I have been a certified nurse's assistant for 22 yrs. For the last 9 yrs., I worked in the same place. I still maintain my CNA.
During that time my employer has always been very good about keeping us aides up to date on inservices, particularly skin care and skin integrity.
We are issued "CNA Shower Check Program" booklets and all of our showers have "Checklists" hanging in them with detailed instructions on HOW and WHAT to look for and report when showering or bed bathing. Basically a head to toe skin assessment.
We have taken this dury for granted and are happy to help our resident's and nurse's in this way.
I am also a new grad RN and altho I had my IP RN and had discussed my working there under IP RN with my D.O.N., she was leaving her job and regretfully informed me that the facility would be unable to use me as an IP RN due to a lack of available positions.
What bothers me is that even tho all of the other aides were still doing their "skin checks" as usual, the a.d.o.n. and other nurse's started to harrass me if I reported skin problems citing that I was performing assessments that were outside the scope of practice for a CNA.
I was eventually terminated by the new d.o.n. on an semi-related issue where I reported on a resident's skin integrity.
The other aides are still instructed to perform these checks.
Also, the aides have been taught that evaluating for pain is to be considered "the fifth" vital sign. We are taught to ask about location, pain scale score, nature, time, etc. Basically a pain assessment. Again, when I did it I was called out and told I was practicing outside my scope but none of the other aides ever were.
Does this seem hypocritical to anyone else? Why were my shower checks suddenly "outside my scope as a cna" but none of the other cna's were being questioned or disciplined? Should I worry that someone may report me?
Thank you everyone for the feedback. I did apply for and am recieving unemployment. Also, I still have my CNA textbook and it does say that a CNA can perform a skin check and report findings. My ex-employer also had a place on the ADL flowsheets for CNA's to narrative document findings such as "Resident has reddened are over coccyx. Team Leader and Treatment Nurse notified." My ex-employer was more concerned with "keeping me in my place" as a CNA and was actually accusing me of performing RN duties by doing the documention per facility policy. She then used this as a way to justify my dismissal. I see it as a great opportunity, not as a setback. I look forward to a New Year and a new job as a RN!!! :)
teeroze201069
19 Posts
Thank you everyone for the feedback. I did apply for and am recieving unemployment. Also, I still have my CNA textbook and it does say that a CNA can perform a skin check and report findings. My ex-employer also had a place on the ADL flowsheets for CNA's to narrative document findings such as "Resident has reddened are over coccyx. Team Leader and Treatment Nurse notified." My ex-employer was more concerned with "keeping me in my place" as a CNA and was actually accusing me of performing RN duties by doing the documention per facility policy. She then used this as a way to justify my dismissal. I see it as a great opportunity, not as a setback. I look forward to a New Year and a new job as a RN!!! :)