aides that put your job on the line

susnel · Sep 21, 2000

i am really unhappy to hear this because i am presently an aide and a nursing student. i hope that i always have sense enough to think before speaking. i just hope that this aide realized ALL of her mistakes in this situation and learned from them! sorry you had to go through this.

hollykate · Sep 21, 2000

Wow,

This is the second post I have read from you about being sabotaged (yes, this is the correct spelling) by a nurse aide. This sort of thing would make me angry as well- but I do not think this aide put your job on the line. She just embarrassed you. You were giving the right drug at the right time etc to the right patient. She was making a fool of herself not of you. Hopefully you (and your manager) have informed her about the correct way to deal with her opinions. you shouldn't have to put up with those statements, but I really don't think she was putting your job on the line- as long as you are doing the right stuff (and of course documenting it in 20 different places) you should have no fear of a nurse's aide. Good Luck

Mijourney · Sep 21, 2000

Hi erezebet. I'm curious. Does this aide have good hands on skills? If not, that coupled with poor communication skills makes her dangerous. Sounds like she could use some schooling on risk management, confidentiality, and security issues; not to mention some education on professionalism and reviewing her present job responsibilities. Watch out if she passes boards. Best wishes.

nsyrRN · Sep 21, 2000

I've just found this web site and think it's wonderful...I've spent days here just reading away. I work in a hospital that uses aides also and find that some of the new ones make work much more difficult. The student aides are usually pretty good but you always have those that you are constantly checking on. I realize that I work in an environment that lets our staff nurses have only 4-6 patient assignments but as the RN I can end up overseeing half of our floor. That is a luxury for me knowing that many of us have charge for an entire floor. But our floor is an open heart step down unit and many times I have more than one patient going bad on me. Many times it's the aide at the bedside and she doesn't know what she's looking for. The last night I worked one of the student aides turned Dobutamine off on a post open heart. I encourage all the student aides to look up the drips so they understand them....this one didn't know the drug at all. I spent my dinner outside reevaluating whether I wanted to stay at my present job. Too much for too few....

Jo_deye_yuh · Sep 21, 2000

I, too, am amazed at the ignorance, unprofessionalism, and lack of tact displayed by some aides. But unfortunately these traits cross all boundries in the work place. I have always been taught, and believe, the true caliber of those under supervision are a reflection of the supervisor. Granted we can not be responsible for a person's intelligence or personality, but we can influence their knowledge. As a supervisor one must take the initiative to educate those they are ultimately responsible for.

My comment may be way off in left field from the initial topic. However, I find that there is a gap in supervisory roles vs. supervised roles sometimes. The two need to find a meeting point. The old analogy of "I am your boss/supervisor and I am above you", mentality angers me. If I am over-seeing anothers actions/performance, it is up to me to make sure that person is adequately prepared and understands what is expected. Not just assume that because they are in a role, they automatically know all that role entails. If I am ultimately responsible for how that shift or procedure is to go, it is up to me to make sure communication is priority. Positive feedbacks as well as constructive criticism allow for effective relays between roles.

It is late, I am tired, I am rambling...sorry. Maybe tomorrow I will edit this so it will not be so lengthy and confusing. Today was my last day at work (Orthopedic office/surgical nurse). I have been there for two years and loved it. Start my new job on Monday (Med/Surg VA nursing). Ya'll have a great day. ~Jodie

[This message has been edited by Jo_deye_yuh (edited September 21, 2000).]

lesliee · Sep 23, 2000

I, too, am concerned with the level of training/work-load/competence that the CNA's in my facility have. Having been a CNA before going on to getting my RN, I know the hard work and sometimes impossible workload that CNA's are asked to take on. I try to help when I can, and they do ask me for a hand when they are overwhelmed. My problems are these, CNA's who leave the unit unattended to go out in the parking lot and talk to friends in cars. CNA's that I need translator's to speak to because they have restrained people w/o MD's orders because they did not know that they weren't supposed to. (How did they ever pass the CNA test?) I have CNA's that have family emergencies EVERY weekend - and end up leaving us short handed. I've spoken to these individuals and reminded them how much they are needed on the unit and their responsibilities while on the unit - to no avail. Sure, I could send them home, write them up, etc., but we're so short staffed now that the good CNA's take the brunt of the work and have begun to quit. What has happened to work ethic?

J Nurse Supporter · Sep 30, 2000

Lesliee,

I am new to this group and not a nurse (my wife is). I have to ask if the last statement in your reply was intended to be sarcastic or not?

Can you really be asking what has happened to the work ethic after describing a job with horrible working conditions (overworked) and minimal pay I presume? I mean can we expect people to come to a thankless job, not get rewarded for it all because they want to work hard? Work smart and hard, not just hard.

Don't get me wrong, I can't stand people that just slack off the whole time. But we can't expect people to work hard without an appropriate financial incentive reward. And if your point was that we can't afford to lower the standards, I completely agree with you.

Yes nursing is a feild of passion and commitment, but that doesn't mean you can't be rewarded for it as well. Your managment has been making you feel guilty for years. "Do it for your patients...we can't afford your raises this year...." The reason they can't afford your raises is because they want to make 14% profit this year instead of the 12% they made last year. Oh yeah they also need to get their promotions and raises paid for.

Maybe it's too late at night, but it kind of struck a nerve.

fireandice · Oct 1, 2000

I've been working everywhere. I once worked in a nursing home where nursing aides rules! They rule everybody, they act like they're in charge, and they arhue with the RN! Why? Because most of them had been working in the facility for years and even earned more than the RNs! Pathetic isn't it? Right now I am working in a hospital facility where our nursing aides work according to their job description, doing their job well, and recognize who's their bosses.

bluesgirl · Oct 1, 2000

[To nrsyRN

I to worked in specialized unit and was amazed at how many people will mess with IV's-"Just being helpful"No telling how many times this can happen while running dopamine drips, etc.--So--I always put good old nursing tape over controls--saying--CALL THE RN-DO NOT TOUCH!!!! It helps--I always made a special point of asking any new or agency nurses how familiar they are with IV's and the drugs that are running.--I had to show an agency nurse how to draw Normal Saline into a syringe to flush her lines once. She got out of school straight to Psych and the agency who sent her knew that!!! I was nice to her but also requested she not come back to our unit until more experienced.

JillR · Oct 2, 2000

Nurse supporter,

I really have to agree with your post. We need more people like you in our corner.

Jill

Butt Wiper · Oct 2, 2000

Some of the things you nurses say about Aides, Makes me sick! Hey actually in case you didn't know most aides seem to know more than nurses, and it's just me but I think it's pretty sad that Nurses make more money than aides....Hey I can pass pills everything you need to know about what medication to give is written down on a piece of paper and everything is in a compartment with their name on it...oh that is so hard! I lift those heavy people all day long making sure thier pants are changed and they look nice and presentable for the day.........I am around them far more than anyone....so, If anyone is to notice a behavior or a problem it would be me the Aide!

SUPER AIDE!!!!!!! And think of how much more money the nurses make than aides....and most aides turned Nurses, don't seem to give a crap about aides anymore......the medical field is a cruel cruel thing!

Originally posted by susnel:
i am really unhappy to hear this because i am presently an aide and a nursing student. i hope that i always have sense enough to think before speaking. i just hope that this aide realized ALL of her mistakes in this situation and learned from them! sorry you had to go through this.

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~ThE BuTt WiPeR~