Nurses who let NAs Boss them around

Nurses Relations

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When will nurses ever learn to delegate? When will nurses ever collectively stand up and get some backbone--Fight for higher wages, and better benefits like a company matching 401K plan?

I get sick when I work at institutions (I am an agency nurse) and I see the Nurses aides doing whatever they want when they want--unlimited breaks, breaks all at once together leaving the floor uncovered, flat out refusing to answer lights or doing a task.

Its no wonder nurses are leaving the profession in droves. Management appears to be scared to approach the NAs too, but have no trouble when it comes to chastizing an RN. Whenever I ask an RN why they tolerate a situation, the response is always the same--management lets them get away with it. I have returned to Nursing after 13 years of working in a business setting. Not much has changed. PT, Pharmacists, and OT have all manged to get substancial financial increases while many nurses are still making $21 bucks an hour. I don't allow NAs to get the best of me, and all I get for my trouble is even more resentment. Not all NAs are like this but I will go out on a limb and say the lack of RN delegation and management skills are detrimental to the professionof nurses.

Phe Phe, RN, BSN, MBA

I worked w/ a nurse who was physically attacked by a CNA, because the CNA did not like her assignment. The CNA was fired, BUT......

She was hired back after writing a short letter to the DON saying why she should get her job back. She never had to apologize to the nurse. This CNA came back to the unit as the triumphant leader of the pack.

She called me a b$%^h to my face one night and said "What are you going to do about it? You can't touch me."

She was right. I quit.

A good friend of mine (RN) was recently picked up and thrown by a Nigerian CNA at the LTC where she worked. This CNA did not want to write down the meal percentages. My friend reported the incident to mgmt., and showed them her cuts and bruises. They actually sided with the CNA!!! They made a bunch of excuses about how it would be so shameful for his family if he was fired. Of course, my friend quit. Mgmt. just couldn't understand why.

Some CNAs are wonderful people worth their weight in platinum. Many are lazy and insubordinate at best, and horrible, evil people at worst, who should not be allowed anywhere near pts.

I have been a CNA, and LPN and an RN.

I don't think that most bad CNAs are literate enough to use a BB on the 'Net. I don't think you'll find them here. They are probably out pulling the wings off of flys somewhere.

Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

I do have to say I agree with allscrubs. There are the good, band, and the ugly on all levels. I'm an aide and I never say "No, I will not do that." to a nurse, and I will not take unlimited smoke breaks either. I know my job, and I just do it. I don't wait around for others to do it for me. I would not call myself a good aide by anymeans. I am not very fast, and I do take my sweet little time, and I am always the last one to finish my work. I get accused of being a slacker by some nurses, and it makes me angry to see the other NA's chatting by the nurses station when I am so behind on my work. Heck, alot of times I don't even get a lunch break. I could be like some other people and take their 5-10 smoke breaks in addition to their lunch break. I am not aware of any written rule at my facility about taking unlimited breaks, because these people are adults, and should think like adults for heavens sake! Heck I have only been an adult for a few days, and I have a little more consideration for my patients and co-workers than to spend half my shift smoking. I wait until I am caught up, all is quiet, and my hall partners are okay, and then say "Hey, I'm going to go smoke, I'll be back in like 10 minutes." And I time myself. Some dissappear for a half hour while others have to answer call lights.

On the other hand . . . I have seen nurses treat aides really rotten. Still, CNA's should not tell them no, but they do not have to go and be rotten either. Nurses have busy jobs, and so do CNA's. I feel that it would be very difficult for a nurse to push meds, do treatments, call doctors, do their charting, inserting cathiders, calling families, in addition to answering call lights, doing vitals, toileting patients, laying them down, getting them up, feeding them, CNA's charting, showers, doing ice pitchers, among many other things. I think nurses should be greatful to a good aide. I really try hard to be a decent aide even though I'm not miss speedy.

Bottom line, CNA's should have respect for nurses, but with good aides, or aides who are trying to be good aides, it is a two way street. If your hearts in it, were all in this together!

Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

*pulls wings off of a fly* whu? Talkin to me? ;).

I know the whole illiterate thing. There are some real stupids out there. I'm sorry, but there really are.

You know how that one Murphey'd law goes "Your buddies reading the paper at the desk will dissapear out on a smoke break whenever you need help. " I went through this today!!!

Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Originally posted by PhePhe

When will nurses ever learn to delegate? When will nurses ever collectively stand up and get some backbone--

Hiya, the title grabbed me.

I just started a new job. There is a CNA who oriented with me who has not worked as an aide before. I have 23 years of experience. This girl the first time I worked with her tried to tell me how to do my job. Telling me so and so needed suctioning when I'd just left the room and I told her I would go down. She got irate and wanted me to drop what I was doing (pouring meds for the same person she was telling me about). Also telling me someone needed tylenol and when I didn't jump after asking her "how high" she got on my case. Also, she will be working on someone and she'll tell me in a very bossy tone what to do.

She will also argue why something doesn't need to be done when I ask her to do something -- turn someone, take vital signs, etc. Very authoritatively!

Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I feel like the filling in a sh*t sandwich..... [/b]

I have NEVER heard that expression before! It is PRICELESS. It would be funny except that we really DO feel that way about work sometimes and it sucks.

{{{{{{{{{{{{filling in a sh*t sandwich}}}}}}}}}}}

What if some anonymously embarassed them in front of the group! Treat them like children if they act that way! Even make a copy of there job description and get a poster made, then write the ones names on it that do not accept the resposiblity of there carreers!

Well, it IS nice to know we are not alone. I thought WE were just the only ones with CNAs that want to call the shots. Unfortunately here the way it runs is; 'give me what I want or I go to the union, if I don't get what I want THEN, I file an EEO grievance.

These normally amount to nothing, however, it takes a lot of time out of a NM schedule to handle them.

THATs why NM often ignore the problem.

By the way, physical assault is against the law...why didn't those nurses call the law?

What if some anonymously embarassed them in front of the group! Treat them like children if they act that way! Even make a copy of there job description and get a poster made, then write the ones names on it that do not accept the resposiblity of there carreers!

I'm sure all the RN's will get pulled aside, but Hey! It will be worth it! Yeah it's petty, but sometimes in order to get people to understand something, you have to stoop to there level, or embarrass them.. they figure that all the other cna's will look up to them because they are disobeying.... they will show the RN's... they seem to be doing it on purpose.... get under there skin! Make THEM get frustrated! It's all a game to them... play it! :0)

oops! Sorry! I just realized I posted the same thing twice! :) :) :)

Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Having been an aide on the same unit where I work now I hate to be the delegation person on principal. But when I have to be, there are a few things that help things go smoother. I try to make sure my aides know what is required of them and why (ie- let me know how Mrs. X's foley is draining because if she's not getting rid of fluid it may be filling up her lungs...). I give them a chance for some input to their assignment ( I will ask if they want to do their dinner assignment and tell them however they divide it is OK as long as they all can agree AND the unit is covered at all times. Or I may break up the pt assignment so that the aide with the most acute pts get fewer pts, and let them choose who takes which assignment). I make sure to pitch in with pt care as time allows. And when the lights are going wild I grab everyone, nurse or aide, who isn't already in a pt's room with gloves on or carrying meds into a room and say "There are five lights on; everyone grab one until we are caught up"-then I take the first one. Last, I try to let the aides I am working with know why they need to be on the ball; their eyes and ears are our "first alert" system and can keep a pt from getting into serious trouble. We all need reminding that pt in there could be my/your dad or grandma! (Of course then if I STILL get attitude- I get a little hissy myself!)

>>A good friend of mine (RN) was recently picked up and thrown by a Nigerian CNA at the LTC where she worked. This CNA did not want to write down the meal percentages. My friend reported the incident to mgmt., and showed them her cuts and bruises. They actually sided with the CNA!!! They made a bunch of excuses about how it would be so shameful for his family if he was fired. Of course, my friend quit. Mgmt. just couldn't understand why

I would've called the police the moment I hit ground, if someone threw me, and pressed criminal charges against the CNA. As far as management went, if they couldn't see that this person was dangerous, I would also do whatever it took to get compensation and/or sue them for refusing to provide a safe workplace. Or something to that effect. The only way management ever sees the light is when nurses take action, and do more than just quit. It's one thing when a CNA just refuses to work, or is rude, but quite another when they're physically harmful and nothing is done about it.

Sorry, to see what some nurses think of CNA's. However, for the most part we do our jobs and quite well. I work in one of the "highest ranked" rehabilitation hopitals in chicago, and tend to work well with the RN's. In fact, most new grad RN's tend to lean on the support of good Cna's. I am so glad that I finally decided to get registered because I have been reading the posts for a couple of years now. Wow, I can finally reply to some of these statement.

Yet, I do agree with allot of the statements Phe phe mentioned. As a future RN student, I've learned that even the most evil nurses that see a person willing to learn.....changes her attitude. I have mixed emotions. But, yes there are allot of lazy CNA's and Lazy Rn's.

Lastly, I noticed allot of conversation about delegation. Hey, I fine with it, personally, I don't have any problems with Auth, but some of you nurses need to be careful with some of the things you DELEGATE! Please realize that we are hear to assist you and the patient.

If you wonder why some PCT's or NXT' or Cna's seem resentful, as yourself, " Was it my Approach" I'm sure that you guys don't like the way some MD's address you. Let's be nice to one another. Damn. Sometimes you guys can be very mean too. Especially, when an MD has just chewn you out for not following an order! Hem, then shit rolls down hill? huh?:p

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