves some slack.

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doesn't sound like she "went out of her way to be rude" but rather didn't go out of her way to be nice. think about it, she's stuck at work the sunday morning after july 4th. if she got the holiday off to spend with her family, didn't get to bed until late after fireworks. we're all supposed to put the patient first, but come on, we're all human too. and i don't see the hospital administrator thinking that the patients are important enough to bring themselves in on a weekend, much less a holiday weekend.

i recently had a family member in the hospital. i had thought it would make me more sensitive to pt/family complaints. instead, it's made me realize that what's important really should be getting the patient better. i didn't care who smiled or was all business or even who was kind of mean. i cared that she went from could have died to better than before her admission. the emphasis on "customer service" make me even more angry than it used to. it's a huge mixing up of priorities.

so you didn't get service with a smile. your kid is better right? isn't that what's most important?

5th of july or christmas day, up too late last night or house burned down - do you think your boss would let you be sullen and unfriendly to the patients/parents? i can't count the # of times i've had to set aside my very serious troubles and smile even when my heart was very heavy. if i have to and can do it, i think others should be able to learn to do it, too. as i said earlier, inform the boss and let the worker's boss sort it out.

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