Battling your CNA colleagues

[jdchisolm68]

I just started a new CNA job and want to get along with my co-workers. That means I help when I can and expect help when I need it (like when you have to have 2 people to move a resident). But I've already gotten into it with another CNA...she decided that since another CNA went home she was going to take the men side of the hall and give me all of the women. I am a man and have no problem with helping care for female residents but many of them prefer a female CNA..i understand and am not offended at all. My issue was I had already done all the vitals for the men and gotten their rooms prepped for bedtime after dinner. She sat at the nurses station for 2 hours and did nothing and then wanted to hand them off to someone else to start from scratch hours after the shift started. As a former trainer and supervisor I felt that the nurses should have stepped in and said to stick to the schedule which clearly indicated the rooms we were assigned but they just ignored the issue. I have no problem helping patients but I do take issue with doing someone elses work. Are the CNA's in charge where you work?

[northernguy]

Sounds like someone trying to take advantage of a new CNA. Happened to me all the time when I was new. Where I work RNs that work the floor generally stay out of disputes between aides. They leave it to us to hash things out like assignments among ourselves, which is understandable, they have enough to do without baby sitting the aides. You would have to go to a shift manager to get something done, but even then they are often going to side with the aide who has worked there longer if you are brand new, assuming that aide isnt someone who has a history of problems.

All you can do is state your case politely, then get on with the job. If it becomes a regular occurence they may do something like having set assignments that everyone has to rotate through. That usually puts a stop to things since most aides hate having RNs choose assignments for residents they dont do cares on daily, since it often causes more problems than it solves. When we went to assignments it was the senior aides who made out the assignments anyway. Where I work there are a couple aides who have worked there a long time and are tight with the shift boss who end up being unofficial charge CNAs. Sadly going up against these aides usually ends badly for newer CNAs.

[Cristae]

I agree with everything Northernguy said. I only have a half of year experience, and especially when I first got hired I was always told what to do. But it never really stopped, because I was still the new kid on the block. I learned to be assertive and stand up for myself when it seemed I got the raw end of the deal. To some CNA's, I will always be the newbie and they treat me as such.

But they taught me what they know, and we still got along. I just had to play to the pecking order.

[AJ_427]

At my facility we have a supervising CNA. She/he is a person who we go to if there is a problem (they don't get assigned residents). She/he makes the assignment, gives breaks to 1:1, checks bathrooms/rooms/dining rooms, etc. When it comes to teamwork, we are generally pretty good. We help each other and people are pretty nice. I've learned that you can't count on nurses where I work. If it doesn't concern any of their residents then they don't want to hear about it.

Maybe you can suggest to the administration or DON to put one CNA in charge.

PS- Next time stand up for yourself and tell her yes only after she does all the things that you did (vitals, prep) with your new residents.

[supervisorhatchet]

as Charge RN. I make the assignments. They are not final. IF there is a severe inequality or someone cant take care of some one, we just swap.

But my rule is, I am the CHARGE NURSE. I make assignments based on skill and acuity of pts.

I don't have time for CNA assignment drama. They can share/swapp/give away/take extra....I dont care as long as every gets taken care of, and all the charting is do....that being said...whom ever I assisgned to a resident is whom I hold accountable for care.