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.
Specializes in Still a medic at heart but ICU, M/S, SVU.
Thank you all so much for understanding where I am coming from. It can be so stressful sometimes! Maeva002, I have a similiar story. There was this CNA that was extremely lazy and constantly falling asleep and I was in with a patient and another was calling. I went over to her and asked if she could take care of that patient. I had to do that a couple of times that night. Anyways, she ended up complaining to the next shift CNA's about how I was "bossing" her around and how she was going to put me in my place. I was so infuriated I was shaking. I've never been disrespected like that without them confronting me first. Grrr! Haha
what we learn in school doesn't always apply or happen on the job ... and ... it depends on where you work and who you work with.
answering call lights - on one unit i work, there were 4 cnas... we were assigned adjoining rooms so as to conserve time between rooms, however, we were told by the (full time regular) nurse to answer all call lights. three cnas were answering all the lights. the fourth always seemed to be busy ... the nurse never said anything. same unit, one day ... the nurse who works two days a week snapped at me telling me to stay in my assigned area, that i needed to get my own work done, that it's not my responsibility to answer all the lights. some months later way down the end of the hall a light was going off ... the resident had fallen ... same parttime nurse then told all of us it is the responsibility of everyone to answer lights. damn if i do, damn if i don't.
another unit, the nurse states that we only answer those lights to those rooms to which we are assigned, except at mealtime or breaks. yeah, right! i could have four lights and the other cnas are not allowed to help???
i work 3-11. when i have a few minutes while waiting for the residents' supper trays, i will go from room to room shutting the drapes, checking the thermostats, if they eat in their room i give them a bib, i know should be called clothing protector. i had residents say that no one else does that.
there are two residents per room. after i get one resident to bed, i will turn on the light over the head of the bed and turn off the ceiling light. we use briefs (diapers) that have a stripe that turns color if wet. checking residents at last rounds (about 10 pm) i try not to disturb them ... i have a small pocket flash light. sometimes the resident, who is dry, doesn't even know i was under the covers to check.
i like the title to your topic: cna rant
my turn - we don't get a report at the beginning of the shift and there is no written care plan for the cnas. no consistency ... i will use the resident's nightgown, if available. other cnas use hospital gowns for everyone.
who is a 1 assist or 2 assist? one day "jane" needed help to the toilet, so i assisted. then notice in the room another toilet chair. asked the charge nurse ... then found out that jane's roommate has c-diff, mrsa or something like that. (separate chairs for those on precautions.)
we get 30 minutes unpaid for mealtime and 20 minutes for a break (option: we can take two 10 minute breaks). there are two cnas that seem to go out for a smoke every hour, :smokin: and one that really p's me off is the one that smokes and also takes 40-45 minutes every day for supper.
wheelchairs should be placed against the wall in the room, some put the chairs anywhere. wastebaskets should always have a plastic bag liner, not happening (i carry bags in my pocket). soiled washcloths (we don't use disposable) should be rinsed before sending to laundry ... other cnas just throw them away ... and then we complain that we don't have enough to wash residents with.
i went to the don about some of my concerns. was told that she does not have time ... that each nurse runs her unit as she sees fit. each unit is like being in a different facility.
one evening, two cnas had just left for supper. an obese wheelchair resident said she was wet and needed to be changed. the other cna and the nurse said "your cna just went to supper, you will have to wait until she comes back."
i could go on and on with more pet peeves, but that's enough for now.
on the plus side of the coin, i like my work and being in a ltc facility. we get to know our residents ... who likes ginger ale room temp, cold, with or without ice; who likes extra blankets, :wink2: or a maybe a kiss on the forehead what i put them to bed. one lady will say after i get her in bed and covered up "good night, mama." :redbeathe she is 30 years older than me. :chuckle
in the more than 15 years i have been a cna, i have learned to ignore (or try to ignore) what others are doing or have not done, not tell other cnas what needs to be done or how to do it (i was told i was too bossy, too), do the best i can without burning myself out, and try to go with the flow. when i leave at the end of my shift, i can put a smile on my face knowing that i was an assistant and helper to some of the residents that evening. :wink2:
Maybe because they are making a low wage and figures the nurse is sitting on her a.. so they can. Yes patients need care and paid attention to but, the system of nursing should change so that CNAs are not treated like they are treated. The way it is now will give most people in their position a bad attitude. I am sure your CNAs are the cream of the crop since most decent people would not give a job like that the time of day. Honestly who wants to do all the physical work while the ones making any money sit on the a.. almost the entire time they are at work. Not only that they work CNAs short often and honestly CNAs need to be obsolete so that the nurses have to run like they have expected us to all this time. That i would like to see. I got out because I hate it. I started feeling like I was only their to wipe a.. and do all the dirty work.
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
agree with the first part, they never learned to walk with a purpose
disagree with the second part, become the supervisor
same unit, one day ... the nurse who works two days a week snapped at me telling me to stay in my assigned area, that i needed to get my own work done, that it's not my responsibility to answer all the lights. 
some months later way down the end of the hall a light was going off ... the resident had fallen ... same parttime nurse then told all of us it is the responsibility of everyone to answer lights. 
damn if i do, damn if i don't.
no consistency ... i will use the resident's nightgown, if available. other cnas use hospital gowns for everyone. 
:smokin:
SarahLovesNovember, BSN, RN
106 Posts
Thank you all so much for understanding where I am coming from. It can be so stressful sometimes! Maeva002, I have a similiar story. There was this CNA that was extremely lazy and constantly falling asleep and I was in with a patient and another was calling. I went over to her and asked if she could take care of that patient. I had to do that a couple of times that night. Anyways, she ended up complaining to the next shift CNA's about how I was "bossing" her around and how she was going to put me in my place. I was so infuriated I was shaking. I've never been disrespected like that without them confronting me first. Grrr! Haha