CNA disrespecting new grad.

soxfan80 · Oct 20, 2010

What was her reasoning for saying no? Was she busy completing another task, or? Has any other nurse had a similar experience with this CNA? I am a new grad also, and if this happened, I would to first try talk to CNA, then I'd talk to my Charge Nurse. And then if that didn't help, I'd speak to my nurse manager. This type of situation needs attention ASAP for the sake of your staff and the patients.

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2010

Sounds like yet another jealous "aide" (they hate it when you call them an "aide":lol2:) who wishes she had gone back to school to do what you do. Report her anonomously so you don't get labeled a complainer:yawn:.

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2010

I have started about a month ago at a LTC facility. Everyone on day shift and evening shift were great. I get on nights and it's a whole different story. The CNA's sleep and are disrespectful! I asked a CNA the other day to put a patient to bed and she gave me an attitude and said no! I gave her time to cool off and then asked her again which her attitude was even bigger and she told me she would not and if the patient would wake up again she was going to leave her out longer this time. I know this is because I am a new nurse, but how do you deal with these situations the first time? Thanks!

She is your subordinate and was being an insubordinate--can't do that--she is a certified NURSING assistant and needs to be put in her place. You are her boss, not the other way around. These freakin' aides are like children and should be appropriately disciplined for their behaviors. Let her know there will be consequences for her rude behavior--she'll change her tune really quickly. And if she doesn't like being told what to do she might go into business for herself--not likely if she's sleeping on this job :lol2: . These cn "asses" act like this because lousy management doesn't step up to the plate to control this behavior.

JillFRN · Oct 20, 2010

She is your subordinate and was being an insubordinate--can't do that--she is a certified NURSING assistant and needs to be put in her place. You are her boss, not the other way around. These freakin' aides are like children and should be appropriately disciplined for their behaviors. Let her know there will be consequences for her rude behavior--she'll change her tune really quickly. And if she doesn't like being told what to do she might go into business for herself--not likely if she's sleeping on this job . These cn "asses" act like this because lousy management doesn't step up to the plate to control this behavior.

Thanks for all the answers. She was sitting in a chair reading, so no she was not busy. I feel like I don't know how to tell her without sounding like a *****! When I went back and she argued the second time, I told her I would like her to put the patient back to bed she argued and said if she had to bring her back out then she was going to keep her out longer this next time and I told her No, I am the Nurse. I just feel like I don't know exactly what to say! Any extra advice would be appreciated!

soxfan80 · Oct 20, 2010

You can't really force anyone to do something. And since this CNA sounds crazy and unreasonable, I'm not sure that saying anything will really help !! I'd just report the behavior ASAP.

JillFRN · Oct 20, 2010

You can't really force anyone to do something. And since this CNA sounds crazy and unreasonable, I'm not sure that saying anything will really help !! I'd just report the behavior ASAP.

I agree you can't force anyone to do anything. Then again, she should not be a CNA since doesn't want to do things within her job description. She amazingly never gives the nurses who have more time on a difficult time at all.

caliotter3 · Oct 20, 2010

Start writing her up after the next verbal incident. If she refuses to sign the counseling paper, inform her that the letter is going forward anyway to her personnel folder. Keep this up and speak to your supervisor about what it takes to get this person on the bandwagon or terminated from employment. Sounds like she should have been dealt with a long time ago. She probably did the same thing to the other nurses when they were new, but has backed off to harass the new nurse on the block.

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2010

I agree with SoxFan80, but be very careful when you approach management. Try to speak with your supervisor in the morning before his/her schedule is too booked. Say something positive first and don't seem too annoyed or too authoritative, and limit your complaint to just the facts. Keep your voice even and cool. You must play a political, machiavelian game to get management on your side. You don't want her to brand you a loose cannon or a nuisance who she will want to quickly dispose of. Limit your complaints. Don't use words like never and always. You really have to kiss management's behind to make this work out in your favor. Because this doggone cna might be a long-time employee; and you know how management is partial to these folks, even though they might not be doing their work half the time. You might approach your superior by saying, "i really enjoy working here, and there are soooo many helpful people (inside you are thinking, yeah right!), however i wanted to get your opinion about one of my co-workers.... briefly describe the situation....how should i approach this cna?, etc... In other words, basically you have to appeal to management's self-importance and her/his need to control the universe. You have to make management believe they are sooooo much smarter than you. Even if you are very irate about the nursing aide's behavior and you'd like to rip her *******' throat out for even putting you in a position of having to talk to the manager; you must walk on egg shells with the manager so that she sees you as being very intelligent, cooperative, and willing to work on a problem like an adult. Be mindful of management body language: if she starts to tap her pen, looks at her watch, grabs the back of her neck as if a gnat just bit her, stops making eye contact, frowns at you, or shuffles through papers on her desk, then you have lost her interest, you have bored her to tears, and at this point you are beating a dead horse. Be brief, to the point, respectful, and be sure to make a voodoo doll of that cna and stick pins in it when you go home. Lol.

agldragonRN · Oct 20, 2010

ask the nurses there who's been there for a while what you should do with this cna or how to deal with them. some cnas always test the newbie and try to see how far or what they can get away with.

when this cna tells you "no" again, tell her/him that "okay that's fine but i will be calling our supervisor and seek her/his advice". i've used this in the beginning when they were "testing" me and it seemed to work.

if you let these cnas run the floor, they will do whatever they want and the patient care suffers. i've been in my facility 2.5 years now and none of them tells me "no" now (they did when i was new) but my lpn partner has been there 4+ years and she still cannot control the cnas. when i am off, things that are supposed to be done are not done e.g. weekly weights, showers, cnas fighting with her, etc...

i try not to be bossy but sometimes you have to with the lazy cnas or else they won't do their job or would do it after 2 hours. i speak differently with each cnas when requesting them to do stuff. the good cnas, i *ask* them (e.g. please when you get the chance or after what you are doing, can you get mrs. smith a blanket, thanks) but with the lazy cnas, i *tell* them (e.g. as soon as you finished with what you are doing, please get mrs. smith a blanket, thanks). i am not really sure if there is a difference but my tone is different, one is *asking*, and the other is *telling*. i am still respectful though so they cannot say i am disrespecting them. in fact, i try to help as much as i can when i have the time.

they know i do my job and work my as* off so i expect the same from them although that does not always happen because there are always the "bad apples" but hey you gotta do what you gotta do.

i hope the nurses are not giving you a hard time as well. they tried to bully me when i was new but it did not work. now, they leave me alone. my lpn partner still cries when the other nurses from previous and next shift bully her. i try to defend her but they seem to do it when i am off.

good luck and i hope it gets better.

angel, rn

LadyAscheRN · Oct 20, 2010

I want to start by agreeing with the other posters, and then adding on my own experience...

As an LPN, I had a CNA who would do exactly the same thing: refuse to change residents if she had "just done it" 3 hours before, go on her 15 minute break for 45 minutes at a time, etc. It was a county-run facility, and she had worked there 22 years as an aide, and felt she 'ruled the roost'. She would often joke (within my earshot) about how she was going to put that "new fat nurse in line!" I used to be a CNA myself - I always go out of my way to help out my aides when I'm not passing meds or buried in paperwork, but I think it's a reasonable expectation that if I do my job, they should be doing theirs, too.

So about this CNA, I talked to her several times and finally went to the night supervisor about it, which turned out to be a BIG mistake - the aide in question was her goddaughter! I presented the issue professionally to the supervisor (who assured me that "the problem would be addressed") and then went home for the night/day. When I came to work the next night, I was told I had been fired! ***! I only found out later about the relationship between the supervisor and the aide.

Moral of the story - be careful who's feet you tread on

KarmaWiseRaven · Oct 20, 2010

First off your a new nurse and you might be the new nurse on nights. And they might try to test your boundaries also they might think that you are here to change them or change the routine of the shift. See when i took charge of my shift i called them in to the break room introduced myself told them i have two standing orders. 1 answer any and all call lights 2 Do your job if you can't do either there's no need for you to be here and i would help them find the door. New nurses try to change the shift to fit them and you cant do that straight off you need to see how the shift is running and see what they are doing. Build on the strengths and work on the weakness. And don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Do rounds with them and tell them its not because you don't trust them its because you need something to do on slow nights. ( check on them with out letting them know your checking) And start making assignments and make them feel good about them being there. Don't forget most aids are under paided and some are there for the paycheck and they just need a job. Also being new to the job and the shift you don't know how the aids were treated from the last nurse. I have heard from aids that they get treated less then sub human. So when a new nurse comes on to the floor and shift the trust is not their and wont be there. And reward them some how bring in pizza, subway, get them to act like a team. Look i don't know how you run your team and i don't know you but whatever your doing isn't working so a different approach might be in order and don't be so fast to write people up try to work it out and work through it and then when things don't work then go to the ADON, DON. These are my thoughts use them as you wish.