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

Nurses LPN/LVN

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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..

Not me; easy money and no mandations?... I did it every time. In fact I was never once officially asked to do this, I picked up those days instead. I jumped on the open-time sheet soon as it came out, sometimes even called (if I was on a day-off), to see what kind of time was available, so I could make at least a preliminary plan. I got nine out of every ten days I wanted to pick up.

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Just wanted to say that your avatar is awesome. Have a good day!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Not me; easy money and no mandations?... I did it every time. In fact I was never once officially asked to do this, I picked up those days instead. I jumped on the open-time sheet soon as it came out, sometimes even called (if I was on a day-off), to see what kind of time was available, so I could make at least a preliminary plan. I got nine out of every ten days I wanted to pick up.

Yeah I have bills to pay. I wouldn't turn down a shift.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
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.

Eh, if paid the wages for your degree of education, it's more a question of 'do I want to work overtime' rather than 'would you work as a CNA?'. Everything they do in a shift, I do as well. If you aren't too tired and want/need the extra cash, go for it.

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I would do this in a minute! It is tough work, but to avoid a med pass and still get paid.. Heck yeah! :yes: Not to mention your CNA's will respect you for walking in their shoes.. Now if you don't want to work the extra shift that's understandable, but to not work just because you are filling in for a CNA, thats crazy (unless of course you are disabled and cannot do that back breaking work).

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I would do this in a minute! It is tough work, but to avoid a med pass and still get paid.. Heck yeah! :yes: Not to mention your CNA's will respect you for walking in their shoes.. Now if you don't want to work the extra shift that's understandable, but to not work just because you are filling in for a CNA, thats crazy (unless of course you are disabled and cannot do that back breaking work).

I wouldn't have avoided doing a med pass, I would've been working the second half of the PM shift as an aide and then worked my regular 8 hr NOC shift after (with 3 more NOC shifts after that). As one of the NOC nurses I work the heavier hall of the two, more PRNs, scheduled Meds, straight cathing, leg wraps, ect. Plus I do the blood draws for the facility in the morning.

I would much rather spend my time off with my family than working extra hours, my babies won't be babies forever.. So I'm not interested in working extra hours, but if I wanted the OT I would take an extra shift as a nurse before I'd take a shift as a CNA..

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

Nobody calls and asks us to cover an extra shift. They just wait until we get to work, check the assignments, and see the note that one of us has to be the CNA.

When that happens, we fight over who gets to be the CNA.

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In my facility when they are short staffed RNs and LPNs are asked to fill the role as CNAs. Our pay does not change.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Nobody calls and asks us to cover an extra shift. They just wait until we get to work, check the assignments, and see the note that one of us has to be the CNA.

When that happens, we fight over who gets to be the CNA.

EXACTLY!!! If my pay wasn't going to change, give me the CNA duties any day...I could use the break from pushing Dilaudid or Morphine every two hours on 6-7 patients. I darn sure could use the break from having to deal with doctors about these patients demanding more and more drugs. My problem would be with having to come in (RN, LPN, CNA, or housekeeper) on my day off!!!

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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.

This is what I'm talking about!! More than just the surface. There is deep care in these words.

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

They're all nursing duties, and aside from the physical requirements, I can't see why some nurses take issue with this happening sometimes. We are here to help you with the aspects of your job that don't require a nursing licence, but there isn't anything CNAs do that nurses aren't also required to do. :(

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They're all nursing duties, and aside from the physical requirements, I can't see why some nurses take issue with this happening sometimes. We are here to help you with the aspects of your job that don't require a nursing licence, but there isn't anything CNAs do that nurses aren't also required to do. :(

The OP isn't taking issue with the nursing duties involved in working as a CNA and openly admits that the grunt work of nursing is the hardest in healthcare. It seems she or he is griping more about the mandating and overtime, which is perfectly understandable.

This is what I'm talking about!! More than just the surface. There is deep care in these words.

Just because someone is willing to work overtime and below their level of licensure (questionable practice to begin with that is definitely the choice of the individual nurse, but I digress) doesn't mean they have "deep care", nor does it mean that those of us who value our off-time and actively avoid burnout by dodging overtime care any less. As you're a student and not a nurse despite your username, that is a very valuable lesson to learn early.

You owe your employer nothing more than the time you agreed to work, be that full time, part time, per diem, etc. But the measure of a nurse is not counted in overtime. That is a staffing issue is the direct responsibility of management. In fact, nurses who regularly volunteer to come in and work overtime due to chronic short-staffing are probably doing their ward a disservice as it tells the management that they don't need to adequately staff the floor--they can just mandate or rely on guilting their existing staff into covering. Probably not the message you want to send to higher ups.

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