CNA this, CNA that - Enough Already!

Dolce, RN · Nov 28, 2007

Thankfully most of the people that I work with treat each other professionally but I have seen similar treatment of CNAs among certain nurses. However, this isn't just about how doctors treat nurses or how nurses treat CNAs...its just about showing respect in general. We should all treat each other how we would like to be treated. Don't you learn that in kindergarten?

hope3456, ASN, RN · Nov 28, 2007

:devil:

I am just so sick and tired of my fellow RN's and LVN's bashing the CNA's on my unit for the stupidest things. For example, One CNA came to me in tears almost because another floor nurse called him a lazy, uneducated "PAW" (Professional A** Wiper)! Interestingly enough, This CNA who told be this is one of my best and hardest working PROFESSIONALS on the unit. He is very articulate, reassuring, funny, has youth and energy to enjoy life and is very senseable. I advised him to ignore this individual who is herself a very rude woman (in general she is to everyone), file a complaint with the charge nurse, and write an incident report (harassment). We as RN's need to stop being so creul to our aides and treat them with dignity and the utmost respect.:angryfire

OMG!!! "paw" that is horrible! I hope that CNA makes a complaint, and then the CN, as soon as possible, assigns that nurse to a pt. with explosive diarrhea, that is vomiting as well....and NO CNA in site!!!:angryfire

Christie RN2006 · Nov 28, 2007

It goes both ways. Aides need to treat nurses with respect and nurses need to treat aides with respect.

I am not supporting what that nurse did, from what you said, it sounds like that nurse was in the wrong and she needs a talking to. Name calling is a very juvenile thing to do and is never necessary.

I personally have an aide where I work that has been doing an awful job. She keeps forgetting things and conveniently disappearing when we need her. The other day I found her sitting in an empty room when she should have been getting blood sugars. Every night she forgets at least one thing whether it is actually doing it or charting it. Most of the time I feel like I am orienting someone because I am constantly having to check and correct her charting and remind her to do things. When she does things like this, I tell her in a very nice way and I try to give her helpful hints to remember things. I know that several of the other nurses are doing this too and several of the aides that know what is going on are trying to help her too, but instead of it getting better it is getting worse.

I also know of a nurse that likes to conveniently forget things. I always hate following her because it is guaranteed that at least one thing will need to be done immediately (trach care, dressing change, etc)

Like I said earlier, it goes both ways. If this nurse is treating him rudely he needs to talk to her and see if they can resolve the problem. If that doesn't work, then he needs to take his concerns to the nurse manager. If it still isn't resolved, he needs to document every time an issue happens.

gospursgo07 · Nov 28, 2007

I totally agree! I dont know what I would do without my techs, they work so HARD. They keep me sane, helping the day move smoother. I can not believe someone would say something like this...I wonder what she would do without them? I guess she would become the PAW then, and we will see how much she complains...

flightnurse2b, LPN · Nov 28, 2007

when i worked as an ER tech... one of the nurses repeatedly called me the "HPIC"... head peon in charge.....one of my main reasons for leaving EMS and becoming a nurse is so that i didnt have to be a "peon" anymore and maybe be treated with more respect. i have seen the same disrespect from RN's towards the LPN's that worked with us. none of us, whether MD, RN, LPN, EMT, PCT or CNA are no better than anyone else... we all need to respect each other and work as a team... no initials you have behind your name make you exempt from wiping a dirty toosh. thank you for standing up for your CNA. the world needs more nurses like you who will truly appreciate having assistive staff.

bethin · Nov 28, 2007

I am just so sick and tired of my fellow RN's and LVN's bashing the CNA's on my unit for the stupidest things. For example, One CNA came to me in tears almost because another floor nurse called him a lazy, uneducated "PAW" (Professional A** Wiper)! Interestingly enough, This CNA who told be this is one of my best and hardest working PROFESSIONALS on the unit. He is very articulate, reassuring, funny, has youth and energy to enjoy life and is very senseable. I advised him to ignore this individual who is herself a very rude woman (in general she is to everyone), file a complaint with the charge nurse, and write an incident report (harassment). We as RN's need to stop being so creul to our aides and treat them with dignity and the utmost respect.:angryfire

Reminds me of the time that a RN told a CNA (and nursing student) that CNA's were lower than the dirt underneath her feet. Funny thing is, this RN was a CNA for a long time before coming a nurse. She was written up and forced to apologize. The then CNA (now RN) and RN who said this now work together in the same dept.

Works both ways. I get frustrated - I spend an hour giving a bath to a bedridden pt with tubes coming from everywhere and when I come out of the room I'm given a list of things that have waited to be done for an hour. And I'm told "where have you been hiding?!?!" Oh, and there's another aide on the floor but the nurses don't like her. Guess they like me?

kyboyrn · Nov 28, 2007

Hello,

I am a nurse in an emergency room in a rural town. Although I work in a rather small town, we have one of the larger ERs (rooms and the number or patients we see) around my region. A lot of the hospitals around here do not have techs in their emergency rooms. I am greatly appreciative of everything they do. By having techs, we get to spend more time administering meds, monitoring patients, aiding MDs, etc. They are an invaluable asset to the ER team and one of the reasons I stay where I'm at is because of the better care having techs allows me to provide. There are some I would rather work with than others, but all in all they are a very knowledgeable, helpful group of people. No matter what, I couldn't see anyone talking to them that way. It is unexcusable. I don't care what they did, no one deserves to be talked to that way. Even if they blatantly did something wrong, you need to take it up with that person, for what they did. It has nothing to do with their role. When you say something like that, you are putting down techs or CNAs in general, not just the person who might have messed up. Like one of the posters above me said, what letters we have behind our name does not in any way make us better people.

We may have went to school longer, we may or may not be more intelligent (some aides may not have went to school to get a nursing degree but may blow me or your doors off in the IQ department), but we are all people, at our jobs, there to do what duties are required of us. I will never look down on a tech, aid, ward clerk, housekeeper, etc. Just because someone hasn't had the same education does not make them any less intelligent, friendly, or likeable. The only time I have a problem with any other staff is when they act like they resent you because of your role. Still, I think we should all try to be understanding and know that we might feel the same way given the position, who knows? As nurses we should be empathetic. Isn't that what we're taught? If not in nursing school, but from our parents, pastors, friends, etc.? I think there's a book that talks about turning the other cheek, love, forgiveness, being created in someone's image....................................................................

bethin · Nov 28, 2007

kyboyrn, I agree. If this nurse had a problem with the aide's work, he or she should have taken him aside and calmly and politely stated the problem. Insults help no one.

vamedic4, EMT-P · Nov 28, 2007

Ouch. Unfortunately, there's little anyone can do to change this person's flawed thought process. She's probably been that way for years and will continue to be that way regardless of what others think or say. I wouldn't waste my breath or time on her. If management were to get involved, which is highly unlikely, I'm sure nothing would change...some people are just like that.

Those aren't the people you need to worry about, they're truly not worth the fight.

The one's that get me are the new grads who think they're so "superior" to you because they are now nurses. They still haven't got in their heads that "attitude" is everything, and we're all here to work "together". I save my verbal ass kickings for those little elitists who need to be shown early that no one should be treated in that manner. It's far easier to help someone who may not know she's doing the wrong thing than it is to change someone who certainly knows better.

I guess she didn't listen in Sunday school when they taught to "treat others how you would like to be treated." Sad, really.

vamedic4

niali · Nov 28, 2007

Hello,

I am a CNA who works in a hospital.We OFTEN are disrepected or talked down to from time to time.But I remember who ????? the patient ! which may be unable to care for themself.I can ignore a rude person ,if I keep the notion in my head that the title does not mean much outside of the hospital

callmekipling · Nov 28, 2007

I'm also a CNA who works in a hospital.

RNs are welcome to think of themselves as higher up the ladder - why not? You've paid more money to get more education, and if the poo starts flying well, sorry sir, I'm just an aide.. heh!

But after all that, RNs and CNAs are a team. Yes, I'm a professional butt cleaner, but I clean the hell outta those butts, and if you don't appreciate it, you're welcome to do without!

My solution is to work my butt off. Then if I get any flak, I know it's on their end. I would recommend to your CNA, if he's gotta work with nurse ratchet again, to be very visible. Tell them where you're going, whenever you go anywhere. I mean, keep your RNs informed always, or else some things will get done twice and others not at all, but do it to death to make sure she knows you're working.

It's either exactly what she's wanted all along, or it'll give her a fit, so you win either way!