Annoying CNA

[Bellaxx392]

I'm a fairly new first time CNA at a local LTC facility. I'm simply asking if I'm in the wrong.

When I took my resident to the bathroom on first rounds of my shift around 15:00 I noticed her gauze in av wound needed changed. It wasn't leaking, not actively bleeding but the gauze was coming out and parts of the wound were visable and parts of the gauze was soaked but dry. I finish her toileting and go tell my nurse assigned to my hall. She tells me okay I'll get to it. By 1900 I pass by and see her in the room doing her meds. I want trying to be pushy. I understand it wasn't major but I was curious so while she was in there finishing meds I show her what I thought needed changed just to make sure I want making more work for her. We leave the room and she pulls me to the side and tells me to never do that again especially since residents husband was in there. She told me also that she told me she'd get to it when she could and not ask that in front of the husband.

I feel bad. Like I made her mad. I understand nurses are busy. I understand we as CNAs can be annoying and demanding but to tell me not to do that made me feel like I have to play out of sight out of mind when I see something beyond my CNA training. The other part of me sees her side and sees me as pushy and annoying and stepping over my CNA line.

I guess this is more of a vent more than asking for advice but I've had problems with this nurse before.

[AshBuggin]

The DON where I work just did this with a new hire who has no clinical experience as a CNA (apparently, there is a loophole in my state which allows people to work as a CNA in a hospital without being certified). The person has clinical experience as a pharmacy tech in a private duty doctor's office and in a pharmacy. She is quite competent, but she is training under a veteran staff RN.

I think it's a great idea. It was an eye opening experience for me. I had 4 plus years under my belt before that shift and I honestly thought I knew what to expect.

It's not a law that you have to have a CNA certification to be a PCT. - some hospitals do require it. I got my first gig without a certification. It's all about who ya know, I guess.

[onemoreday, BSN, RN]

I feel like the nurses I work with want to be reminded WHILE they are in the patient's room. If you wait until they leave, they'll say "ok why didn't you remind me of this when I was in there? Now I have to go back in and bother them again?" The nurses I work with would just assess the site, and tell the patient either "it looks okay to me, don't worry" or "I will come back later to change this out". I've seen many nurses explain to the patient, "I have several other patients I need to pass meds to, but I will be back after that to look at your ____."

Maybe it's the way it was said in front of the husband, or the way you phrased it, maybe that nurse doesn't trust you as CNA for many other reasons... I've only had one nurse that told me "don't tell me these things you're worried about". We didn't like working with each other anyways, for lots of reasons. Personality clash I guess. Looking back on the situation, its true, I -didn't-need to call her on that specific situation.. But I never wanted to tell her ANYTHING after that.

[idletalk]

No maam. She is an attentive and caring CNA and wondered why the nurse didn't get to it within a 4 hour time frame. Some details are left out. Was the nurse at somepoint sitting at the nurse station. She went in the pt. room to give her meds and, in the CNA's eyes, ignored her responsibility and didn't even set eyes on the wound. I would have done the same thing if I was led to. I always cover myself. If a family member asks me 'why is her wound showing', I always say 'I told the nurse' hours ago, and then the family can decide what is next. I give the nurse name for your very response if you're using rank not to do your job. Sorry.

Yeah, no. Part of your job is to make your patient and their family feel secure, and undermining your nurse does the exact opposite of that. Sounds like you don't think very highly of the nurses you work with, and it's the patients who suffer when that happens. Be a mediator not an instigator.

Throwing your nurse under the bus to a family member isn't a way of "covering yourself" because dressing changes aren't your responsibility as a CNA - they are the nurse's. If she hasn't done something that she was supposed to, it's likely that something more urgent came up and she had to take care of that first. Have some respect and give your nurses the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming they ignored their responsibility. They are only human.

[LPNpaired]

Old post but I wanted to weigh in in case anyone... Nurse or CNA... Stumbles on this like I did.

In that situation, telling her the first time was appropriate and attentive. The 2nd time was probably not needed. If she says she'll get to it, 90% of the time she will (unless it's a nurse with a track record of some sort). "Nurse time" doesn't always make sense to CNAs because they do not have a full understanding of the pressure on us, the sheer amount of tasks to get done and the time frame in which we have to do it. (4 hours wait to get on a dressing change might seem insane to a CNA, because "why cant you just stop and get it done real quick". But by the time we do, 20 minutes are gone and that's several patients that could've gotten their meds on time but now will not.) Example, you as a CNA might see a nurse "just sitting doing charting that could wait til later", but when 90% of your job IS the documentation, it truly can't wait. Then we're sitting there after our shift ends getting yelled at for overtime and calling sitters telling them we'll be late. It can't be put off. And that goes double for med pass- when each minute that passes is another patient on the light wondering when it's their turn. (ESPECIALLY at night; past 10 they get grumpy being bothered. Rightfully so.) This is exactly why meds are timed and treatments (usually) aren't. They arent an emergency. It's a get to it when you get to it task.

Her pulling you to the side about it was however probably a bit dramatic, but I'm guessing she had a reason for doing it. We only heard your side... How did you approach her? Did you remind her 10 minutes after the first time you told her? Did you say "You NEED to do this dressing I told you about an hour ago"? Or something similar? If so, then...welll.. Duh ? Even if you said it 'nicely', there is rarely a reason to tell a nurse about something like that twice. Once you have reported it your job is done. The only time I'd recommend it being necessary to repeat an issue to the nurse is if A. The patient makes a 2nd request before nurse gets to them the first time or B. The problem worsens, I.e. the dressing fell off, the patient who wanted their blood sugar checked is now showing signs of hypoglycemia, etc. Or possibly C. It's 10 til shift change and it's still unaddressed ? You will find that C is a rarity though. Just give us time. We. have. other. priorities.

Y'all remember in elementary school when the teacher would be explaining something at length and a kid would raise their hand and the teacher would say "Put your hand down, let me finish and if I don't answer your question by the time I'm done then you can ask"?.. Yeah, its that kinda thing. Patience is a virtue, LOL.