Lazy and disrespectful Nursing Assistants

Nurses Relations

Published

This is a vent post!

I just can't hold it in any longer and had to vent somewhere so I figured maybe some of you can understand or offer suggestions.

I work night shift on a medical transition unit and am often in the charge nurse role. We have 38 patients on the unit and are staffed with 1 charge( with 6 pt assignment), and 2 LPNs who 16 patients each. In addition to this we have 3 nursing assistants working with us.

I am often super swamped all night and rarely get a break. I barely manage to finish all my paperwork, Meds, assessments, etc but the NAs always manage to have nice long extended breaks plus sit at the computer on Facebook or watching videos for hours on end. But yet if a wandering pt comes out I am still the one who has to redirect them back to their room, they won't get off their butts unless I tell them too. Shouldn't they be able to do their jobs without being told all night? Then in addition to this they have been running to management complaining that they have too many people to change and Want nursing to come along with them. At the moment changing people is the ONLY thing they do and us nurses are struggling to get our other work done as it is.

Then to top it off yesterday we had a sick call and I ha to change on me of the NAs assignments around and she was YELLING at me about it right at the desk. Sooo disrespectful and unprofessional .

I'm beyond fed up!! I feel like they are creating more work and stress for me than the patients!!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

I think it's dependent on the group as well.

I'm a PCT in my hospital and if I get a chance to sit, I will.

I don't play with my phone though, but sitting is nice.

If the nurse asks me to do something it's NBD, I just get up and do it.

But some people will sigh, roll eyes, etc.

0 Votes

Some people are lazy and simply don't want to work. Cna's were trained to be assistants, hence their title, the nerve of them to complain, they have the easier job. Can't they get written up or something?

0 Votes
Some people are lazy and simply don't want to work. Cna's were trained to be assistants hence their title, the nerve of them to complain, they have the easier job. Can't they get written up or something?[/quote']

I wish! It seems like management is letting them run the show. Apparently at the last staff meeting the educator was telling everyone ( nurses and NAs) that the nurses need to start helping and that there is no excuse for nursing not helping and blah blah blah

0 Votes

As a current CNA and someday nurse, block social media, disallow cell phones.

Document your specific concerns and get them fired--it's not really likely punishment will lead to better work ethic. There are good people seeking jobs out there. Or if you aren't interested in taking it that far, sit them down and try having a conversation with them. Or look for a different job. Or don't do anything but vent, I guess.

CNAs should get their breaks. It's a legal necessity regardless of how swamped you are but if it goes beyond that, fight for something better for your patients.

0 Votes
As a current CNA and someday nurse, block social media, disallow cell phones.

Document your specific concerns and get them fired--it's not really likely punishment will lead to better work ethic. There are good people seeking jobs out there. Or if you aren't interested in taking it that far, sit them down and try having a conversation with them. Or look for a different job. Or don't do anything but vent, I guess.

CNAs should get their breaks. It's a legal necessity regardless of how swamped you are but if it goes beyond that, fight for something better for your patients.

Oh I totally agree everyone should get breaks but this goes Wayyyy beyond that.

And even their laziness I could let slide a little but it's the total disrespect that realllyyyyy gets to me. There is one NA that will yell at the nurses all the time. She was once getting very forceful and in the face of an agitated pt with dementia trying to make her go back to her roomher. I told her to just leave her alone for now and I would watch her. And she yelled at me "No!! You don't understand, she will wander into other patients rooms" I told her its ok I'm watching her. And she came right up to me and the other nurse swearing and yelled "F%#k!!! I HATE this , nobody ever listens to me!" and stormed off.

The same NA will come up to me repeatedly in a night sawing " such and such pt. has a cough" I got the info the first time and was dealing with it accordingly. But she kept telling me all night and was all like " isn't anyone gonna do anything"

Then situation just the other day Of a NA screaming at me at the desk about the schedule .

Just sooooo much disrespect

0 Votes

What is "NBD?"

0 Votes

I'm currently in nursing school, but am also a PCA in the SICU. I must say, techs like this give us all a bad name. I know there are a few I have worked with that just dilly dally around all night long while the nurses and other techs are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It really drives me nuts and is so hard not to get an attitude with them. I suggest that if your NM won't listen then go further up the chain. Usually we go to the charge nurse, then the NM, and if things still don't get fixed then we go to the main nursing office and have a conversation. Usually they are able to scare people into doing their job and if not they just get rid of them. I personally don't even know how these people have time to sit down, I can hardly get 3 minutes to run to the restroom most nights! Between accchecks q2h, turning, changing, bathing, charting, and the other 18748728 things I'm responsible for in the night I am a happy girl when 0715 rolls around. Maybe you could talk to the offender. You don't have to be demeaning to them, however our job description is the nurses ASSISTANT aka we are there to assist you in caring for the patient. Good luck!

0 Votes

Quote from lilaclover6984

"There is one NA that will yell at the nurses all the time. She was once getting very forceful and in the face of an agitated pt with dementia trying to make her go back to her room. I told her to just leave her alone for now and I would watch her. And she yelled at me "No!! You don't understand, she will wander into other patients rooms"

I'd be reporting the psycho for resident abuse. There's something seriously wrong with your nurse manager if that's tolerated.

Good luck.

0 Votes

Sounds to me like you need some reorganization. You have pretty good staffing for 38 patients, but no one is in charge. The best approach is to go to your unit manager, and then if your aren't satisfied follow your facility's line of communication to the next manager. Change doesn't happen unless unless someone is willing to take a risk and to quote Einstein "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Good luck, and guess what? "Back when I was a nurse" (I've been a RN for 41 years) we had team work and respect (and we had CNAs) :)

0 Votes

You know what's funny? There are a lot of CNA's who can't get jobs because they have no experience. Most places want a year's experience. Maybe these places should change their employment requirements and start hiring the ones fresh out of school-I'm sure they would be more than willing to work for a paycheck.

When I had my neck surgery I was told not to lift anything. But people on the spine/ortho floor I was on somehow had no clue that I wasn't supposed to. I am a short person and had a very hard time using the high toilet in the bathroom. I had a cervical collar on and had all these new restrictions on how I was supposed to move. I had to back up to the toilet and sit down. The therapy people that came in said to use a step stool yet since I was not supposed to lift anything that was not a possibility. So I used the portable commode in the room. When the tech saw me doing it she got ****** and said emptying it was just one more thing for her to do and ordered me to use the toilet in the bathroom-I was supposed to lift the seat of it up. Mind you, the nurse had already told me it would be okay to use the commode so I went out and had a chat with her. She said she would talk to the tech. I did not like that tech one bit. Her first words to me when we met was she was surprised I was in for another day considering how well I was doing. She's just a tech not a nurse or doctor.

It's the same way at the NH my Mom was at. Some of those CNA's are so bossy. One thought she ran the unit and not many patients or family members liked her. She was fired for getting abusive with a resident.

0 Votes

Check your policy manual for do's and don'ts while clocked in, first...I'm sure it covers no cell phones or internet use unless work related if not it should. Second always have a witness when counseling or reminding subordinates of policies. Gentle reminders may help for a week then old habits will resurface. As a charge nurse you can make it official by doing a quick in service that is required for ppl to sign for not only attendance purposes but legally it reflects "they have been told". In my going on 30 years of nursing ONE major importance make sure you know who is the leader of this issue and they do not not have PULL with the big bosses,lol It is sad to know but true often the bosses family can do as they please. You want to retain your position so be careful.A good CNA is like a good nurse hard to come by. Not all honor the profession like the days of old.

hope this helps...I'm almost positive the company CEO wouldn't like paying their staff to play games on the internet or cell phone all night long...in my day night shift meant rounds every thirty minutes and incontinent check and re-positioning every 2 hrs..call lights with in 3 minutes...has this changed? If they are doing the job they wouldn't have alot of extra time :}

0 Votes

Im sorry your dealing with this. As a CNA who is currently looking for work I would love to take her place!!! Start documenting and fire people who are not doing their jobs.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment