Aides giving the "new nurse" problems

browsing · Jul 11, 2005

:uhoh21: People often say "Don't worry about what others say. You're there to do the job and not make friends." While this may be true, if there is a group of people who are constantly annoying the heck out of you or whispering away in which you know that they are talking about you behind your back, no matter how much you try ot brush it off and ignore it, and even though what they say does not matter to you because you think to yourself "they are just bitter people who don't know any better and are just a waste of my time to deal with", it does affect your mood when they are around you, no matter how much you try to resist them. I worked at a clothing store and like three hispanic girls sided with each other and were constantly talking nonesense crap about me and my girls and even though I did not care what they thought of me, it made me want to get in their faces and confront them and if that did not work, hurt them physically :rotfl: and anyways, my point is, this was just a part time job at a clothing store and it annoyed me. I can wonder how much it would affect a nurse working at a hospital where she depends on the nurse aides to work together. But I find that if you are sincere with those who act immature, they grow out of it, at least when they are with you

Ooohh. A good advice would be to talk about something that is not work related. Befriend them? This worked with someone that I know. This lady is nice only to her bcuz she "befriended" her at work so that they can earn money peacefully lols

BETSRN · Jul 11, 2005

:uhoh21: People often say "Don't worry about what others say. You're there to do the job and not make friends." While this may be true, if there is a group of people who are constantly annoying the heck out of you or whispering away in which you know that they are talking about you behind your back, no matter how much you try ot brush it off and ignore it, and even though what they say does not matter to you because you think to yourself "they are just bitter people who don't know any better and are just a waste of my time to deal with", it does affect your mood when they are around you, no matter how much you try to resist them. I worked at a clothing store and like three hispanic girls sided with each other and were constantly talking nonesense crap about me and my girls and even though I did not care what they thought of me, it made me want to get in their faces and confront them and if that did not work, hurt them physically :rotfl: and anyways, my point is, this was just a part time job at a clothing store and it annoyed me. I can wonder how much it would affect a nurse working at a hospital where she depends on the nurse aides to work together. But I find that if you are sincere with those who act immature, they grow out of it, at least when they are with you
Ooohh. A good advice would be to talk about something that is not work related. Befriend them? This worked with someone that I know. This lady is nice only to her bcuz she "befriended" her at work so that they can earn money peacefully lols

Confronting something like this head on (especially with your supervisor's blessing) will probably put a stop to the problem but I also feel that you, as the nurse, have to confront the CNA's: not your boss. If you can deal with them up front, I am willing to wager that your problem will go away;especially if it is handled professionally.

Debbie_LPN · Jul 12, 2005

THANK YOU EVERYONE SOOOO MUCH!!! I am taking a lot in, and yes, it is getting better. I think now that I'm there for awhile, they see that they don't run the show. I've started calling them on things like not taking vitals, and they seem to be doing better. I guess it just takes time.

They have also begun to listen to me when I tell them to do something(not boss them around, just if they forgot to to something). I love all the advice. I will be using it eveyday!!!

Debbie

mlwRN · Jul 16, 2005

i too am a new supervisor... i haven't had any problems as of yet but your advice is great and i will take it to work with me every morning!

Just think about it through this lens: you are a supervisor.
That's right. A supervisor. If they don't take a temp and a patient suffers because the fever they have doesn't get diagnosed until it becomes septic shock, it's not the aides responsible - it's you. Under the nurse practice act, you are delegating your authority to every act done AND you are accepting responsibility.
If you accept shoddy work, then you can't complain about shoddy work.
Next time you think it's too fast, tell them to do it again, and you are going to check 3 of them at random and your results had better be within a degree of theirs.
You don't have to answer to them; they have to answer to you. Don't accept being baited.
Snide remarks and giggles and stares get one warning (in private) and a severe reprimand that, if they undermine your authority again, you will write them up and see to it that they are looking for another job.
2 quick rules of management:
1. You are the boss, not a friend. Friendship is a mutual relationship, Boss/Worker isn't.
2. Praise in public, criticize in private.
It's human nature to test the limits of anybody in authority over you. You do it too. The question is simply this: how elastic are you? Because if you don't stand, you will fall.
hmmmmm, this is the second time I've said tough things on this site in as many posts. but then, when you are talking about the care of people with whom you have a professional contract, my take is let people call me a hard a** as long as they equate it with the excellence that I feel is mandated.
You stand your ground. It is your hard earned ground to stand on.
~faith,
Timothy.

JohnRN04 · Jul 19, 2005

Let's see..... I am a new nurse, started working 4 months ago in LTC. I am 23 years old. The problem is: Where I work, there is 1 nurse on the floor, and 2 to 3 aides. They are all older than me, and doing this for years. I love my aides(I really do, I was an aide for 5 years), but sometimes I feel like they walk all over me.
The one night, after I had made the temp board out, they took it and withiin 10 minutes, they had it all filled out(7 pts TPR). The numbers were all so close. But I didn't see them make them up, so I asked them: Wow, that was quick. Are you sure these are the real temps? Well, as you can guess, they were PO'd.
They constantly try to get out of assignments and work. They skip over residents during rounds, and when I say something, they ALWAYS have an excuse.
Then this one is the best one yet. They will ask me about a condition or a med, and when I don't know the answer, they will give that look(you know the one, it's like well you're the nurse, so you SHOULD know everything). Then they giggle. It's so childish, these are grown women I work with.
Sorry so long, just needed to vent. I hope I am not the only one who has ever had this happen to. Some nights, I just feel like maybe nursing is not for me. But then that one patient who kicked your butt earlier gives you a hug, and it's all worth it.

I know where you're coming from. Do the job, lead by example, don't ask them to do anything just because you don't want to it. Some are just lazy asses and will always be that way...others are just a little threatened by a young nurse....show them you know what you're doing....stay in the trenches with them so to speak and earn their respect....stick with it though.

ncrn2005 · Jul 21, 2005

I have had the same problem. I am 23 and its 1 nurse to 2 or 3 aides and they are all older than me. They tried to walk all over me till I caught them just writing down the vitals and had enough. There not there no more but anyone who skips stuff like that should not be in this field anyways. My advice talk to the DON and get it settled quick. Dont quit because of them.

JohnRN04 · Jul 21, 2005

that's why i always check my own accuchecks and always check my own vitals for critical patients. it's sad people don't take their jobs seriously. Don't they realize the importance of real vital signs and lab data?

RN34TX · Jul 22, 2005

that's why i always check my own accuchecks and always check my own vitals for critical patients. it's sad people don't take their jobs seriously. Don't they realize the importance of real vital signs and lab data?

Some genuinely do not realize the importance of those things but sadly, many others do know but just don't care.

You get what you pay for.

The low pay scale for CNA's is going to attract people wanting to clock in and do the bare minimum (not to say that nurses are exempt from this type of worker either) which management either supports or looks the other way in many facilities or you wouldn't be seeing these kinds of threads popping up on a regular basis.

People get away with whatever they are allowed to get away with.

AuntieRN · Jul 22, 2005

I, too am a new nurse in a LTC facility. Age: 23. Right now the aides seem to respect me and my authority, although I do notice the "sarcasm" when pharmacy brings up an order that needs to be signed off. "The nurse is over there." This may be a precursor to what is to come.
I am the youngest person on my floor. Yes, I am the youngest person on the entire floor which has two seperate units! :stone I was also one of the youngest people in my graduating class so I did know what I was in for. The unit secretary, nurses, and aides all refer to me as "Baby Girl" and once or twice when I was brand new to the unit the nurses referred to me as "the little girl". I have yet to be on my own totally, and things may be different once I am, but I do receive the respect my education afforded me. I treat the aides with respect and I value their knowledge and appreciate their friendliness. But I also realize that as far as patient safety is concerned, I am the one with the license on the line and there will be no compromises. But to be honest, I'll take patient safety and my license over friends any day.

I can remember my closest friend who is an RN already, telling all the new students coming out on the floor: be nice to your unit secretary and your aid. They can make your life easy or a living he**. I have to admit this is true. I have first hand experience at being in both positions. We will go out of our way to help out a nurse as long as she is nice to us. A little respect goes a long way. Everyone is created equal regardless of what your title is. We are all there for the patients.

I am going into my third semester now as a nursing student. I love the aids on the floor at the hospital I am doing my clinicals at and will always help them with whatever they need.