CNA Rant

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Specializes in Still a medic at heart but ICU, M/S, SVU.

I'm fairly new to working as a CNA in a nursing home and I'm already losing my mind. First off, I have to mention that I was a medic in the Army for four years, have seen and dealt with many critical care and primary care patients and am currently in nursing school. Maybe this is the basis for my rant.

Why, oh why, do many CNA's NOT answer call lights or bypass patients that "aren't mine"? The CNA's that I have experienced and worked with like to sit on their a**, let me answer all the call lights and are in and out with their patients just so they can have some more lazy time. I'm sorry, but I can't walk past a call light and not help that person out. Sometimes they just need some water or to pee or whatever. I don't think that it's that hard to do and on top of it, it's your job!

Also, when people are changing residents in the middle of the night (I work night shift primarily), don't just walk into the room, turn the lights on and say "I need to change you" in a loud voice. Be gentle, say their name to wake them up before you shock the **** out of them by yelling and turning the lights on. We need to be kind to their needs. This is their home and probably, for most, the last place they will live before they pass away. It's all common courtesy.

Sorry, I just don't know how to deal with this because I am the minority in feeling this way. It's not just a job. It's dealing with people's lives.

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

Sarah,you are going to make a good nurse.Keep on caring,it's what we do.

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Specializes in LTC, case mgmt, agency.

You'll be a wonderful nurse. I admire your passion for your patients. :rolleyes:

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I agree you will be a great nurse. The cnas you mention are the reason so many good cnas get a bad rep. I think RNs and LPNs would give more respect if everyone worked hard, put their patients first, and took care of all the patients not just theirs :)

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Specializes in Still a medic at heart but ICU, M/S, SVU.

I definitely agree with you. CNA's get a bad rep because of those who do not do their job properly. We would get a lot more respect if people took their job seriously.

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This is the kind of thing my instructors is drumming into our heads, just because it's not our patient, doesn't mean we get to ignore them. What if it were an emergency, and we just walk by?

You're a great CNA, and will be a fantastic nurse, because you care about the patients. :yeah:

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Specializes in LTC, Assisted Living, Surgical Clinic.

Yes, yes, yes!!! One of my big pet peeves is aides that walk into a room where residents are sleeping, flip the lights on, throw their covers back, and yell "Time to get up!". Who wants to be woken like that? You don't necessarily have to baby them out of bed (because some would never get up if you did), but for pete's sake, let's remember the golden rule here.

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Specializes in Still a medic at heart but ICU, M/S, SVU.

Walkingon, you hit the nail on the head!!!!

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Specializes in CNA, Acute care, LTC, Hospital.
I'm fairly new to working as a CNA in a nursing home and I'm already losing my mind. First off, I have to mention that I was a medic in the Army for four years, have seen and dealt with many critical care and primary care patients and am currently in nursing school. Maybe this is the basis for my rant.

Why, oh why, do many CNA's NOT answer call lights or bypass patients that "aren't mine"? The CNA's that I have experienced and worked with like to sit on their a**, let me answer all the call lights and are in and out with their patients just so they can have some more lazy time. I'm sorry, but I can't walk past a call light and not help that person out. Sometimes they just need some water or to pee or whatever. I don't think that it's that hard to do and on top of it, it's your job!...... etc.

Congratulations on be a great CNA... I too am frustrated with lazy do-nothing CNAs.....

And while they are responsible for doing their work, I can't realistically blame them for their lazy behavior.... They're lazy because can get away with it and nobody does anything... There is no accountability and very little leadership... In many cases the charge nurse, floor supervisor, and DON seem BLIND....

:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead: :banghead:

Before my move into CNAing (and nursing school, I hope) I was a professional manager and supervisor for 20+ years and know that most of this "slacking" will go away with an active hands-on leadership.

I hear all the excuses as to why there are so many "slackers"... lack of pay... lack of training standards...tough working conditions.... etc. etc.... I don't buy it.

There are a lot of similarities between the restaurant industry and LTC. I spent many years in the restaurant industry doing everything from washing dishes to owning 10 different places...

Both restaurants & LTC have lots of low paying jobs, not much training standards, tough working conditions....incredibly high turn-over rates etc. etc.... But some restaurants do great and others suck... Just like LTC facilities.

Why? Because of good vs bad vs no leadership.... Ever see a great restaurant go to hell-in-a-hand-basket when new owners come in? (Or when the parents retire and the kids take over?)

Leadership suffers and so does the quality of the experience. As an Army medic, you had leadership and there was accountability. Unfortunately there isn't much there at your workplace now. I'm sorry that's happening to you.

Keep your chin up... You'll find a place that has good leadership and when you do, you find a loyal hard-working staff... Just like you!

Didn't mean to be so long-winded, but this is one of my major pet peeves....

Blessings...

:twocents:

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Specializes in acute.

Wow, great post. I have been a CNA for 15 years and I am in nursing school now. Yes, I had such a hard time. I worked in LTC and was written up because I didnt take a break. I could not just walk by the residents room, even if they were not mine and help them!! The DON in my facility was sympathtic to my cause but she said regulations say I HAVE to take a break. Now I am not martyr by any means but come on. What really angered me was I do not smoke and because I dont need a cig brake so why cant I do what I want to do. Instead of smoking I just chose to sit for 15 min and chat with residents. anyways, I feel your pain. I personally feel that the pay is so low and turnover is so high that DONs feel a warm body is better than nothing. But when the ### hit's the fan because a resident is forgotton or neglected all of a sudden the cnas are as we say in Maine "front and center". I have worked with great cnas and lazy cnas. You are a great one. Just remember just when you dont think you are making a difference YOU ARE. The residents might be quiet but THEY KNOW you care. I work in a hospital now in ICU and I love it. I am 50 and the LTC is too physically:yeah: hard for me but I am a fast mover and hard worker so it is a great fit for me. Hang in there you will excel as a Nurse and you will look back and because of your experience you will be a exceptional nurse.

:heartbeat:nurse::nurse:

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I used to work as a CNA some years ago. I will never forget, one day i was providing AM care to a resident and was talking to her at the same time. You know things like "how did you sleep? are you cold? do you have any pain". Another CNA came over to me and had the nerve to tell me "Girl you have nothing better to do, you're wasting your time talking to the patient, just do what you have to do 1 2 3 and move to the next one.

Then she went down the hall telling her friends about me "wasting time talking to the old woman". And guess what? the other morons were laughing at what she was saying.

At lunch hour i had the opportunity to tell them what i had learned when i was getting my training and i do feel and know that what i did was the right thing to do and i will keep doing it.

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Specializes in Emergency.

they didnt serve in the army like us, you will notice that they have lack of motivation and no sense of urgency. You know exactly what to do, go to the superior.

good luck

thank you for serving

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