Two residents have refused my care

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

I've been a CNA for about 4 months. I've worked alot of hours on a certain floor and I have applied for a line there. However, there are 2 residents on this floor (out of 28) that refuse my care. The first gentleman is very difficult, to say the least, and has refused other CNA's in the past. I've been told he usually refuses care from people of a different race, but I'm Caucasian just like him. I've made multiple attempts to resolve the issue by going in to help other CNA's and being extremely polite and friendly. However, every time I think he's gotten over his hatred of me, another CNA or nurse informs me that this resident has cursed about me over some small thing, such as walking past his room without stopping when he is ringing his bell, even though he is not on my assignment for the day. Or not putting his coffee in the proper mug. He also claims I dont do his care the way he wants it done, even though I do what he asks. The second resident is a female paraplegic and is very, very picky with her care. She also seems to feel that she has extended knowledge on CNA job description and duties, and is constantly "reminding" and "correcting" all the workers (even when the thing she is "correcting" really doesn't matter). She is a CT transfer but is usually on bed days due to pressure sores. She also has a catheter. All the workers dread giving her care because it takes minimum 45 minutes because every little thing has to be a certain way. I totally understand that she has a right to have her care done the way she likes it, but she takes it way too far and will not let you speed up the process. Every limb has to be turned a certain way, every item in a certain place, every pillow and sheet and bootie placed at a certain angle and spot on the bed.....Anyways, one day we had a student and I was showing her my knowledge of how this residents care is done, and while I'm showing her this resident is talking over me to the student and telling her what to do. She kept telling me her leg wasn't straight and pushed behind her enough for me to turn and I kept telling her that is was fine (as her leg was as straight as it could go and as far back as it could naturally go before being in an awkward position). She kept telling me to pull it back and straighten it and kept saying no no back more and straighter so I got frusterating and just began to turn her and she got upset and yelled wait wait wait listen naiomi listen! So I stopped and repeated what I had done until she was happy and then turned her. She said I know you think I'm bossy but... and kept talking and I didn't respond and just kept doing her care with the student. After we finally finished her care she said sorry to me and I said that's okay! and smiled and left on what I thought was good terms. Then I come back to this floor a week later and she has reported me and said I'm rude and rough and I go too fast and she doesn't want me doing her or her husbands care (who has dementia). Basically I feel really embarrassed that residents have refused my care because I know I'm a very smart and caring person compared to alot of workers :( Ive seen CNA's speak very rude to her compared to anything i would ever do and she never refused them? Does anyone else have a similar experience? I just feel very bad about both situations and I feel like staff are looking at me funny because I've been refused. My coworker/friend said to do nothing to resolve it and so did the nurse on duty, but it all just really bugs me. Why me!!!

Specializes in Oncology.

Stop pushing yourself on that male resident. You're making that situation worse. I'm glad things got better with the woman.

thank you that is great advice :)

thank you that's what I've been thinking but I also don't want my coworkers to think I'm trying to slack or something because sometimes it feels that way. sometimes coworkers tell me it's fine and to just try again. some nurses too.

thank you great advice:)

I was "fired" once by a patient and immediately thanked God almighty that I did not have to deal with them again. And I must admit - I have been known to "encourage" patients to request a different nurse if they were "uncomfortable with me" - hoping/praying that they would ask for a different nurse.

We (and they) are only human. Allow them the dignity to be who they are and how they are while you maintain your dignity by being true to yourself. Never take what a patient says personally. Rarely is it truly about you - it's about them, navigating through their own psych issues.

thank you very much

I really don't think a different country has a separate definition of answering call lights. At least acknowledge the person so they know someone heard them. Just a simple hey I'll let so and so know you need help will go a long way especially if the patient can be difficult.

This resident does not like me even speaking to him so it was silly that he was even upset. He just wanted something to be upset about haha but yes for other residents I do just let them wait for their aide as I'm busy and they all know their aide will be there soon. That is how my facility works. For most we don't need to hold there hand when they are ringing for non emergency or for something that is not toilet or care. I am a new CNA but this is how all the floors work at the facility. Of course if they call out or obviously need help when I walk by I will assist them but I will just smile and continue walking if they appear fine and don't say otherwise. I'm not going to stop at every resident and say don't worry someone will be here soon when I have my own residents ringing...then 3 aides don't rush to the same room at once or run across the facility to get to a room that has an aide that has already come haha! So im not sure why so many are posting that i am not answering calls properly :p anyways thank you for replies I appreciate them all :)

thank you for your comment! yes I agree with all you've said and I always help when needed. However, I know these residents quite well and I made a judgement call based on this resident which was very acceptable to all the nurses and other aides as they deal with said resident daily as well. While I'm sure the resident would likes to be answered promptly like all residents should, he is cognitive enough and fully aware that this is sometimes not the case. Also, he is a paraplegic and doesn't have the upper body strength to move to fall :p I probably should have clarified in original post but regardless I am very conformable with my call bell answering habits and so are all the professionals on this floor that know this resident. also, as mentioned, this resident frequently refuses my care so my stopping to speak to him would likely have caused him to yell at me for even stopping like he has in the past haha.Thank you :)

Try to do a better job of answering the call bells, even if the patients are not yours. You say you always help when needed, but that's not true if you are ignoring call lights.

Why "Ha ha"? Nothing funny here.

Get someone to tie you to a bed or a wheelchair so you can't do anything for yourself for about 15 hours. Then you will know how it feels to be dependent on other people for every thing. Food, toilet, a sip of water, positioning of your limbs, scratching of your parts, flicking away of flies. Until you have experienced this kind of helplessness, loss of independence, and terror, you might not understand how horrible it is to have to depend on other people.

Get rid of any items you use that have perfume or fragrance - deodorant, hair care products, laundry products, and so on. Some people get headaches or nasal/facial pain or sneezing or other problems from any fragrance. Make sure your clothes are clean and free of odor. Be very gentle with people. They are scared and lonely and angry and often in pain.

I don't know if it would be good to simply ask the people directly if there is something you can do to make them more comfortable about you caring for them. The direct approach isn't always the best idea.

Good luck.

This resident does not like me even speaking to him so it was silly that he was even upset. He just wanted something to be upset about haha but yes for other residents I do just let them wait for their aide as I'm busy and they all know their aide will be there soon. That is how my facility works. For most we don't need to hold there hand when they are ringing for non emergency or for something that is not toilet or care. I am a new CNA but this is how all the floors work at the facility. Of course if they call out or obviously need help when I walk by I will assist them but I will just smile and continue walking if they appear fine and don't say otherwise. I'm not going to stop at every resident and say don't worry someone will be here soon when I have my own residents ringing...then 3 aides don't rush to the same room at once or run across the facility to get to a room that has an aide that has already come haha! So im not sure why so many are posting that i am not answering calls properly :p anyways thank you for replies I appreciate them all :)

You are new? Time to learn, learn, learn. You don't seem to take to heart what people are saying here.

If I were in need, no matter how trivial my issue might seem to a young, able-bodied new aide, I would resent it if that aide smiled and walked by. At the least, you might try pretending you don't see the light or hear the bell.

You asked for our opinion and we gave it to you. I have never seen a patient assume that his CNA or RN were automatically coming. When they hit the call light they want a response pronto. These two patients may have an issue with you because of how you carry yourself. You say you are friendly but everyone has their view on things and these two patients whether difficult or not take issue with you. As they stated above soak up help and learn from it!

my point of all of this is that this resident is purposely targeting me and I'm aware of it and no matter what I do, whether answer his calls or not, I get yelled at by him. so I've been polite and avoiding him especially if he is not on my assignment. Or ive been helping other care aides with him when they ask and getting yelled at. i am doing my best for him and being yelled at him no matter what i do :p Not quite sure how I am all of the sudden doing something wrong here. He doesn't like when I answer his bell, he doesn't like when I don't. depends on the day. Anyways I appreciate your opinion but you don't have to be rude.

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