CNA: Krappy attitude

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Hi all,

I had a call for a CNA class interview today. CNA certificate is a requirement for the RN school, so I gotta do it, plus, I think working as a CNA will def help me with experience for the school.

The lady whom I was supposed to call to set up an interview was acting as if I am just one of the many people bothering her today. I got the impression during the conversation that CNA's are not really valued (at that particular healthcare facility), and that they are pretty much the "invisible" people. I think it is wrong because CNA's do a LOT of important things, and stuff that no one else would want to do.

I have an interview on Monday, so we will see. Maybe I should just forget about attitude, and what they think of their CNA's, and just take the class, pass the test, and find work somewhere else. I was planning on working as a CNA for a couple of months, or so... for experience.

In any way it will be a huge learning experience.

Do you think it's common that CNA's are treated as krap?

At the hospital we worked at, we the nurse techs would do all the jobs on the floor from being a PCA to actually taking a pt load as a nurse and doing everything for those pts except for meds.

What is a "Nurse Tech"? Is it a nurse or is it a technician?

This title makes me think that the hospital wants patients to think a nurse is caring for them but, in fact, a technician is. No insult intended but I need to understand what this title actually means. Thanks for any help.:uhoh3:

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What is a "Nurse Tech"? Is it a nurse or is it a technician?

This title makes me think that the hospital wants patients to think a nurse is caring for them but, in fact, a technician is. No insult intended but I need to understand what this title actually means. Thanks for any help.:uhoh3:

Nurse Techs (NT)were nursing students that worked at the hospital. Some facilities call them nurse externs. I usually referred to us as glorified PCA's (CNA's.) We were not CNA's though. We were kinda above the CNA but below nurses. We could apply to be NTs after our first clinical semester to be NT 1's, which was pretty much CNA work, with a few extra things we could do like simple dressings, and foley caths. A after our second clinical semester we could apply to be NT 2's, at this level were were allowed to take patients as a "nurse", doing everything that did not require a license, such as NG tubes. We were still supervised, usually by the charge nurse.

I usually had anywhere from 5-7 patients and they ranged from those about to go home, to those who were considered intermediate care, and some that were post ops who had relatively minor surgery. It is a great way to gain experience outside of school, you are on the units more and you get to see and do more things than you normally have time for during clinicals. I have done admits, discharges, teaching, assisting the doctors with procedures, cardiac arrests, all types of dressings. I saw and did so much while I was at work, that clinicals were not very useful to me personally, they were usually easier than work! Does that answer your question?

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.
Nurse Techs (NT)were nursing students that worked at the hospital. Some facilities call them nurse externs. I usually referred to us as glorified PCA's (CNA's.) We were not CNA's though. We were kinda above the CNA but below nurses. We could apply to be NTs after our first clinical semester to be NT 1's, which was pretty much CNA work, with a few extra things we could do like simple dressings, and foley caths. A after our second clinical semester we could apply to be NT 2's, at this level were were allowed to take patients as a "nurse", doing everything that did not require a license, such as NG tubes. We were still supervised, usually by the charge nurse.

I usually had anywhere from 5-7 patients and they ranged from those about to go home, to those who were considered intermediate care, and some that were post ops who had relatively minor surgery. It is a great way to gain experience outside of school, you are on the units more and you get to see and do more things than you normally have time for during clinicals. I have done admits, discharges, teaching, assisting the doctors with procedures, cardiac arrests, all types of dressings. I saw and did so much while I was at work, that clinicals were not very useful to me personally, they were usually easier than work! Does that answer your question?

How can you do all of these things without a licence (especially teaching)? I worked as a nurse tech for 2 years, and all I was allowed to do was skills from nursing school and aide work in addition to that. We were not allowed to take patients as a "nurse", because as a tech, you are Not a nurse.

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How can you do all of these things without a licence (especially teaching)? I worked as a nurse tech for 2 years, and all I was allowed to do was skills from nursing school and aide work in addition to that. We were not allowed to take patients as a "nurse", because as a tech, you are Not a nurse.
I wonder about the liability of the facility and the nurses too.

Many years ago, the diploma program at a local hospital would staff night shift with 3rd year students.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I was a CNA for 4 years before becoming an LVN. I could not do my job well without the CNA's there to help. I value them greatly. There are certain ones I trust more than others on my floor, but I value them all. We need them on my busy med-surg floor.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Surgical, Renal, Oncology.

Some CNA's are treated like crap; they are treated like crap from someone who has a super inflated ego and little self respect. If you respect yourself then you will respect others. Yes, nurses have bad days but it is NEVER okay to disrespect anyone. Everyone is human, regardless of your job. I had the pleasure of working as a Patient Care Technician PCT(which is like a CNA) for over a year before I became an RN. The experience of working as a CNA was a definite learning experience that will remain with me as I work as a nurse. All nurses should work as CNA's. I think it is only right that when I am seeing my patients as a nurse and I see a Foley that needs emptying or cups that need to be put in the trash or whatever, then I should take care of it(not unless there is an emergency). Patient care technicians or CNA's work extremely hard and the work is not gratifying. I only wished that when I worked as a PCT I had more time to spend with the patients. I had way too many patients to take care of. My gratification was making the patients and nurses happy. So, to answer your question, yes sometimes the CNA's are treated crappy but not always. Only the ignorant insecure rude and disrespectful people mistreat the CNA's. I, as a PCT would never tolerate being treated like crap or disrespected. Yes, it is your job to help the nurse but it is not your job to be treated like crap and you do not have to take it.

Hi all,

I had a call for a CNA class interview today. CNA certificate is a requirement for the RN school, so I gotta do it, plus, I think working as a CNA will def help me with experience for the school.

The lady whom I was supposed to call to set up an interview was acting as if I am just one of the many people bothering her today. I got the impression during the conversation that CNA's are not really valued (at that particular healthcare facility), and that they are pretty much the "invisible" people. I think it is wrong because CNA's do a LOT of important things, and stuff that no one else would want to do.

I have an interview on Monday, so we will see. Maybe I should just forget about attitude, and what they think of their CNA's, and just take the class, pass the test, and find work somewhere else. I was planning on working as a CNA for a couple of months, or so... for experience.

In any way it will be a huge learning experience.

Do you think it's common that CNA's are treated as krap?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

We don't treat our CNAs as crap (we can say crap without the k) here. It's not allowed.

But there are cultures in some places where CNAs are treated like crap and some where the CNA treats the nurses as crap.

Most places are decent I'm sure. Good luck.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.

"Krappy" is as "Krappy" does...

I have never, ever treated a coworker - peer or subordinate - as "krap". There have been times that I have asked the CNA when she was going to lunch or on her break to make sure she planned hers (on days that I'm charge), since I was sitting there drinking my coffee and charting (technically not a break, but still, she was running, I was sitting). I recognize that I have some of the patients, she has *all* of the patients. The opposite is true though, when I get pulled to another unit, I don't expect to be hidden from or left with 300 pound patients and no help in sight when it comes time to roll and change a sheet because I'm not a staff nurse on that floor! But that being said, I am a professional and expect others around me to behave that way, whether they are the VP of nursing services or the people who deliver the food trays or paint the walls, no one should be treated badly.

Blee

Hi all,

I had a call for a CNA class interview today. CNA certificate is a requirement for the RN school, so I gotta do it, plus, I think working as a CNA will def help me with experience for the school.

The lady whom I was supposed to call to set up an interview was acting as if I am just one of the many people bothering her today. I got the impression during the conversation that CNA's are not really valued (at that particular healthcare facility), and that they are pretty much the "invisible" people. I think it is wrong because CNA's do a LOT of important things, and stuff that no one else would want to do.

I have an interview on Monday, so we will see. Maybe I should just forget about attitude, and what they think of their CNA's, and just take the class, pass the test, and find work somewhere else. I was planning on working as a CNA for a couple of months, or so... for experience.

In any way it will be a huge learning experience.

Do you think it's common that CNA's are treated as krap?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
How can you do all of these things without a licence (especially teaching)? I worked as a nurse tech for 2 years, and all I was allowed to do was skills from nursing school and aide work in addition to that. We were not allowed to take patients as a "nurse", because as a tech, you are Not a nurse.

If the skill required a license (IV's, Meds etc) we were not allowed to do them. I got to do more, because I proved to my nurses that I was competent in doing it. Most of the teaching I did, was simple discharge teaching, those that had easy dressing changes, pts who had no changes in their home medications, when to keep their Doctors appointments. Most of the time, there would be 1-2 CNA's on the floor, an RN and an LVN, and then a nurse tech who would take a full pt load. Mostly we charted, did their dressing changes. I loved it. I learned time management, how to really work as a team because I had to have the other nurses help me. I usually kept up with my own meds and let the nurse who was giving them know when they were due. But not all the nurse techs did that though. Some didn't want to do as much. It all depended on the NT. I think at my new facility, THe nurse tech 2's can also take pts, but I have just started and havent figured it all out yet.

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The last time I had surgery (about 2 months ago) one of the floor nurses came and did everything, "Because the CNA's are busy and I have time"

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I am an LVN and have never been rude to my CNAs

I think this contributes to the view of aides as being at the bottom of the food chain. It never ocurred to me to refer to the aides as my aides. I would hear other nurses do this frequently and it would about run me up the wall.

I would either talk about them by name or refer to them as the CNAs.

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I was also wondering about the "my CNA" thing. Do nurses get assigned a certain number of CNA's , or does it change every day?

Re: someone asked about other CNA classes in my area. This particular CNA classes areat a nursing home, there is another class at a local hospital, but they wont start until September. There is also another class :) but they start when I have to go to work, and i need to be able to work and do classes. It's a 2 week class. They also pay you min, wage for attending the class, and I think you have to work for them for a couple of months.

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