Are all CNAs mean

northernguy · May 4, 2012

CNAs and work environments vary, but yeah, CNAs in LTC arent always the nicest people. Some LTCs the work environment can best be compared to the lord of the flies, with aides forming cliques and always criticizing and even plotting against each other.

It can be amusing and help pass the time as long as you dont take it all too seriously. It was like living in a real life soap opera.

You cant always blame the CNAs though, they are often under the gun and overworked, and a lot of them are clearly frustrated at the low pay and lack of respect, and may be resentful of RNs and other better paid more respected staff, so put a nursing student in there and its payback time lol.

Theres no excuse for them treating the residents mean though. Thats something I didnt see. Do that where Ive worked and you were gone, possibly with a state investigation lasting after your employment ended.

kool-aide, RN · May 10, 2012

Yes, all CNAs are mean.

What kind of question is that? Are you 5 years old? Some people are nicer than others! Grow a thicker skin.

Wow, I guess I really am kind of mean, huh? :jester:

mindyfromcali · May 10, 2012

CNAs aren't all mean, but they're usually all under a lot of stress. The others are right, that can be misinterpreted as mean. When you have to remember 8 or more people's routines and how they fit together, and then chart everything and still deal with attitudes of all of the residents, sometimes their family members, and your coworkers, that is A LOT. For me, when the students came in, that's just one more thing to worry about. I'm already in a hurry, and then I have to slow down and remember the "right" way to do everything so that you can learn. Meanwhile those residents' routines and everything else I have to get done are racing through my head. It's not that we don't want to help, and see others learn too, it's just that they really should take into account the fact that we have to go super fast and not slow down and show someone else our job skills if we're going to finish what we need to get done in one day. Trust me, it's a marathon every day.

animal1953 · May 10, 2012

When I was going through my clinicals, we did ours in LTC and AC centers. Most of the nurses CNAs I worked with were glad for the help and a few even tested me as if I was taking my state boards. There were a few though that i noticed who were "rough" with some of the residents/clients. I think what helped them get used to me was I just jumped right in and worked as a team with them. If the resident didn't want a male helping her clean up, I took care of stripping the bed and making it up. There were a few CNAs who flat didn't want anyone helping them and were rude to a couple of our students. It was reported to our supervisor/instructor and those were avoided in pairing up. Over all I had a good experience there but it's not for me. I'm looking at visiting nurse services while waiting to take my state boards.

Dulce29 · May 11, 2012

Hi... No not all CNAs ate mean. I love the people I know who are CNAs . They are hard workers and are really cool people. Maybe you just need to make CNA friends

ProudStudent · May 12, 2012

You're a new CNA and you do things by the book. My guess would be that if the residents you are taking care of are getting proper care from you, they're going to start asking the other CNAs why they're not getting the same treatment. A lot of CNAs and Nurses that work in LTC facilities get burned out really quickly. It's a lot of hard work with little reward.

missie1 · May 18, 2012

I just started a job at a LTC facility and all the CNA's are ****** and rude with down right nasty attitudes. They rolled their eyes when they asked me if I ever worked as a CNA before and I said I was a brand new CNA. I have been running around all week, answering their call bells, doing all the dirty work and they still act like they hate me...one girl especially!! This person is probably about 20 or more years YOUNGER than me and she talks to me like I am a teenager with her snide comments. I know I look young....but I don't know who she thinks she's talking to...or about, as I could run circles around her! Another CNA told me that she does not mean anything by it...its just her personality. I don't know if I will keep this job....if you can't stand the people you work with and they make you feel like less of a person than it's not for me. Their loss!

LaterAlligator · May 19, 2012

I try to remember to be nice to the nursing students who come in to do their clinicals on my floor at the hospital, but it can be very frustrating to have to follow them around to be sure they didn't do something that compromised my patients' safety, especially when I have 14 patients and they're helping an RN with 3-4 patients.

One took my patient to the bathroom and didn't put her oxygen back on, and my patient was satting 68% by the time I got in there. I'm sure I was a little terse in my greeting and my phone call to that RN "Your patient is desatted down in the 60's how many liters per minute do you want her on?".

I know everyone can make mistakes, but you still don't want to see the patients you're responsible for caring for get hurt because someone else is brand new and mistake prone.

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 19, 2012

As someone said, part of it is anger/jealousy/??? that you are going to a higher level than they are.

I've worked with some great LPNs when I was an aide in LTC and when I was an RN. On the other hand, I can also remember one LPN who used to be a CNA at the facility where I was a CNA...the aides used to say "she forgot where she came from"--i.e. she treated aides like...well...BM. Part of their resentment may be d/t a similar experience.

I remember when I was a CNA, another CNA complained about the LPN students: "they are definitely not going to make it...they left and a bunch of their residents' were soaking wet!!" She didn't realize the LPN students left the floor early that day for post conference, and yet she continued going on and on about what horrible nurses they would be.

If they don't like you, let it go. I have the utmost respect for CNAs as a former CNA myself; however, their opinion, good or bad, will not have an impact on your career and will not be the final word of whether or not you're a good nurse.

yousoldtheworld · May 21, 2012

How do you know these particular aides are jealous of her? I really hate the "Oh, they must be jealous" line. If they really wanted to go to school, they probably would. Maybe some of them already are. Not every aide desires to be a nurse. Just sayin'.

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 21, 2012

How do you know these particular aides are jealous of her? I really hate the "Oh, they must be jealous" line. If they really wanted to go to school, they probably would. Maybe some of them already are. Not every aide desires to be a nurse. Just sayin'.

I never said that every aide was jealous of nursing students. It is just a plausible explanation for why some are mean toward students.

In some cases the aide may be upset that the students are moving higher, but jealous isn't the right word. I knew an aide who said of an LPN student "She's in school for the big bucks...she is beyond my help." In that case it might not have been jealousy, but, if the LPN student heard it, it would have been considered 'mean.'

ProudStudent · May 21, 2012

I don't think anyone meant to belittle anyone working as a CNA -at all. I definitely wouldn't take it personally. Most of us know that CNAs work very hard and that's something commendable in itself. I suppose that we're all entitled to an opinion, since it is a discussion thread, and yours counts just as much as the next. With that in mind, what would yousoldtheworld consider the reason for the animosity of the "mean" CNA?