CNA duties vs. Nursing Duties

Nurses General Nursing

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Yesterday, I had an inservice at work (LTC) and I sat next to a new LPN. (I'm a CNA.) During one of the breaks, we struck up a conversation, and I asked her where she had done her LPN. I also mentioned to her that I was currently in the lottery at the two local technical schools in our area to get into their LPN programs for the 08-09 school year, that I was considering taking a look at the private (and very $$$$) LPN school she went to, AND that I had an application in at the RN-ADN program at our local community college, which is very competitive selective admissions.

She asked me why I decided to become a CNA before LPN/RN, and I said, "Because I wanted an inexpensive, quick way to get basic training so I could get out in the healthcare setting, and see whether nursing was a good fit for me." (I'm a career changer.) and, that I wanted to learn the basic ADL stuff, and get that over with, so that I woudl feel that I had that part of it under my belt before I started NS.

Her response: "I didn't. I don't really see how CNA is relevant to being a nurse. I mean, you have to do all those things when you are in nursing school, (referring to ADLs) but you stop doing them as soon as you become a nurse."

I have noticed this type of attitude a lot since I started down this journey to go from corporate cube jockey to nurse. I've noticed it ith my LPN coworkers, and I have also noticed it a lot here on the boards. Is this a relatievly new phenomenon? Where are these new nurses picking this up? In school? Media portrayal of the nursing profession? What gives?

CNA experience is more than "dirty work". You are gaining experience in patient interaction in a healthcare setting. The skills you are doing are the basic skills.

Some settings do not use CNA's; it is the RN's who perform all the care.

My brother was once a CNA and said it was very helpful when he started med school clinicals. He had gained specific people skills that many of his classmates lacked.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

One of the great reasons to be a CNA before you become a nurse is you can see 1st hand and role model the type of nurse you want to become and the type you DONT...

I worked with an LPN one night while I was a CNA who put the patients call light on while she was in the room giving the patient her pm meds, I go to answer the light and say to the nurse "Do you need some help?" and her reply was "she needs to use the bedpan". then the nurse finished her med pass and walked out!!!

Ya~~I learned who I did not want to turn into~~~

I posted about this same nurse on a post yesterday, she handed me a syringe and asked me to give it to so and so. Still to this day, she works harder to get out of work than doing the actual work itself!!! and ya know what---she gets away with it~~ hmmmm who has the right idea here????

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Her response: "I didn't. I don't really see how CNA is relevant to being a nurse. I mean, you have to do all those things when you are in nursing school, (referring to ADLs) but you stop doing them as soon as you become a nurse."

Gotta love her attitude.

If she learned it in nursing school what gave her the idea that she no longer has to do it? I'm sure she learned to give medication in school but does that suddenly mean she can forget it once she's a nurse?

I'd love to see her attitude when she's on a floor with no aides. Poor patients.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Some of those nurses would get a rude shock up here. Canadian hospitals don't use aides,everyone does their own care no matter what your designation.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS Cordnator, Mental Health.

I also became a CNA 1st, my reasons were two fold, I wanted to see if this was something I could do, and they offered health insurance for full time employees.

It was a great learning experience. I am now an RN, That is not afraid to toilet a resident.

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Perhaps that attitude is more prevalent in LTCs. After all, the nurses have so many patients to pass meds to and do endless paperwork on that they don't often have time to assist with ADLs. The floor nurses might have 30 patients (each with 5+ meds, several diabetics, BP meds, with two marathon med passes and all CMS documentation during an 8 hr shift) while the CNAs might have 8 to 10 patients each (for whom they assist with AM care, dressing, toileting, feeding, etc). So the CNAs most definitely see more of the patients than the nurses do and the bulk of ADL work falls to them. That IS their primary responsibility.

The nurses also HAVE to rely on the CNAs to report subtle changes in status as there's just no time for them to do a thorough once over on every patient on their shift - eg look at all 30 patients' sacrums - plus, with that many patients, they may not pick up on subtle changes as well as the CNAs.

Perhaps the nurses get so accustomed to this splitting of functional responsibility, that they begin to think that ADL assistance is not in their job description at all. I'm not saying it's right, just that it may not be total mystery.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I love taking total care of my patients/residents. I look forward to continuing that special care after I graduate...I'm in this field because because I want to help people feel better...not like they're not good enough for me to help them....in order to be the greatest...you must make yourself the least...whatever, whenever...that's my moto...and if you want something done right...you know..do it yourself. Thanks for sharing stories. I learn so much here every day from all of you. You are all a blessing to me.:loveya:

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I have worked in LTC for many years. If I have 2 halls of medications to pass, an acute care wing with many residents who are post ops out of the hospital, charting, answering phones, attending to family needs, etc. I don't have the time to do the ADL's while the cna's are sitting back chatting, standing around the nurses station conversing with one another. Should I put my charting to the side and go do what they are paid to do while they stand and chit chat? NO!!!

I end up telling the cna's to get back to work, stop chit chatting unless it's your break, and don't go hide in the car on the phone! I have seen it too many times. I have to have complete charge of the facility and it's not easy.

There is a big difference between LTC and hospital nursing. When I am the charge nurse, I am responsible for every single resident in the facility, and I have to make sure my job is done, the LPN's job is done and the cna's job is done too, otherwise who gets in trouble? ME!

Don't mean to sound off, but there are times when a nurse just doesn't have the time to pass medications, do treatments, charting, helping feed, answering phone calls, getting doctors orders, a new admit or two, a fall,.plus toilet patients, especially when there are 6 aides and they are quite capable of doing their job. I can do their job, but can they help me in mine??? NO!..I could go on forever, but I will hush now.

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Specializes in dementia.

I think working as a CNA prior to becoming a nurse makes you a better nurse. You know what the job of CNA is like because you've experienced it. These nurses know it's not beneath them to change an attend, help someone to the bathroom, or answer a call light. Besides, isn't it neglectful for a nurse to leave a pt. who asks for help to the restroom in order to find a CNA to take them?

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I am a brand new RN and the unit that I work on does not have CNA's. If someone needs to be cleaned up or helped on to the toilet. I am responsible for it. Granted most of my patients are supposed to be able to function fairly well with ADL's, but not always. I have already caught a couple of potential issues going on with my patients that I may not have noticed had I not been the one walking with them to and from the bathroom or taking their vitals etc... basic nursing care is still NURSING care. Just because you can delegate it doesn't mean that you are no longer responsible for it.

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I have worked in LTC for many years. If I have 2 halls of medications to pass, an acute care wing with many residents who are post ops out of the hospital, charting, answering phones, attending to family needs, etc. I don't have the time to do the ADL's while the cna's are sitting back chatting, standing around the nurses station conversing with one another. Should I put my charting to the side and go do what they are paid to do while they stand and chit chat? NO!!!

I end up telling the cna's to get back to work, stop chit chatting unless it's your break, and don't go hide in the car on the phone! I have seen it too many times. I have to have complete charge of the facility and it's not easy.

There is a big difference between LTC and hospital nursing. When I am the charge nurse, I am responsible for every single resident in the facility, and I have to make sure my job is done, the LPN's job is done and the cna's job is done too, otherwise who gets in trouble? ME!

Don't mean to sound off, but there are times when a nurse just doesn't have the time to pass medications, do treatments, charting, helping feed, answering phone calls, getting doctors orders, a new admit or two, a fall,.plus toilet patients, especially when there are 6 aides and they are quite capable of doing their job. I can do their job, but can they help me in mine??? NO!..I could go on forever, but I will hush now.

I go to a lot of a facilities since im pool and i have to say...........its not the CNA's i see standing around chatting. I do have to say most of the nurses i ahve worked under have been great. but the last shift i worked the charge nurse was in the family room of my wing sleeping....

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Specializes in ICU.

CNA? LPN? RN? CCRN? seems to me we're all in the same buisness here, stuck in the same place for the entire shift, might as well all get along and have some fun along the way. a golden rule and good work ethic i hold close to my heart......i don't sit down, till everyone sits down. i couldn't possibly think of telling someone to do something i was unwilling to do myself or do while i was going to just sit down. that's insane, rude and supports a hierarchy that has no place in a hospital setting. i've seen the "new" nurses coming out of school these days and there are few that impress me. there is no job too big or too small for a license to carry out. that's how my weekend works and even if it's crazy busy, we still have fun, we ALL get through the day and we're all great friends to boot! :icon_hug:

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