CNA A Horror Story

Published

What I have seen in some of the stories is something that I think that all CNA's should think about. I too was asked to operate lifts by myself and refused and ran into the same situation as the others and that was you were looked upon as being "less of a CNA". I looked into other procedures or "short cuts", they called, which were being done by the "so called" more seasoned CNAs and found that they violated state procedure policy. This is something that I have noticed at several facilities.

This presents a major problem when you are being pressured into violating, to what you know as to being, the correct way of caring for the resident. CNA's should be aware if you violate a procedure, and you know that it is a violation, you can loose your certification and be terminated. That is a double edge sword because the company that you are working for can turn blind eye to the fact that they have intentionally understaffed the facility to save money.

So the problem is is do you do the right thing and not violate the procedure and risk being terminated because of speed or do you violate procedure and keep your job. I think that this is something that needs to be addressed by each individual.

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Specializes in Peds OR as RN, Peds ENT as NP.

There is NO easy answer to this question. Every CNA goes through this. I don't even know what to say really. I always worry about patients getting injured if the lift is not used. Some patients are put on lifts for not their benefit, but the CNA's benefit. So on one hand, if you two-person them it is quick and easy. But if they FALL it is off with your head because you didnt use the lift.

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It all depends on the situation. If it puts you or the patient in danger, THEN DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. If it isn't going to put the patient in danger then it's your call. When it comes to lifting patients it's always best to do what's safe for both the patient and the CNA.

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The problem is is this applies to not only lifting but any thing that a CNA does. This would include any procedure. I have seen residents with high fall risks that are left alone, residents left in showers alone and left on toilets for an hour because facilities place the blame on the CNA's by saying if they don't complete the task they say that they are abandoning them.

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That's why I stated it depends on the situation. Another problem is that the CNA is responsible for EVERYTHING! They expect the CNAs to do their job, the housekeepers, dietary, central supply, laundry jobs etc. These places really need to draw the line and sit down and come up with a breakdown on what the CNA is responsible for. IMO, the CNA shouldn't have to make the bed, it should be done by the housekeeping department. I'm not taking about making the bed in the morning, because I believe the CNA can do it. But after a patient is dc, and the housekeeping sanitizes the room, he/she should be responsible for making it. It shouldn't be left for the CNA. The housekeeping should be reponsible for all clean ups, the CNA can contain the area but the CNA shouldn't be responsible for cleaning up poop on the floor, that's what the housekeeping is for. Those are just a few examples.

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.

Bring this up to your RN.

I am constantly having to pull info out of my CNAs. I take safety issues extremely seriously and find it very frustrating that my aids are working in poor/dangerous conditions without telling me. I tell them all the time, "PLEASE, please tell me if you need anything, I can help you!"

Even when the DON is being nasty I can intervene as the immediate clinical supervisor, if only the aid would tell me there was a problem in the first place...

BTW never ever attempt to furthur limit your scope of practice and duties...its called job security.

Your RN can change things drastically if you let them know. The squeeky wheel gets the oil.

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I personally reported all of these issue to both the charge nurses on both shifts who chose to ignore all the issues at hand. Finally after I quit and I did my exit interview the DON admitted that additional workers would be hired for the lifts and other shortcoming and oversights of the management. It is sad that I had to quit and have the Unemployment Department side against me and cut off my unemployment. Well at least I didn't violate any procedures and at least the residents now might have some proper care for a change.

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I face this all the time! I'm a new CNA and all the other CNA's tell me I can do it alone. Whether its lifting someone that is a two person lift, or using an ARJO. I can't stand it that these people think its fine. I'm not the strongest person out there and not only do I put myself and risk, I put the patient at risk as well. The nurses at my facility don't care. Whether it comes from an AOx3 resident attacking you, or being understaffed you are advised not to go to management about it. I wish there was something I could do!!!!

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Thank you, rocknroll, for standing up for yourself and your residents.

escapebigd, you are being pressured by the other aides to do things unsafely because they are busy and don't want to help. Understandable, but wrong and unsafe.

Don't listen and don't argue. Just say, simply, "X is a 2 assist. I need some help." When they tell you that they do it alone all the time just answer, "I'm not comfortable doing that yet. Can you help? I can help you with later."

Don't get injured, don't compromise safety, for yourself or your resident.

A lot of this, on my unit, is aides not telling us when stuff is broken. The shower nozzle's been broken for three weeks. We were told YESTERDAY. People've been finagling the tub into a shower. Just tell us! If your nurses are unresponsive, I apologize. That's wrong. We are a team and must work together. (pssst... don't tell them in the middle of a med pass. ;))

Good luck.

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At my work the higher ups think that all lifts require one person. I do not know about you guys but I have had these lifts brake down or start to drop a patient more then I would like. How many times has a lift lost battery power during a lift? You cannot leave the resident in the lift while you get a new battery. Anyway, when I use a lift I always try to have a second person in there with me.

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CNA's should be aware if you violate a procedure, and you know that it is a violation, you can loose your certification and be terminated.

I'm just curious, if the certification is terminated do we retake the course and all process all over again to get the cert. again or does this mean we cant ever be a cna again? I know this would hardly or never happened to me b/c I'm a very careful person...but yeah that's just my curiosity.

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So the problem is is do you do the right thing and not violate the procedure and risk being terminated because of speed or do you violate procedure and keep your job. .

Of course, neither option is easy, but if you wanted an easy job you would not be a CNA.

But the only feasible option here is to stick to the procedures. If they fire you for this report them to the state, the media, family members and everyone else who will listen. You may think you have no recourse, but you do.

Your other option is to violate procedure, but if something - anything - goes wrong when you are doing so (the machine fails, a sling breaks, whatever) you get fired and prevented from working in healthcare ever again.

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