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

[NurseQT]

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..

[SWM2009]

I am not sure I would be comfortable with that and it's not because I don't want to do CNA duties. I have worked as a CNA and I help out my CNAs with answering call lights when I can. I am just not comfortable working below my level of licensure knowing if something were to happen I would be held to the level of the highest license I hold..(am I right?). Thankfully, my facility does not ask nurses to work as CNAs.

[ponymom]

Meh, I had both 'deep care' and wanted more money (they can easily co-exist, I've done it many times in many jobs!), plus I had the extra time to work all those hours. I had a specific goal in mind, and as long as the I had the time, and the open-time was available, I made the system work for me. And, work for me, it sure did! More ('easier') money, little mandation (2x in six months), better understanding and more quality time overall w/ the residents, excellent working relationship w/ the CNAs, less worries for the LPNs and RNs on duty, more cooperation when scheduling was being made out (I got *every* single day off I wanted).

I don't understand being uncomfortable working below one's level of licensure. There's so much that can happen 'at' that level of licensure, if I were afraid of things happening 'below', I'd be just as afraid of things happening 'at'. And since I worked as a CNA, and helped them when I could as an LPN, they always, always helped me, too. We were, truly, 'co'-workers.

My facility never ever asked nor ordered any nurse to work as a CNA, and they still don't. I volunteered for every one of those shifts. And, ha! I've never been guilted into anything! I have since left and they still have never asked nor ordered any nurse to work as a CNA. Yes, short-staffing, but how long are you going to wait for them to start hiring more CNAs, they were mandating for months before I decided that, heck, I might as well start taking that open time. So, again, I made the system work for me.

[AdamantiteEnigma]

In a situation where I'm part of regular staff, no problem. It's all part of nursing care. However, when I am working agency I shy away from this big time. The concept of working as an aide when the person that I'm reporting to may or may not be responsive to my concerns - while I'm still being held at the standard of my license (with no access to tools to intervene) scares the bejesus out of me.

I still cringe thinking back to a couple of shifts in particular before I made that decision. Bad mojo...

[ComeTogether, LPN]

Well, it isn't grunt work, either.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Well, it isn't grunt work, either.

If CNA work--the nursing care that tends to the most basic needs of the patient--isn't grunt work, I don't know what is.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Does this happen at a unionized hospital??

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

[stronginchrist]

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.

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.

The fact that I am a student nurse doesn't prove anything, as you do not know what I do or experience beyond just going to clinicals and studying in class. And " higher ups" ? There are no "higher ups" eventually I will be just next to you or maybe above. But my point is that when I meant there is more than just the surface and there is care in these words I meant that the post who I was quoting shown that he/she seemed to have cared more about the patients especially the fact that they can't go home and yet nurses can. Had nothing to do with me saying that other nurses does not care. And please don't try that "student nurse " with me because most likely you were not born as full licensed nurse and I'm sure as hell know that you started from school or else you would not of been at the position you are at now. So please. Don't try that.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

The fact that I am a student nurse doesn't prove anything, as you do not know what I do or experience beyond just going to clinicals and studying in class.

Sure it does. You don't have any experience working as a nurse. Even if you have work experience in a different profession, nursing is different from everything else you've ever done. If you're naïve enough to think that your opinion trumps the knowledge of seasoned nurses, then that will be its own reward.

And " higher ups" ? There are no "higher ups" eventually I will be just next to you or maybe above.

This isn't kindergarten. You're not getting a sticker and a speech about how everyone is equal and special. Your boss certainly isn't going to consider you his or her equal. There is a chain of command in every work setting. Everyone has higher ups. Even the higher ups have higher ups. Where you and I will be in someday is completely irrelevant to this discussion.

But my point is that when I meant there is more than just the surface and there is care in these words I meant that the post who I was quoting shown that he/she seemed to have cared more about the patients especially the fact that they can't go home and yet nurses can. Had nothing to do with me saying that other nurses does not care.

And that's the way nursing is always going to be. You as a nurse get to go home. Your patients, unfortunately, do not. However, the degree to which you choose to be at work really has nothing to do with how much you care. I've known folks who have chosen to work obscene amounts of overtime--not because they care, not because they want to help, but because they want cash. Nothing wrong with that as long as you can do it safely, but the point is, working a lot does not equate to compassion.

And please don't try that "student nurse " with me because most likely you were not born as full licensed nurse and I'm sure as hell know that you started from school or else you would not of been at the position you are at now. So please. Don't try that.

I have no idea what you mean by this. Of course I wasn't born with my nursing license wrapped around my umbilical cord. However, as I am an experienced nurse and you are an aspiring student, that certainly gives me and my colleagues room to speak from the pedestal of such experience and gives our opinions much more credibility than yours. You can offer speculation, which isn't always invalid, but you ought to give due consideration to the experience of others, especially when just a few months ago, you were running around this board trying to determine the difference between an LPN and an RN after your internet research failed you. Whether or not you want to listen is entirely up to you, but with the kind of knowledge and experience available on this site, I'd strongly encourage you to put your pride in the backseat and learn from our experience/mistakes/successes.

Also, your username violates the TOS (terms of service), and that isn't simply my opinion. Please change it.

[stronginchrist]

Sure it does. You don't have any experience working as a nurse. Even if you have work experience in a different profession, nursing is different from everything else you've ever done. If you're naïve enough to think that your opinion trumps the knowledge of seasoned nurses, then that will be its own reward.

Oh, dear. This isn't kindergarten, kesh, and you're not getting a sticker for showing up. Everyone has higher ups. Even the higher ups have higher ups. Where you and I will be in someday is completely irrelevant. Everyone has a boss.

And that's the way nursing is always going to be. You as a nurse get to go home. Your patients, unfortunately, do not. However, the degree to which you choose to be at work really has nothing to do with how much you care. I've known folks who have chosen to work obscene amounts of overtime--not because they care, not because they want to help, but because they want cash. Nothing wrong with that as long as you can do it safely, but the point is, working a lot does not equate to compassion.

I have no idea what you mean by this. Of course I wasn't born with my nursing license wrapped around my umbilical cord. However, as I am an experienced nurse and you are an aspiring student, that certainly gives me and my colleagues room to speak from the pedestal of such experience. Whether or not you want to listen is entirely up to you, but with the kind of knowledge and experience available on this site, I'd strongly encourage you to do so.

Also, your username violates the TOS (terms of service), and that isn't simply my opinion. Please change it.

Look. You will say what ever you have to say to back up your opinion and I would say whatever I have to say to back up mine. But for you as an "experienced" nurse and what ever you have personally experienced as a nurse and your own environment doesn't mean that it is the average for all nurses. As I said before there is more than just the surface. And I know my name does not "violates" the service or else I would not of been able to put it as my username. I am a nurse and my name is kesh. And that will be my username so I will not change it. And I am on this forum because I am passionate about my profession and amazing nurses and I am not on here for your personal or "other" opinions about my so called username. And about your experience as I said before you have started up from a student therefore you should try to have a sensible perspective and not one who seem to be one who is trying to discourage or disrespect another individual. I feel that you are trying to belittle me just because of the situation and I am not going to accept it. Whether or not you have the experience I am still going to be a nurse and I am still going to most likely grow and gain plenty of experience as well. And yes I am learning that is why I am a register of the allnurses forum. Just like you would state and posts on this page I would state and posts as well. Plain and simple.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

I made sure before getting into nursing that I knew exactly what I'm getting myself into. So I already know about the stress and work nurses have to put in.

Not at all. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into until you've done it. You can research it until there's nothing left unread, but that doesn't mean you know anything about what it's like to actually be a nurse and deal with the responsibilities and stresses of this profession on a daily basis. Simple as that.

Just because you have experienced nurses that are in it for the money does not mean that it concludes my quote. As I have said before and I am going to say it again there is more than beyond the surface . there are nurses who will stay on the surface and then there's some nurses who will seek beyond what is just "there" . in your perspective your thinking of me saying "working more" means that people have more compassion .when I have said that there is more care is because of what that post had stated when she/he said that the patients have to stay inside where as the nurse goes home. There is more to that saying than just the average "nurse goes home because shift is over" that's why I have mention beyond the surface. And I meant that "student nurse" statement because

If you found ponymom's statement to exhibit "deep caring", then that's absolutely your right to interpret it that way. My intention not to comment on the content of her post, but was instead to point out that there is a pitfall in that way of thinking that is important to avoid if you want a good, long, healthy career.

[stronginchrist]

Not at all. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into until you've done it. You can research it until there's nothing left unread, but that doesn't mean you know anything about what it's like to actually be a nurse and deal with the responsibilities and stresses of this profession on a daily basis. Simple as that.

If you found ponymom's statement to exhibit "deep caring", then that's absolutely your right to interpret it that way. My intention not to comment on the content of her post, but was instead to point out that there is a pitfall in that way of thinking that is important to avoid if you want a good, long, healthy career.

I just believe that there are different type of nurses who are in the field. My way of thinking would most likely be different from your type of thinking. Maybe you are a nurse of logic and maybe I will be a nurse of charisma and discernment. I do understand on what you are trying to tell me , but I am still believing and understanding my perception on that post.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Does this happen at a unionized hospital??

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

Yep. Only then it is called "floating" and a nurse doesn't take an assignment, they just go to be an "extra set of hands". And their assignment is to get vitals, answer call lights, set patients up for meals, that type of thing. At least in acute care that I am familiar with. Otherwise it can be considered a nurse "taking away" from baragaining members work.

LTC going in and doing CNA duties--I am not sure how CNA's do their work, never mind me--back breaking--but I am old and frail.

Hopefully, there will come a time when there's a larger PRN pool, so that CNA's who want to work can.