Nurse Aide advice

cursenurse · Mar 9, 2005

i am sorry that you have had these experiences, but i do not think that these things happen everywhere. i have never worked anywhere where anyone was discouraged from taking a break. and there are some nurses who complain about CNAs or tech's stating that they aren't useful on the unit, but i think this is very untrue. if there were no tech's or CNAs the nurse's job would be so much more difficult, the nursing shortage would be much more acute. do what you think is best, if you can put yourself through school using a skill other than CNA, i say do it. being a CNA is a very difficult, thankless, and poorly paying job. but if you decide to work as a CNA while in school, network and try to find a hospital that will appreciate the work that you do. as far as being respected goes, you'll find that even when you become an rn that you will at times have to fight for respect from patients, families, dr's, and the facility you work for.:)

blue chips · Mar 9, 2005

i am sorry that you have had these experiences, but i do not think that these things happen everywhere. i have never worked anywhere where anyone was discouraged from taking a break. and there are some nurses who complain about CNAs or tech's stating that they aren't useful on the unit, but i think this is very untrue. if there were no tech's or CNAs the nurse's job would be so much more difficult, the nursing shortage would be much more acute. do what you think is best, if you can put yourself through school using a skill other than CNA, i say do it. being a CNA is a very difficult, thankless, and poorly paying job. but if you decide to work as a CNA while in school, network and try to find a hospital that will appreciate the work that you do. as far as being respected goes, you'll find that even when you become an rn that you will at times have to fight for respect from patients, families, dr's, and the facility you work for.:)

MOST PLACES THAT IS HOW THINGS ARE. PEOPLE TALK DOWN TO YOU, LIKE YOU ARE S@#&*, BUT WHEN YOU BECOME A NURSE YOU WILL TREAT THE AIDES BETTER BECAUSE YOU BEEN THERE. WHEN I WAS A NURSING STUDENT/AIDE THAT IS HOW THINGS WHERE.

cursenurse · Mar 9, 2005

MOST PLACES THAT IS HOW THINGS ARE. PEOPLE TALK DOWN TO YOU, LIKE YOU ARE S@#&*, BUT WHEN YOU BECOME A NURSE YOU WILL TREAT THE AIDES BETTER BECAUSE YOU BEEN THERE. WHEN I WAS A NURSING STUDENT/AIDE THAT IS HOW THINGS WHERE. :o

i actually was a CNA while i was going to lpn school, and did not receive that kind of treatment. i don't deny that it exists though. i do think sometimes that the kind of CNA that you are does alot to determine how you will be treated. i have personally worked with CNAs who acted like they did not know how to take a bp and so it was difficult to respect them because not only did they "not know" things, but they were often not interested in learning. more often than not, though, i have worked with CNAs/techs who were very skilled and always interested in learning new things. i have always tried to respect anyone who seeks to do their job well whether they are a janitor, waitress, nurse, doctor, whatever.

germain · Mar 10, 2005

I've been an aide for 11 years, in a hospital now for 2 and am rarely treated like that. Nurses who talk down to me don't get my help, and noone punishes me for taking a break. I'm sorry its so awful where you were, but I feel like part of a team here and while I'm always running to stand still, so is everyone else. So it can be different.

Have you ever thought of homecare? Homecare aides are in big demand, and the pay can sometimes be reasonable. The work can be good too, it all depends on who you work with, but I did it for years and loved the one on one stressless job. There is a whole other psycology to being in someones home, though. Good luck. :)

allnurses Guide · Mar 10, 2005

I worked as an aide for four years before getting my RN degree. How I was treated then depended SO much on the individual nurse that I was working under on any given night, and also whether or not I was willing to ALLOW said nurse to treat me that way. I think that in the majority of facilities, that is what you are going to find; that some nurses will try to talk down to you and disrespect you, and some will not. Take pride in your job and understand that you ARE valued and very much needed. If you feel like you are being mistreated, say so. After that, if the mistreatment continues, feel free to go over that nurse's head.

My years as a tech were mostly a great experience, and I miss it! (though I don't miss the low pay!) Since being a nurse, I have actually had techs that I admired and looked up to for their wisdom and the wonderful care and compassion that they had for our patients!

BETSRN · Mar 10, 2005

I have recently moved to a new area. After having worked as a nurses aide and trying to complete pre-reqs to get to nursing school (a second degree from a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts), I vowed I would NEVER again work as an aide.
At the previous place, it was such as an aide, that you were almost not allowed to take a break (the whole 12 hours, except for the 1/2 hour lunch) without having the charge nurse or other R.N.'s putting you to "double the work" as punishment for the "lower rung, asserting theirself" when returning to the floor, or even having someone check up on you, while taking your 15 in the breakroom. As a result of being exhausted and sick all the time from extreme overwork, I gave up. Concentrating on homework could not be done.
The doctors and other staff barely even spoke respectfully to the aides or acknowledged us, and I felt like my job made me the scuzzbag of the hospital. Nurses sat and minimally got call lights, expecting the aide to do most of the running. Management (who were nurses) was for the nurses, and it was even known that nurses that did not "delegate" enough to the techs heard about it on the evals. You could only do so much when 4 people (R.N.'s) were barking directions at you, and expecting you as one person to take care of all their patients needs.
There were other instances with nurses yelling at techs, and even calling them profanities behind their backs, whispering about them, (to other R.N.'s) down the halls when they thought the techs could not hear them, and patients even could, and said so!!
While I considered most of the nurses on my floor my friends (at least to my face that I know of), and understandingly helpful once I asserted the fact that I (and other aides) was not superwoman by and could not be everywhere at one time, the line was still drawn that the tech was the pushover. Co-workers would be glad when I was on their unit, I was praised many times for doing such a great job, and lazy is just not in my bones, plus my patients loved me.
One of the local hospitals in my new place talks about having nursing students work as techs while getting through nursing school, and I am terrified of ever feeling that mistreated and psychologically abused again. I think I would rather work anywhere to get through nursing school than be an aide ever again. Does this go on everywhere with techs being taken advantage of or treated like this? Just because someone has a "lower" job does not make them dumb!
I would like to work in a medical setting again while getting through nursing school, but it makes me sick to think about it. Yet everywhere needs more helpful hands and more nurses. I would appreciate any thoughts, experiences, etc. Thanks!

I can only speak for myself but at our place, our techs are ALL part of our team. Yes, there are nurses who will ask teach to do things they could easily do themselves (if the tech is busy) but you are always going to have nurses like that. Most are not like that. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF! If an RN asks you to do something and you are obviously busy doing something else, say so! If youhave the trouble you told us about, then you need to take that up the chain of command.

It is the same in any field. Ever heard the expression "one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, girl........" I think nurses' aids have that problemas do many fields.

Maybe some of your past problem was the facility where you were working. Work as a tech. The more experience you get, the easier nursing school is.

Brad_RN_Student_PA · Mar 16, 2005

You think you got it bad? Try working as a MALE CNA in Long Term Care! I am usually the only male in the building! But honestly, you really have to search around. I am in RN school, and I will be as high on the food chain (if not higher) within a matter of a few years as my supervisors now. And that's the way I look at it. I always volunteer to learn new things and to do tasks that nobody else wants to do. I volunteer for overtime. I go the extra mile. You know what I get in return? Respect. At the previous place that I worked, a lot of the LPN's and RN's were pretty nice to me, although there were a few bad apples. But the CNA's?? My Lord, they picked me apart! Of course, I was relatively inexperienced at that time. Now that I know what i am doing, the RN's trust that any delegated tasks given to me will be done right, and I take great pride in that. Plus the stress level here is relatively low compared to the "institution" that I used to work at. But ultimately, you WILL remember where you came from, and as an RN, you will have tremendous respect from your fellow "inferiors", and that will make your job a LOT easier and more fun. That is "The Brad Perspective". Thanks!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 16, 2005

I don't know why we can't practice a bit more of the Golden Rule. I have never been an aide, never an LPN but I would never abuse them. Respect is something that should be given ALL members of the healthcare team.