Being Asked to Come in and Work as CNA...

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Wondering how many nurses out there get asked to come in and work on the floor as a CNA.. My employer does this quite often, they have even mandated nurses to come in and work as CNAs. My scheduler called me the other day and asked if I would come in and do a 12 tonight, 4 hours as a CNA and then my regular 8 as a nurse, I did not call her back for fear she would try to mandate me.. I have no interest in working overtime and I have even less interest to work as a CNA. And no, it's not because I think I am better than that or what not.. I have nothing but respect for CNAs, they have the hardest job in healthcare. It's been 12+ years since I worked as an aide and I put myself through school to be a nurse, not a CNA. If I had wanted to work as a CNA I would've saved myself from the student loans, stress, and hardwork..

Anywho, just wondering who else gets asked this and what your thoughts are..

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

It happens to me once in a while. I have no problem with it.

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Personally, I just hate overtime--no matter what the job description. Come in and work when I should be kicking back at home or with friends? No, thanks. I've had enough of mandatory overtime on active duty--the kind you can't say no to. I wouldn't work overtime voluntarily for all the tea in bags.

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So they pay you RN wages to come in as a CNA?

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i do it from time to time. It does not bother me.

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I'm an LPN, but yes they pay LPN wages but have them work as CNAs. I have yet to see them mandate one of the RNs, except they attempted to have the day supervisor work as a CNA over a weekend. She absolutely refused to do it. Other than that it's only been the LPNs that they ask and have mandated.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

An LTACH I used to work at would have RNs/LPNs be 1:1 sitters if there weren't enough CNAs to spare. (They typically had 4 CNAs per shift--1 in the ICU and 3 on the floor.) Eh, it made for a long 12 hours, but I was 110% fine with getting my RN pay to protect 1 pt. I've never worked as hard in my life as I worked in that place!

Personally I'm not opposed to working as an aide on occasion, providing I get paid my RN wage. ADLs are basic nursing duties, and sometimes I think it would be a nice change of pace to have RN responsibilities. I'm very opposed to mandatory shifts, however. If I worked somewhere that mandated, I would NEVER answer their calls on my days off. They can leave a message, and I would decide if I wanted to return the call.

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I've worked many shifts as a CNA, and many double shifts, where I was CNA for one and LPN for the second. It's hard work, but with LPN pay plus bonus pay ($125 extra per shift), no med pass, no LPN charting, no real paperwork and guaranteed out-on-time, it was worth it. Plus, I continuously got put on bottom of mandation list and ended up going months and months between mandations. Oh another plus, it also put me into overtime plus a full 16 hours of holiday pay for every holiday except 1/2 of one day. Oh another plus, it really helped with getting to know the residents as well as a nurse really (but rarely) should. Oh, one more plus, it made for fantastic cooperation and togetherness with the CNAs, I was never afraid to lend a helping hand (although there were times I couldn't) and we were a great team. Oh, and my nursing judgement was always there to help the on duty LPN and RN. And yes, ADLs are basic nursing (caring) duties. We all get to go home at end of shift. The residents can't.

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I would have to say, I can only dream that they would offer an extra shift as a CNA with RN pay. No med pass, actually getting to spend time with a patient again. You will be very busy with other stuff, but I liked the days when I could plan my own day rather than have a ridiculous med schedule that is hard to keep up on.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, dementia, hospice.

Actually, I would love to work as a CNA for RN pay! I miss being as hands on as I could be as an aide. Plus, no med pass!!! At one of the facilities in which I work, a serious shortage of CNAs exists right now. I might suggest this!

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

There were times when I worked in LTC as a MDS Coordinator I would have loved to have gotten out of the office and worked as a CNA to get a break from the spawn of satan the MDS 3.0 is. CNA work is hard and thankless I know, but I always envied the time they got to spend with the residents, the reduced documentation requirements and how they actually got to go home on time.

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Very rarely did I ever have to do this. Some of the other nurses did it more on a regular basis. No problem for any of us because we were paid our licensed nurse rate of pay to do the CNA work and, of course, we all had good working relationships with the other nurses. In another situation, I was actually hired as, and paid as, a CNA to move into the licensed nurse role when the opening became available. This worked out although there was some friction with the CNAs when I became their supervisor. No problem for me.

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