I'm in a bit of a predicament. I work on a ventilation unit. There's a very large female resident on ventilation. Somewhat young. Alert and oriented. Just started speaking today. Wednesday she claims I said something about a number regarding her weight as in "7 people in 1" or maybe it was like "5 people in 1". I don't really know. I don't remember saying anything about it. That day and that event that happened allegedly, me and an LPN were trying to reposition her. When she was first admitted, we had 4 CNAs at all times when it came to things like changing her, repositioning, bed bath, etc. A few days later she all of a sudden went down to 2 CNAs. I understand I can't just pout and disagree with it, but to me it's a safety issue if there's 2 CNAs when doing something with her to get comfortable instead of 4. I think she's like beyond 400 lbs. I told the LPN like 4 times "I want more help" or "I want 3 people or 4 people" both in front of her, and outside her room. The LPN I worked with that run is energetic and motivated. He's a cool dude, but pressed for time. He kind of just blew it off and instead tried to encourage me to pull her up with him, both of us on opposite ends. I was irritated, but I can't recall myself ever saying anything about her weight. I don't see why I even would considering it has no importance to my job. Tonight, an hour or two before the end of my shift and before her mother left, I was escorted outside as house sup, mother, and lead CNA all talked about it and off the property as there will be an investigation Monday. I don't know what will happen, but I did document 4 pages worth of my side. She was able to speak today and she says I did in fact say something that hinted at her being big, but I don't see why I would because that's just straight rude. I apologized to both her and her mom when they were in there together. The mom didn't want to write a report, but the daughter (patient) did. Now the ombudsman is going to come in and investigate. Am I 100% guaranteed to lose my job and license even though I don't remember saying anything like that? Or could both sides (state and facility) say ok we'll let it slide once, but that's it? I've always been nice to her whether her mom was there or not, always greeted her, always had no issue with helping others who interacted with her like a nurse or CNA. I never turn down a request for help if someone needs it, except financially. Me and the LPN that were in that room were involved and we're both going to be investigated. Also, could this affect me going into nursing school? I was told by my house supervisor who is a really good RN that this could ban me from working in the healthcare field period, but I don't know if that's a little exaggerating. Also, I was told in CNA school that I think in Nevada, if you mess up in one area of certification so bad you can never hold that title, that it won't affect other titles. I'm not trying to intentionally get fired or lose my certification, but it took two days for the pt to find somebody to report it, but I can't remember ever saying it. What I documented I did remember doing and would do in a scenario that needed it, but I never mentioned that I said something to point at her weight because why would I? I took my test for nursing school and I might get accepted, why would I want to go downhill?
Your goals, dreams etc have nothing to do with the situation Beldar. So no, they will absolutely not consider any if that if you acted in a way that makes patients or their families feel less than well cared for.
I mentioned those meaning if the ombudsman knows people who are like CNAs are in nursing school because people want to improve their education. Don't they represent the state?
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Even if they did, your career goals would not factor in. Not even a little. I am, to be honest, confused why you would think that matters and why it would factor in if your behavior was less than what it should have been. Being a student doesn't give you a pass for being unprofessional and isn't going to sway anyone toward saving you. If anything it will motivate them to weed you out before you get even higher on the ladder and with even more responsibility for the care of vulnerable populations.
Even if they did, your career goals would not factor in. Not even a little.
Meaning I could still get into nursing school after this? I mean, I talked to a nurse at another facility I was working at about this and she said she dealt with a CNA who physically hit a patient. I was mortified when she told me that because I would never hit a patient. She also said theft is very serious too. I said I've never done anything malign to a patient. She said it's possible you could just get a slap on the wrist by an ombudsman.
I always try to be a good CNA. I want to be a good CNA and a good nurse. I've had families tell me you'd make a good nurse. Yesterday I had a patient call me "the man". Not sure why, maybe because she liked me for some reason.
I doubt this would keep you from getting into nursing school unless criminal complaints have been lodged.
I view this as a criminal complaint against me. Maybe I'm wrong and it's not that. I don't know. I don't know what a criminal complaint would be like. I don't do drugs, I don't steal from patients or from facilities, I don't hit patients, I always try to be really down to earth with some of the residents. Once I informed a patient who was having trouble with BM that if he lays in the fetal position, holds his legs up against his chest to make a squatting like position, he could release better. He told me it works. Every time he had his call light on to be changed, he thanked me for telling him how to release easier. I don't know if this is considered a misdemeanor or felony, but I am truly mortified and daunted by the venomous feeling of guilt and that I will never get to work as a CNA again or get into nursing school. I feel like it's that strict. Like one chance is all you get. Like nursing is a risky death trap for easy unemployment where all your opportunities you had are gone because you were frustrated at the lack of help you were getting and may have said something that the patient took the wrong way or what you were trying to professionally tell your supervisor who was doing your job while you were busy you were helping to remind him in the future when he wants help for that patient.
People know when they should be offended and when others say things that aren't on the up and up.
Generally true, but that is not to say that if someone is offended, wrong things have been done or said. They might know to be offended when they should, and separately they might just be offended. Anyway it usually isn't too difficult to just take a few precautions towards maintaining someone's dignity. Coordinate efforts outside of the room/out of earshot as much as possible. Always be pleasant/professional when interacting with the patient. Make sure the patient is safe and then excuse yourself if you have begun a process and realize you need more help. Etc.
I'm sure it doesn't feel good to be in a position to require an inordinate amount of help/people, but at the same time you don't have the right to begrudge the people who do actually have to do some "things" to make arrangements for that same care. To begrudge this is to be manipulative: Often enough it leads to caregivers doing things they shouldn't so that they don't so much as appear to be remotely worried about extra help or special arrangements, since that might make the patient feel bad. I read this (OP) situation as: Extreme care not used to try to maintain dignity + patient generally begrudging the efforts required = trouble.
Your bold statement highlighted "I didn't call the patient a fat cow or a whale". Meaning I KNOWINGLY was in her room and didn't say those things to that level. Maybe it was something else that she might have taken to offense. Maybe I was verbally analyzing what kind of CNAs I work with and how many it would take to pull her up. Maybe it was just when I told my nurse "We have to have at least 4 people to pull her up". When some CNAs help they look like they're holding a tray in place when they hold the draw sheet instead of actually lifting. They don't actually lift. They're not actually putting in the effort. When someone asks me to help them pull someone up, I NEVER say no find somebody else. That was one of two of my frustrations. The first one that I couldn't get any help with my nurse and I pulling her up. There are times when I wish management, non-nursing related, could also be accountable in helping CNAs when it comes to answering call lights and pulling patients up in bed.
Even as a nurse you may be upset but you still have to be mindful of where you're at and not offend the patients. Despite how you feel or what you meant to say the patient was offended. Apologizing and saying maybe I relayed my words wrong or misspoke would have gone a long way. However, I don't know what the patient felt or who or what investigated but it warranted you being walked out of the building. I'm not sure if you can do anything about that or if it was the final straw to a list of things management has against you and that was the final straw.
Generally true, but that is not to say that if someone is offended, wrong things have been done or said. They might know to be offended when they should, and separately they might just be offended. Anyway it usually isn't too difficult to just take a few precautions towards maintaining someone's dignity. Coordinate efforts outside of the room/out of earshot as much as possible. Always be pleasant/professional when interacting with the patient. Make sure the patient is safe and then excuse yourself if you have begun a process and realize you need more help. Etc.
I'm sure it doesn't feel good to be in a position to require an inordinate amount of help/people, but at the same time you don't have the right to begrudge the people who do actually have to do some "things" to make arrangements for that same care. To begrudge this is to be manipulative: Often enough it leads to caregivers doing things they shouldn't so that they don't so much as appear to be remotely worried about extra help or special arrangements, since that might make the patient feel bad. I read this (OP) situation as: Extreme care not used to try to maintain dignity + patient generally begrudging the efforts required = trouble.
I didn't begrudge what he said in the OP, I found fault with the sidebar jabs and the immediate insult as a result of pointing it out. We've all been in adverse positions at work. Can't say you work in nursing and not have a bad day, we all have them.
Apologizing and saying maybe I relayed my words wrong or misspoke would have gone a long way.
I tried to apologize, but it made her more upset. Not sure why. I apologized to her in front of her mother. I've worked with residents who were big. Not once did I ever comment on their weight.
Just now, NurseBlaq said:
Can't say you work in nursing and not have a bad day, we all have them.
And does the Ombudsman understand that or is that absolutely no excuse? That is one of the reasons why I wrote my post.
Meaning I could still get into nursing school after this? I mean, I talked to a nurse at another facility I was working at about this and she said she dealt with a CNA who physically hit a patient. I was mortified when she told me that because I would never hit a patient. She also said theft is very serious too. I said I've never done anything malign to a patient. She said it's possible you could just get a slap on the wrist by an ombudsman.
I always try to be a good CNA. I want to be a good CNA and a good nurse. I've had families tell me you'd make a good nurse. Yesterday I had a patient call me "the man". Not sure why, maybe because she liked me for some reason.
I don't see this as being career ending for nursing school.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
16 minutes ago, Beldar_the_Cenobite said:
I view this as a criminal complaint against me. Maybe I'm wrong and it's not that. I don't know. I don't know what a criminal complaint would be like. I don't do drugs, I don't steal from patients or from facilities, I don't hit patients, I always try to be really down to earth with some of the residents. Once I informed a patient who was having trouble with BM that if he lays in the fetal position, holds his legs up against his chest to make a squatting like position, he could release better. He told me it works. Every time he had his call light on to be changed, he thanked me for telling him how to release easier. I don't know if this is considered a misdemeanor or felony, but I am truly mortified and daunted by the venomous feeling of guilt and that I will never get to work as a CNA again or get into nursing school. I feel like it's that strict. Like one chance is all you get. Like nursing is a risky death trap for easy unemployment where all your opportunities you had are gone because you were frustrated at the lack of help you were getting and may have said something that the patient took the wrong way or what you were trying to professionally tell your supervisor who was doing your job while you were busy you were helping to remind him in the future when he wants help for that patient.
It's a misdemeanor or felony when law enforcement has to get involved, in which case you'd be arrested or charged. This is nowhere near that. This is someone who took umbrage at something you said, or how you said it, or nothing at all. It's for the ombudsman to sort out if she is actually being mistreated in the nursing home; it's for the nursing home to sort out if any of their employees is more trouble than they're worth.
Beldar, some people have suggested you get counseling. They may have been snarky but it might actually help you. I think you need someone in your life who is professional, objective, can help you navigate your next step in life, and maintains your privacy. A bunch of strangers on the internet will be hit and miss at best.
I didn't begrudge what he said in the OP, I found fault with the sidebar jabs and the immediate insult as a result of pointing it out. We've all been in adverse positions at work. Can't say you work in nursing and not have a bad day, we all have them.
What sidebar jabs? What you consider sidebar jabs were not what I said and I know what I didn't say. If I called her a whale or something, that's outright corrupt from a moral perspective in this field.
Beldar_the_Cenobite, CNA
470 Posts
I mentioned those meaning if the ombudsman knows people who are like CNAs are in nursing school because people want to improve their education. Don't they represent the state?