I am a new Grad starting in LTC. I keep thinking how akward it will be overseeing CNAs that have so much more experience than me. I have the utmost respect for CNAs, as they may not have as much "book Education" as RN's...However, they know their job and sometimes know more than the nurses. (as far as what I've seen during clinicals)
What are some of the experiences that you have had as a new Nurse, coming onboard and delegating, overseeing Vetran CNAs? just want to know what to expect.
First question is, have you been a nurse aide? They are your backbone in a sense due to the fact that they sometimes are able to have more pt. contact. I have been a nurse aide and can tell you like they told me, "they make you or break you". Have a good raport with your nurse aides and listen to their needs/ problems.
Regardless of someones title or # of yrs working. Everyone wants to be appreciated and treated with respect. I am not afraid to politely remind a CNA that i can do their job, but they cant do mine.
A good CNA is worth their weight in gold. They can be your greatest resource, they know the patients inside and out, and the floor, and the other nurses, and the supervisors, and the politics. They are your eyes and ears, and one thing I should mention is that helping the CNAs do their job benefits everyone, as there is no way you can fully know what is going on with your patient unless you are willing to get up close and personal in their intimate business.
It's not just about showing that you are willing to work as a team, you actually do need to be willing to do that in order to perform effectively as a nurse. A lot of the veteran CNAs, if they see that you are willing to do it all for your patient, are going to work much better with you, as they are heavily invested in the well-being of that patient and want to know that you are too.
But to some degree, the type of CNAs you are working with reflecct the attitude of the facility toward patient care. You'll find that good facilities are much better about holding onto the best CNAs -- and nurses, whereas the bad facilities that don't care about good patient care are not really interested in how their nursing staff perform.
It's a sit back and wait situation. I would suggest that before worrying about the CNAs that you figure out what you need to do your job, get your system and priorities figured out, learn and observe the priorities of the CNAs -- which patient needs to go to bed when, who likes their pills when (I have patients that I have learned never to give pills to early as they will then demand to go to bed immediately and the CNAs have a schedule too that can be easily disrupted by an anxious or fretful patient). It is like choreographing a dance.
Best advise never let them know you are a "new" nurse. Have confidence.
You have certain things that they are expected to help with period. Try and help as much as you can, don't for instance call the CNA into the room to roll someone over on to their side to place a nitropatch if the person can actually roll themselves. ( When I was a CNA an RN did this to me).
But as a Nurse I just let them know what I expected. I didn't and don't lord over the CNAs , I laugh and joke with them, but I expect everyone to do their jobs well. Have confidence, don't be afraid to ask them about the daily care of the resident if you don't know. But remember, even if they have been there for awhile and know what they have to do and seem to know it all... you have to follow the careplan and care must be safe.
marishetts
3 Posts
First question is, have you been a nurse aide? They are your backbone in a sense due to the fact that they sometimes are able to have more pt. contact. I have been a nurse aide and can tell you like they told me, "they make you or break you". Have a good raport with your nurse aides and listen to their needs/ problems.