New Job -- Unfriendly Welcome By Staff

Nurses Relations

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I start my new job tomorrow as LPN in ALF, I am excited! This past week I have gone into the job 4 days in a row for interview, paperwork, TB results, Orientation. etc. Since day one I felt the hostility amongst the CNAS. I was able to overlook that since the administration was absolutely lovely and welcoming. I also apprecaited that the DON took the time to explain to me the personal side of their facility and that is; they do have attitude problems. I appreciated that the DON told me she did not want me to walk in blindsided, she gave me plenty of examples of what has recently gone on and ways to deal with situations. Nothing too bad just certain personalities. Also, while sitting in her office I whitnessed a few scenarios and loved the way that the DON handled the situation fast and professional. It made me feel comfortable to address an issue if needed and not feel like i am getting somebody in trouble. Today was my last runaround day before starting tomorrow. I walked out taking a big deep breath cause the CNA's truly are rude and impolite. I could not believe the things I heard them say and do in front of the DON! I hear a lot about CNA's trying to run off new nurse's so I am prepared to deal with hostility and I am prepared to brush it off, kill them with kindness, not feed into the negativity type thing.

I am just hoping that tomorrow goes smooth! And that when I start off alone and out of training they aren't too hard on me! However I will give the job 6mos-a year and if the environment of staff is taking a big toll on me and cannot be resolved or lightened, I may have to seek elsewhere.

One positive point to make is that I will be training, and have met with 1st shift yet I will be sccheduled primarily for 3rd so i will not have to deal with these particular meanies!

Don't be nice. Be firm. Be fair.

Don't try to be their freinds it will never work.

Sounds like it is a group of high school kids. Keep them busy. Housekeeping, 1 on 1's what ever it takes.

Just like the kids at home, if it is quiet, they are up to something. Look for closed doors, (and open them)

Do room checks. What ever it takes. Implement no cell phone policy. This takes away their communication link... In my opinion cameras do not belong in NH anyway.

They will hate you, however there is a job to be done. And from the sounds of things a culture change needs to take place.

Firm, confident, direct, communication-With all aides.

Be strong

I am a CNA and I have never tested a new nurse or any employee out. That's just not how I roll. I keep my mouth shut, work, and dig out when I am done.

I work with CNA's who act like they own the joint and I flat-out refuse to play their childish games. I don't get invited to sit at their high school cafeteria table but so what? :smokin:

I think the best way to approach folk like that is to be firm but fair. Don't play into their games. It is obvious that they don't respect anyone if they act up like that in front of the DON, so don't expect any different treatment from them. All you can control is you react or don't react to them.

Good luck!

I start my new job tomorrow as LPN in ALF, I am excited! This past week I have gone into the job 4 days in a row for interview, paperwork, TB results, Orientation. etc. Since day one I felt the hostility amongst the CNAS. I was able to overlook that since the administration was absolutely lovely and welcoming. I also apprecaited that the DON took the time to explain to me the personal side of their facility and that is; they do have attitude problems. I appreciated that the DON told me she did not want me to walk in blindsided, she gave me plenty of examples of what has recently gone on and ways to deal with situations. Nothing too bad just certain personalities. Also, while sitting in her office I whitnessed a few scenarios and loved the way that the DON handled the situation fast and professional. It made me feel comfortable to address an issue if needed and not feel like i am getting somebody in trouble. Today was my last runaround day before starting tomorrow. I walked out taking a big deep breath cause the CNA's truly are rude and impolite. I could not believe the things I heard them say and do in front of the DON! I hear a lot about CNA's trying to run off new nurse's so I am prepared to deal with hostility and I am prepared to brush it off, kill them with kindness, not feed into the negativity type thing.

I am just hoping that tomorrow goes smooth! And that when I start off alone and out of training they aren't too hard on me! However I will give the job 6mos-a year and if the environment of staff is taking a big toll on me and cannot be resolved or lightened, I may have to seek elsewhere.

One positive point to make is that I will be training, and have met with 1st shift yet I will be sccheduled primarily for 3rd so i will not have to deal with these particular meanies!

The ones on 3rd shift are probably WORSE than the day people, because the boss isn't AROUND!

Rude and impolite are pretty much grounds for dismissal anywhere, and if YOUR DON has gotten rude and impolite CNA's to deliver GOOD nursing care, I'll eat my hat.

I have dealt with all kinds of rude and arrogant CNA's, some want to test you and shut up the minute they see you are a team player (put the pt. on the bedpan yourself instead of hunting a CNA down for 5 minutes); and some are JUST mean, angry and NEED to be fired.

I get lots of support from MY CNA's because they know I'm right there with them in a code brown, take the time to explain WHY they are wrong when they want to tell me the IV in room 4 is 'DEFINETLY blown" and THANK them at the end of EVERY shift for the fact that I coud not have gotten through the day without them.

The longest "win over" was 6 months, but I got her on my side too, in the end. I have also done my best to get 1 or 2 fired.

Specializes in ICU.

I worked at a LTC facility as an LPN while finishing my RN. I am a male in my forties and had no problems with my aids. I treated them with respect and they did the same, but I also expected them to act like professionals. I saw some of my classmates and other new nurses come and go at the same facility. They had problems with the same aids. What was the difference you ask (or maybe you don't but I will tell you anyway). They were all in their 20's and the nurses tried to be buddies with them. They would text each other, talk about boyfriends issues, etc ... So the aid's did not look at them as being in a position of authority. So they aids would slip in 20-30 minutes late, expecting it to be overlooked. They would sit behind the nurses station for hours talking about this and that. Don't go in there looking for friends. Be professional, do your job, and expect them to do theirs. Do worry about them liking you, make sure they have reason to respect you.

Good Luck

Work is a verb- not a destination :D

The warning signs are loud and clear.... this is a poisoned work environment and the risk of emotional burnout is high.

You will NOT be able to kill them with kindness. That effort is viewed as weakness.

Be direct and firm with all requests, IMMEDIATELY document in writing any behavioral problems in the context that negatively impacts patient care.

Yes, I've never understood this strategy of dealing with people. It is viewed as weakness and I can see why. It just seems to be very passive-aggressive, as if to say "I'm going to ignore what you are saying and doing completely by smiling at you and pretending to be nice to you when actually I wish the floor would open up and you would drop down through it into the firey gates of hell." In the end, nothing gets accommplished because nothing gets acknowledged.

Be direct and professional, have the courage acknowledge issues and make your feelings known by either validating them or dismissing them and saying why. It's something we all struggle with, I've struggled to do it too and struggle with it every day, but dealing with nasty peope by being "kind" usually ends up blowing up in your face.

I found it a bit unprofessional that a DON would tell a new employee the dirty laundry on the place.... JMHO :)

Good CNAs are invaluable...sounds like this bunch has the DON by the tail.... again...jmho :)

I kinda thought this too at first but then I got to thinking: ya know, if this was me starting this new job I' d be really grateful for this DON 's honesty, instead of painting a "happy home" picture.

OP, good luck to you!

I'm not really sure how you can say the CNAs are unfriendly to you if you haven't even started working yet. You're just going on what the DON has told you. You should really wait and see what the working reality is. It seems like you're already starting off with a negative opinion of your co-workers. That's just setting you up for difficulties.

No I was not going on by what the DON had told me. I went by what I had saw with my own eyes and what each of their reactions were when introduced to me. Very closed off, unfriendly, uninterested, I have never been glared at so much in my life. Granted, I am pretty young! haha. But like I mentioned in my thread, I was there everyday for 4 days straight and it never lightened up. All I was saying is that it was intimidating.

Today was firs day of actual work with them and was able to see a little more into how much was being unfriendly and how much may have been interpreted wrong.

No I was not going on by what the DON had told me. I went by what I had saw with my own eyes and what each of their reactions were when introduced to me. Very closed off, unfriendly, uninterested, I have never been glared at so much in my life. Granted, I am pretty young! haha. But like I mentioned in my thread, I was there everyday for 4 days straight and it never lightened up. All I was saying is that it was intimidating.

Today was firs day of actual work with them and was able to see a little more into how much was being unfriendly and how much may have been interpreted wrong.

So how did they treat you differently today? I am curious.

Specializes in ASC, Infection Control.

Sorry you're having such a crappy welcoming! My first two jobs were in LTC, and the CNA's were a force to be reckoned with.

First job - the nurses told me when I started that the aides would walk all over me if I let them, and they sure as hell would try. Believe me, they did! They were rude, inconsiderate, questioned my authority, and seemed to not care much about their pt's (granted, not all cna's were like this, but the vast majority were! they were mostly young, fresh out of hs). At first I had trouble standing up for myself and finding a way to work with them, so I had to put on my big girl panties and assume control, but respectfully. They eventually learned I wouldn't let them take advantage of me or look the other way if they weren't doing their job. One time, a particular CNA was giving me CRAZY attitude and talking back to me when I asked her to do something, so I pulled her into the hall and talked to her - something along the lines, "Look, I don't know what your issue is, but if you're just having a really bad day don't take it out on me. I'm having a horrible time too, ok? This is probably the worst weekend of my life. But I'm treating you with respect and consideration regardless. You need to afford me the same." And it was fine after that. But I did have to be firm with a lot of them and give a no-nonsense attitude to keep things under control.

Second job - the aides owned that place! it was soooo crazy. I mean, I have respect for CNA's because I was one too and I respect the work they do, but these girls were too much. I worked there for a year, btw, so obviously I didn't let it run me off. There was no "controlling" these ones tho, b/c regardless what they did they didn't have any consequences, and they were friends w/alot of nurses so no one would put them in line. It made for a miserable atmosphere, but I managed to stay out of their stupid drama, do my job and then go home. I just kept to myself, only socializing with the few nurses and cna's who were decent. I definitely should have been more authoritative in that role, tho, instead of doing everything myself and letting them do whatever they wanted. Believe me, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I worked my last day. And lucky me, new job I'm starting at is completely diff't! Thank god!

So, long story short - don't let anyone keep you from doing your work and getting the experience you need. If they refuse to be of value to you, then either 1) stand up for yourself and don't take their crap, or 2) walk away and don't deal with them. There will hopefully be some decent people there!

But, whatever you do, good luck and don't let their crappy attitudes bring you down :)

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