About to have a nervous breakdown with cna staff.

[NurseArevalo]

Hello! I'm about in tears right now after today! I just can't take it anymore. I was a CNA for 2 years before going to nursing school for my LPN, I have been an LPN since october 2010...I still work at the same facility. A lot of the CNAs there, despite age difference, treat me as "their charge nurse" and I have no problem with (I'm 24 now and they are all about 5+ years older)....there is ONE PERSON THERE...who gives me anxiety attacks all the time. Her patients love her, and she is 'a good cna'.However, she is 5 years older than me, and constantly quotes the Bible, and yet she is the most back-stabbing, hypocritical, degrading, insubordinate person I HAVE EVER MET. Today I almost snapped because after alllllllllllll 7-3 was over and I was giving report, I walked two steps away to get a paper, and this CNA comes to the 3-11 nurse and tells her a resident has had an open area on their back since this AM and needed a tx....This made me so UPSET because that means this person is getting delay of treatment! I began to hyperventilate and almost started crying, my BP and HR went through the roof!

BOTTOM LINE.... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO FREAKIN' DO?!?!?! I am not good at standing up to people, and I don't want to be embarrassed.

[DixieRedHead, ASN, RN]

Well why don't you know what to do? You should have stopped, turned to her and stated "You haven't said anything to me about it. Why?" Then stood there and waited for her to answer. And insisted on an answer.

Tomorrow when you go in, write her up. Immediately. If you don't have that authority, go immediately to the nurse manager, ADON, DON, or whoever DOES have the power; tell them what happened and tell that person you want to write her up or want them to write her up. Act swiftly.

You cannot let this go. It will happen again.

[DixieRedHead, ASN, RN]

Oh, and don't you dare cry.

[RiverNurse]

Ditto... especially on the cry part. Take it from one who's been a big baby and cried in the manager's office. Get PO'ed instead. Of course, when I do, I cry anyway.

At the place where I work, we're so short staffed that writing anyone up doesn't have any real consequences. I get the haughty looks, CNAs using their cell phones at the nurses' station while pt's lie in old dirty garments, talking directly to CNAs and having them look right at me, not speak, turn and walk away - and I'm charge nurse much of the time.

What to do? I think we just do our best and move forward. I know I am. I'm turning my resignation in today and going back to school.

Hang in there. Try to hang onto your soul. If you find yourself losing it - and your compassion - get out...

Take care,

Rivernurse

[caliotter3]

You need to work on yourself or you will blow a gasket. First off, see your physician and make certain you don't have any medical problems that are making you more susceptible to stress. Good luck.

[Sara26]

Hi there! I know my answer is a bit late but I would like to say just this: I had a similair problem with my coworker and because I am a head nurse of a small clinic I was stressing up for 2 months and my health was getting worse, because I did not do anything. After 2 months I had enough and I wrote a complain to my director and this thing was sorted out in 2 days. And I am not a quiet person I stand for my self. This was a hard lesson for me, but I learned something good out of it:if it is not in your power let other sort this problem, because after all who is she to be so arrogant to you? Let others solve the problem, especially if you work like you should and no metter you are so yung she should respect that!

Desspite that nurses should be nice, ..... I am amazed everytime I hear this kind of story. Just take care and stand up for your self ...I wish you all the best:)

And one more thing, stress can kill you so be carefull, especially because you are so yung.