Aides and Nurses - Different Outlook, Lack of Understanding

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I find a lack of understanding on the part of some of our aides as to what the nurse's view is on certain things.

The aides think we do too many vitals, weights, I & O, rounds, etc. and decide, on their own, that they are unnecessary and do not do them. One of them was in the habit of removing IV's she thought were unnecessary. I reported her after she continued doing this after I'd told her not to. We had to stick the patient 5 times to restart his saline lock for antibiotics. Family was quite angry and I don't blame them. Another nurse told them the truth, though, which made them livid and they c/o to the DON, who fired the tech.

They want to sleep on duty while they are supposed to be watching to make sure nothing happens to mental patients and have a complete lack of understanding, apparently, that the patients will not wake them up to say, "OK, I'm going to kill myself now, or swallow scissors now, or cut myself now, stop me if you can." They do not seem to grasp that not only are they going to be fired and maybe prosecuted, blackballed, whatever if the patients suffer harm but that they are also jeopardizing my license and livelihood and ability to support my family if some investigator decides I was not properly supervising the aides - although how I am supposed to ride herd on them and still accomplish my own work is not totally clear to me.

I spend a lot of time and emotion on trying to make clear what I expect of aides, one thing being that they need to tell me if they need to leave the floor, other than for a quick potty stop. And if I say that they need to wait until their peer returns from his break, they need to wait. Some are wonderful, some get huffy, I hate all the upset and anger they toss my way at times. They do what I say, though, like it or not, as I have made it clear that I will do the write-up's that are sometimes necessary if they don't. They might not like me but I have earned their respect and they know not to cross me. Actually, I think they like me well enough and I even like them.

How about you? Do you have such troubles? Do you have the respect and cooperation of your techs? Do you like being in charge? Do you enjoy working with unlicensed staff?

Specializes in C.M.A. & S.T.N.A..

]

]I am a Medical Assistant, S.T.N.A., and as of 10-08 will be a Practical Nurse. Except for the fact that all of those titles have something to do with meds. they are quite different. The training and the emphasis of what is important are different in each of these. Sometimes you just need to sit down and lay out the expectations, over and over, and remember some heads are thicker than others

After reading all this( and even responding earlier) I have decided that I'm going to stay put . Where I work at, I love my Job, I work on my own , and so far it's been stress free. Plus I really enjoy being able to give the one on one care that these people need. It's been a real joy getting to know the people and being a part of their lives.

I've had a couple days to think about all the fighting and back biting that's going on out there in the BIG world of nursing and I just don't want to deal with it at this stage in my life. I get to help people and in return they make me feel great without even knowing it.

Some people might think being a CNA is of no use or below them but it's a valuable job and we are needed.

Now don't take me wrong I know that most of the nurses out there are GREAT. my sister in law is a nurse , and I know she works VERY hard, and our health care system would fall apart without them.

It's like another person said there are bad apples in all professions including CNA's, and to be honest I wouldn't want to work with the lazy one's that are being written about. I can not stand to work with lazy incompetent people. If they don't like the job then GET OUT!!!

The bottom line here is giving our patients the best care humanly possible.

So we all need to work as a team.

Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.

LISTEN UP!

I don't have time

to mind

the whines

when WE have to hit-the-grind.

So...

Go back to school

get a life

or

GO BACK HOME!

I'm not hearing the nonsense!

Anyone DON'T understand their assignment?

SHOWBIZRN: Nurse-on-the-run!

...and I don't mean running scared either...'nuf said?

:cheers:

No Offense Showbizn, Maybe some of us are happy doing what we're doing, or we don't have the money to go back to school right now. There are lot's of reasons people decide to do what they do, who are you to tell them to go back home.

I find a lack of understanding on the part of some of our aides as to what the nurse's view is on certain things.

The aides think we do too many vitals, weights, I & O, rounds, etc. and decide, on their own, that they are unnecessary and do not do them. One of them was in the habit of removing IV's she thought were unnecessary. I reported her after she continued doing this after I'd told her not to. We had to stick the patient 5 times to restart his saline lock for antibiotics. Family was quite angry and I don't blame them. Another nurse told them the truth, though, which made them livid and they c/o to the DON, who fired the tech.

They want to sleep on duty while they are supposed to be watching to make sure nothing happens to mental patients and have a complete lack of understanding, apparently, that the patients will not wake them up to say, "OK, I'm going to kill myself now, or swallow scissors now, or cut myself now, stop me if you can." They do not seem to grasp that not only are they going to be fired and maybe prosecuted, blackballed, whatever if the patients suffer harm but that they are also jeopardizing my license and livelihood and ability to support my family if some investigator decides I was not properly supervising the aides - although how I am supposed to ride herd on them and still accomplish my own work is not totally clear to me.

I spend a lot of time and emotion on trying to make clear what I expect of aides, one thing being that they need to tell me if they need to leave the floor, other than for a quick potty stop. And if I say that they need to wait until their peer returns from his break, they need to wait. Some are wonderful, some get huffy, I hate all the upset and anger they toss my way at times. They do what I say, though, like it or not, as I have made it clear that I will do the write-up's that are sometimes necessary if they don't. They might not like me but I have earned their respect and they know not to cross me. Actually, I think they like me well enough and I even like them.

How about you? Do you have such troubles? Do you have the respect and cooperation of your techs? Do you like being in charge? Do you enjoy working with unlicensed staff?

Yes, CNA's do have a different perspective because they do not have your education and background.

We are forgetting here that part of our job is to educate the CNA. She is not going to learn in her 150 hour class everything you need her to know. I find taking a little time to respectfully teach her what I need her to understand goes a long way in getting co operation.

I did have one CNA who continued to take things on herself and make decisions that she was not equiped to make and put patients at risk. I wrote her up. She quit before she could be fired because she was unhappy. Didn't like that I told her she could not take MD orders among other things. Management was very please that they did not have to continue to go thought the counsel, document fireing process.

never under estimate the CNA that is working with you. YOU MAY BE SHOCKED

Absolutely. What is more the CNA you dis today could end up your Nursing Supervisor tomorrow.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Absolutely. What is more the CNA you dis today could end up your Nursing Supervisor tomorrow.

Yes, I have seen it happen. A friend of mine was a clerk, an aide, and now, she is starting orientation as an RN. All within 4 years.

I work at a Nursing rehab. and I have the same problem. One time I got so frustrated and told the aide to do my job, knowing they couldn't ,which was the reply. I then explained it isn't fair to expect me to do my job and theirs too.:cool:

I know that I am chiming in late on this topic, but I myself have a hard time getting things done and I sometimes feel that it is easier if I just go do it myself rather than wait for them to piddle around to getting it done. I don't know if it is because I am such a young nurse only 24 going on 25 and much of my CNA staff is older than I or what. Maybe it's because I don't want to get all chummy with them. I am there for a job, not to make a friend. I just assign things...I put my list of vitals out at 5am when I start my shift and put a 'complete by time on them'. I mean keep in mind I work at a nursing home, but they are always complaining about this and that and they spend a lot of time sitting at the CNA station. If I had my way I'd rip that **** thing out and it would be no more. And like one person said on here they always make sure they get their breaks and smoke breaks...I rarely take a break because I don't have time and I hate working past my scheduled time...I do have a life...so when I hear them whine, but I haven't went to break yet...I say oh whhaaaa...I haven't had one either. I mean I love my job and I realize without CNA's I would have to do all the work myself, but it would be nice to be able to do more patient care instead of pass 1,000 pills and do tons of paperwork all day.

I find a lack of understanding on the part of some of our aides as to what the nurse's view is on certain things.

The aides think we do too many vitals, weights, I & O, rounds, etc. and decide, on their own, that they are unnecessary and do not do them. One of them was in the habit of removing IV's she thought were unnecessary. I reported her after she continued doing this after I'd told her not to. We had to stick the patient 5 times to restart his saline lock for antibiotics. Family was quite angry and I don't blame them. Another nurse told them the truth, though, which made them livid and they c/o to the DON, who fired the tech.

They want to sleep on duty while they are supposed to be watching to make sure nothing happens to mental patients and have a complete lack of understanding, apparently, that the patients will not wake them up to say, "OK, I'm going to kill myself now, or swallow scissors now, or cut myself now, stop me if you can." They do not seem to grasp that not only are they going to be fired and maybe prosecuted, blackballed, whatever if the patients suffer harm but that they are also jeopardizing my license and livelihood and ability to support my family if some investigator decides I was not properly supervising the aides - although how I am supposed to ride herd on them and still accomplish my own work is not totally clear to me.

I spend a lot of time and emotion on trying to make clear what I expect of aides, one thing being that they need to tell me if they need to leave the floor, other than for a quick potty stop. And if I say that they need to wait until their peer returns from his break, they need to wait. Some are wonderful, some get huffy, I hate all the upset and anger they toss my way at times. They do what I say, though, like it or not, as I have made it clear that I will do the write-up's that are sometimes necessary if they don't. They might not like me but I have earned their respect and they know not to cross me. Actually, I think they like me well enough and I even like them.

How about you? Do you have such troubles? Do you have the respect and cooperation of your techs? Do you like being in charge? Do you enjoy working with unlicensed staff?

I don't know what you trying to imply by saying unlicensed,i think every aide or tech knows what they have but,as a tech and still in nursing sch i know my job discribtion and i'm good at what i do and sure you know both of us cannot do our job without each other.Aide and techs are there to assist nurses but not their "maids" so check yourself see what you are doing wrong b'cos please and thank goes a long way.I don't think you had any medical background b4 becoming whatever you are b'cos a good aide or tech can make your work easier and vice versa.i don't know how long you've been a nurse but you know how it feels when a doctor boss you around and treat you like you know nothing same thing goes for aides so respect and treat them as coworkers not some"maid' you brought from home and you will enjoy your job more.:angryfire:idea:

I know that I am chiming in late on this topic, but I myself have a hard time getting things done and I sometimes feel that it is easier if I just go do it myself rather than wait for them to piddle around to getting it done. I don't know if it is because I am such a young nurse only 24 going on 25 and much of my CNA staff is older than I or what. Maybe it's because I don't want to get all chummy with them. I am there for a job, not to make a friend. I just assign things...I put my list of vitals out at 5am when I start my shift and put a 'complete by time on them'. I mean keep in mind I work at a nursing home, but they are always complaining about this and that and they spend a lot of time sitting at the CNA station. If I had my way I'd rip that **** thing out and it would be no more. And like one person said on here they always make sure they get their breaks and smoke breaks...I rarely take a break because I don't have time and I hate working past my scheduled time...I do have a life...so when I hear them whine, but I haven't went to break yet...I say oh whhaaaa...I haven't had one either. I mean I love my job and I realize without CNA's I would have to do all the work myself, but it would be nice to be able to do more patient care instead of pass 1,000 pills and do tons of paperwork all day.

We all know you have more responsibilties and make more money than an aide hence the problem but do you offer to help change ,reposition or do something else or just sit there and give others like a dictator.Try to rip that****off and see how long you can do your ****without them.:angryfire

We all know you have more responsibilties and make more money than an aide hence the problem but do you offer to help change ,reposition or do something else or just sit there and give others like a dictator.Try to rip that****off and see how long you can do your ****without them.:angryfire

1st of all I really don't make that much money. 2nd of all I didn't go into nursing for the money. 3rd I rarely sit on the job unless it is to do my charting. I often change positions of my residents as well as take them to the bathroom...patient care such as toileting, grooming, activities, etc ALWAYS come before meditions. I was given a very good peer review on my yearly evaluation that said I am always willing to help my CNA's thank you very much, but my point is if I don't have vital signs and appointments out on a list...my staff often replies oh we didn't know they had that appointment...most likely because they were too busy talking during report about something that had nothing to do with work. I know what it is like to be a CNA...that is were I started...so don't acuse me of being a dictator...I'm far from it.

As far as the whole licensed thing goes...CNA's are not licensed...sure you get a paper from the state but that is a CERTIFICATE and you need to realize if you make a mistake it can fall back on the nurse that you were working under as well as her license...and sure CNA's are not our maids, but there are certain tasks that CNA's can perform and as nurses we are to delagate those tasks to the CNA's. I'm not asking them to take my trash out or go fix my lunch...get real here.

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