Am I out of bounds

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Sometime last year a resident was in my facility for rehab. I did everything she asked on time except for one thing. She launched into a speech about how horrible I am and I didn't feel I should be kept in that room, hearing how awful I was because she didn't get what she wanted soon as she wanted it. I apologized for my lateness and attempted to correct my mistake, however, she persisted in blaming me for the mess on her floor. She'd called me in several times to have me throw away tissues she'd thrown all over the floor. Picking up her tissues, I excused myself from her room and had a different aid take care of her for the rest of the shift. I now know that she is going to be a permanent resident soon, my question is, can I choose not to help her if she's not in a serious situation and only wants her tissues picked up off the floor?

This is an issue you would take up with your charge nurse when the time comes. Once the charge nurse knows why you hesitate with the resident, s/he will probably attempt to keep her off your assignment, if possible. But be careful, lots of residents get like this and the charge nurses can't accommodate everybody all of the time when it comes to assignments. The job still has to get done.

Can you tape a garbage bag to her bed for the tissues?

Specializes in Long term care.

If she does become a resident and you are assigned to her, I can bet that after a short time, she will put in a "complaint" about you and SHE will request that you not be allowed into her room. ...don't worry too much about it, this is NOT an unusual scenario and as long as you remain professional regardless of what she says, she will simply be reassigned to someone else. period.

I see this sort of thing ALL THE TIME where I work. CNA's are told they can no longer care for that resident or they must have another CNA with them whenever they enter the room. Very rarely is any disciplinary action taken against the CNA. Some people just don't mesh together. Maybe she, for whatever reason, (you are young, the quiet type, ...remind her of someone she dislikes...) just doesn't like you and will pick at you for every little reason.

Don't worry about it until/IF it happens.

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