Can I refuse to have a certain CNA work on my shift?

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I have over the past three week a CNA who's work and eithics has been substandard, from stating yes this was done, shaking her finger in my face stating "don't go all charge nursey on me", to out right not telling the truth. The first time this happened I and the other 2 CNAs that worked that shift, had a conference with the DON and ADON with the CNA in question on speaker phone. I thought things had been "worked out". Then a week later the same things happened. I did the written warning write up as I had been instructed to do. Now 5 days after the written write up, once again things were not done and I find myself worried about the jepoardy this places my RN License in by this CNA's actions. I am in the long process of writting up the episodes of this last shift... I wonder can I refuse to have this CNA work under my supervison since I find that I can not trust her? While is appears "management is trying to support me as the Charge Nurse from the conference and please put things in writting, I am very very concerned about having this particular CNA work with/under me.

Any advice or insight will be gratefully read and appreciated!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Peds, Ortho, LTC and MORE.

UPDATE:

Seems that my efforts to do the correct thing was "doubly" rewarded...the CNA was terminated, and I was placed on a 30 day probabtion "for allowing the insubordination" to continue, and if one more episode takes place I am to be dismissed.

Thank you very much I will continue searching for a place that is a better fit.

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Specializes in Mostly geri :).
UPDATE:

Seems that my efforts to do the correct thing was "doubly" rewarded...the CNA was terminated, and I was placed on a 30 day probabtion "for allowing the insubordination" to continue, and if one more episode takes place I am to be dismissed.

Thank you very much I will continue searching for a place that is a better fit.

Sigh. All too typical in LTC. At the end of the day, I'm glad people like you have the guts to speak up.

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Specializes in LTC.

Hmm...well....I would suggest to keep writing her up and keeping your own private documentation...make copies of these write ups for yourself should it ever come in question later on and it very well might. The next write up you do and each one thereafter...place a copy of it under your administrators door. Thats what I did with one aide that we had . She was a no call no show and so I wrote her up....which was like the 4th one all together by myself and other nurses....she finally was let go in a sense..but in actuality she just never showed back up. I got tired of going to the DON about it and took it a step up. And also talk to your DON and see about getting this aide on another shift or on different days as you ...anything. That is ultimately the DON's call I think. We currently have an aide who shouldve been let go over a yr ago and they keep letting her get by with her BS also for some reason...she whines alot and complains NONSTOP about everything. Shes hateful to the residents and new aides. She doesnt participate in any teamwork whatsoever and offeres bad care to her residents. Ive told her I dont know how many times she needed to get a job stocking shelves or pumping gas so she wouldnt have to deal with the things that come with being an aide. No such luck with that yet.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, WCC.

In order to please the union, I have to give a verbal warning, 1st written, 2nd written, suspension and THEN termination.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Here too with the union, but no matter how horrible they are and how I justify the termination, the union grieves and we end up in arbitration.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Sooooo glad I don't work in a union facility........like all LTCs, ours has its share of lazy, incompetent, insubordinate, uncaring, and outright inept employees, and it's hard enough to get rid of them without a union on board. :icon_roll

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Peds, Ortho, LTC and MORE.
Sigh. All too typical in LTC. At the end of the day, I'm glad people like you have the guts to speak up.

Me and my "BIG" mouth/ GUTS:hhmth: thank you.

What burns me the most is the part where I "allowed" the insurbordination to continue, which resulted in me being placed on probabtion...my question/thoughts are if management was really doing the other part of their job, why was I continually subjected to this?

IMO Charge Nurses are given ALL the responibility and NO real authority...I would in my dream world of nursing...

Like to have terminated her on the spot for patient abuse, neglect and abandoment, but NO I did the correct thing and followed the chain of command...

I hope there won't be a "next time" nice :angryfire me won't "allow" it. I'll quit. Yes, without a new job.

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Yes, no good deed goes unpunished. Hope you find a better place to work.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I wish the charge nurses in my facility would take some responsibility and initiative. They get paid extra to be in charge but do nothing except pass meds and do treatments. If there are any problems they usually call me. In that kind of situation, I've told them if someone is insubordinate, send them home immediately and leave me a voice mail at work. I'll deal with the rest.

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