I just spent this past weekend doing the last 16 hours of my CNA clinicals. I was actually making up time that I had missed due to work, so this was done on a hall with CNA's and residents that I had not yet normally worked with.
I was instructed by a CNA to change and dress a resident. Ok, no problem. However, this is a resident that I have never cared for. She is a petite lady, maybe early 60's and has obviously suffered from a major stroke. I have seen her many times in the dining room, but have never worked with her directly. Her lower body is completely rigid to the point where her right legs actually crosses over her left and both of her feet are pointing straight out (like when you point your toe down). Both of her arms are tightly constricted up against her body as are her hands. Her head is always bent pretty much backwards and her mouth wide open. Needless to say, being still "new" I was having some trouble getting her changed. I was so afraid that by moving her legs apart in order to get her pants on, moving her arms away from her body in order to get her shirt on, that I was going to hurt her as she was sooo rigid. So I guess I was taking too long because the CNA came in and was obviously frustrated that I wasn't done. I just told her, " I am sorry, I haven't cared for her before and I was afraid I was going to hurt her." So I stepped up to the head of the bead next to the rail and she proceeded to finish. She took the resident and flipped her so forcefully over on her right side that the resident smacked her head into the wall (her bed is up against the wall). I was speechless. Then in order to get the rest of it done, she flipped her back over towards us so forcefully that the poor womans face was headed for the side rail where I was standing. I quickly placed my hands around the rail so that instead of her face being smashed up against the metal railing, it was smashing up against my knuckles. The poor woman then looked up at me with the most terrified sad look I have ever seen in a person. She looked like some defenseless animal that got stuck in some trap and couldn't scream to get someone to help them! At that point, I glanced up to her wall, just trying to not look directly at what I was seeing. There on her wall were pictures of her from obviously not too long ago, but before her stroke. She was beautiful, laughing, smiling. Next to that were poems and cards from her children. I couldn't take it anymore, and told the CNA that I needed to run to the restroom ASAP. I left the room, closed the door but stood there for a second. Not 10 seconds after I closed the door, the resident let out the most horrible scream. Ugghhh...
I totally understand that this is a very demanding job. CNAs are extremely underpaid for the type of work they have to do and the physical demands placed upon them. However, is it just some what "acceptable" in LTC facilities to basically manhandle a human being in such a manner?? Am I being just overly sensitive because I am new to this line of work and haven't been "callused" yet??
OMG this post made me cry. My mom just spent the better part of the last 2 years in a nursing home because of serious complications with diabetes. She was basically 24/7 care and could not do anything but eat and talk on her own. To know that anyone would have the audacity to treat someones loved one this way is infuriating and heartbreaking. This CNA needs to be fired! Report her immediately! Her looking at you the way she did was her way of begging for your help.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
OMG this post made me cry. My mom just spent the better part of the last 2 years in a nursing home because of serious complications with diabetes. She was basically 24/7 care and could not do anything but eat and talk on her own. To know that anyone would have the audacity to treat someones loved one this way is infuriating and heartbreaking. This CNA needs to be fired!
*** Fired my eye. Had I been the responsible RN and had the CNA student informed me I would have called the police and tried to get her arrested on battery charges.
OMG this post made me cry. My mom just spent the better part of the last 2 years in a nursing home because of serious complications with diabetes. She was basically 24/7 care and could not do anything but eat and talk on her own. To know that anyone would have the audacity to treat someones loved one this way is infuriating and heartbreaking. This CNA needs to be fired! Report her immediately! Her looking at you the way she did was her way of begging for your help.
Exactly! We are obligated to help those who can not help themselves. Abuse is able to propagate when witnesses become bystanders and do nothing. Remember, you learn in school; the FIRST thing you do when you see or suspect abuse is to stop it.
It worries and scares me to think that people witness this type of behavior and don't stop it. Especially CNA's and future CNA's. If you see something and your instincts are telling you it doesn't seem right, at least say something!
If that was your mother or grandmother, how would you feel knowing that in that situation no one helped her. The future CNA ran away.
I hope this is a false story.
If it's not, do right by that lady. Report it, and always report any future incidents. You must protect the elderly.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
You have made the right decision for this point in time.
Obviously it would have been better to report it at the time, but you were in a very tough spot and shocked.
Please call the Ombudsman ASAP, but also report it to your school.
For all y'all criticing her you need to remove your rose colored glasses. I went to school 20 years ago & even back then they told us not to make any waves or they would lose the clinical site. You feel powerless as a student and it is hard to absolutely know right from wrong when you are new to the medical field. And it is shocking and that leads to inability to act. And any actions may have reverberations for the OP also.
However, she has recognized how wrong this is and is taking appropriate action.
I think she should be supported instead of scolded and criticized
OP - this person must be stopped. Although not without risk please get it reported to the Ombudsman and your school NOW.
That needs to be reported. We should not have a CnA like that in our field. Go talk to your clinical instructor ASAP. I would call the nursing home as well.
"However, she also told us that while we are there to remember that we are the students and that they are the staff. That we are not to question how they are doing their job. After all, there is "the way state wants things to be done, and the way they are done in real life." She said that in the past, students have questioned CNA's about the way they were doing something as it wasn't by the book and the CNA's get mad,"
I do agree that there is a particular way the state wants it done and the way it is done in real life are totally different, but that's NOT what she mean!!! That was just abuse! Usually the differences are in the order steps are done or things like that! Not throwing them against walls!!!
Sorry for being off topic, but I'm curious...why can't beds be against the wall? Almost all the beds in my facility are up against a wall...
Like side rails it can be considered a form of restraint at least in my state anyways, may want to ask your DON about this so they wont recieve a tag from the state!
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I am sincerely questioning the integrity of your program. Aside from that, I am glad you have decided to call the Ombudsman. It's the right thing to do. As for your instructor being afraid of "losing" this last facility to go to - I would not WANT to take my students back there anyway! I stopped going to one place because it was dirty and unorganized! Had I seen or heard about abuse, there is not way we would have ever gone back there! It is not the atmosphere I would want my students around.
I question the integrity of her program, too. I don't question the truthfulness of her account.
MrsHarris - I don't think you are too sensitive. You learn to separate yourself from your immediate emotions to some extent as you work with your patients/residents because you couldn't be there for them otherwise. The CNA who manhandled the woman was obviously angry because of her probably too heavy workload, but there is no excuse to have the vulnerable woman take the brunt of it. Best wishes to you.
SheldonCooperPHD
11 Posts
OMG this post made me cry. My mom just spent the better part of the last 2 years in a nursing home because of serious complications with diabetes. She was basically 24/7 care and could not do anything but eat and talk on her own. To know that anyone would have the audacity to treat someones loved one this way is infuriating and heartbreaking. This CNA needs to be fired! Report her immediately! Her looking at you the way she did was her way of begging for your help.