CNA's Aide the nurse... right!

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Specializes in Mental Health, Surgical-Ortho.

Ok... I just touched on this in another post, but now it is bothering me again. I was floated to my hospital's telemetry floor last week, and something happened that has been making me bitter all week! First off... I LOVE NURSES! I want to be a nurse, I respect nurses, I know my role as a CNA and I am a darn good one at that! The nurses on the med-surg floor I work on are great, no complaints (well almost none, but none work related, LOL :jester:). While on the telemetry unit I was busy, the floor was at maximum census, I was the only aid, and the nurses were stressed a short staffed. I understand this... it has been that way many times on other floors. Well while I was busy answering call lights, taking vitals, and trying to get a very dirty patient bathed (his last documented shower was a week before, and you could tell), I get a call on the handset for me to get to 515 stat from a nurse. I run in there and smell the reason I was dispatched. Yes it smelled bad! Feces all over this patients legs and bed. I understand it is my job to do this, so I jump right in... while I am cleaning her up I notice that there is foley kit on the overbed... so I knew why it was a stat. Then when as I turn around to go to the cabinet to get a fresh linensaver I see the nurse standing there! Ok... I have been in situations when nurses called me in to clean up a mess, and I am fine with that... I know you guys have A LOT more to do than I do... She caught me off gaurd, and I jumped a little. She laughed and told me I just cleaned that patient up very quckly and well (I think it was a compliment). Well I asked her how long she had been standing there, and she said she never left the room, and gave me a pat on the back for a job well done. I was confused to say the least. I don'd mind if the nurse is busy and has something else important to do and I come it to aide her in saving time... but if she was going to be in the room the whole time... why call me in there stat to do the peri care when she apparently had nothing better to do???? It took me about eight minutes to change her bed and clean her up... so it took the nurse about eight minutes to watch me do it! It just irritates me... not sure why... maybe it shouldn't... but it does. Any thoughts as to why? Maybe there is a good reason I do not understand... let me know...

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I would have pitched in and helped you. Sorry about your experience.

steph

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Specializes in PICU, CCU, Psych.

You know what? That was really crappy of her (pun intended). Don't worry, karma will catch up to her. Coming from an ICU where our brilliant management team recently got rid of all our CNAs due to "budget problems" I can tell you that you guys do mean a lot to us. I would give my first born child to get our nursing assistants back.

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

All possible reasons aside, I would have been irritated too!

Now for the possible reasons 1)she was "testing" you since you were new to that floor

2)bad back?

3) uhh...??

Anyway, if someone ever stands for 10 min. watching me clean up poop and not offer to help, I think I would say something along the lines of "next time, feel free to jump in and help".

On a personal note, I am sorry you had to do that alone, when help was right there. I have VERY rarely not helped out when I find a pt dirty, and I am an RN. RN's, LPN's, heck, even MD's, PhD's, etc should not be "above" helping a pt in need. If it was a bad back, etc, the least she could have done would be get your supplies for you, if she had 8 min to stand and watch!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Same here. I would have pitched in. I think it was rude for her to stand there and if it was me, I probably would have given her a good piece of my mind and then hand her you-know-what to her.

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The truth is, it is easier on the PATIENT if two people help.

Patient Advocate anyone?

steph

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even a 'bad back' would be an invalid excuse not to help, given that beds can be raised or lowered.

it was downright shabby what she did.

i too, am sorry you experienced that...

i wonder what our pts think, when they see this?

leslie

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Because I work in SICU we don't always have the luxury of having an aide to help us lift, turn and clean. But having been an aide myself I know how to improvise as much as I can. It wouldn't have hurt her to pitch in and help. In fact it was downright rude to just stand there and watch as you work.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I think that she should have helped. But just to throw another view into it, it could have also been because she doesn't do this as often as you do. I say this because I am a clinic nurse, and recently I started working per diem on the floors. Once, we had no CNA, and I have to tell you, it had been so long that I did CNA work, that it took me longer and I forgot the tricks I used to do to make my life smoother while doing bedside care like that. I remember saying to myself "How did I survive this before when I was a CNA?" I had very heavy patients, contracted patients, confused ones, and somehow, I got it done, because I was doing it daily. But, it had been years, and I had to work my way through it. I remember saying to myself "I know this poor sick person is sick of me...I should have been finished". I didn't ask for help because I also know that there will be times that help is just not available, and I have to remember how to do this myself...but I'll tell you; I felt so inadequate!

Now, again, as a nurse, if I had time to stand and watch, I have time to assist, and I have assisted, have managed to make it out on my own and would do it again. I don't know the reasons why she didn't and I agree it was inconsiderate of her. Kuddos for you for doing such a great job while the ward is chaotic, and it shows that we have to work as a team to get the patient in better condition.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Surgical-Ortho.

Thanks guys! That does make me feel better. I am just glad that I got it off my chest, I get really nervous about bringing up anyting like that to the charge nurses and what not, I know in the end it will be my word against theirs, and as long as it doesn't hurt the patient I am not going to make a fuss about it. I do with I had gone with the "next time feel free to jump in and help" line, but honestly I was just too stunned when it had happened. I would love to work with any of you guys! Like I said my usual floor we have an understanding... we assist one another, aides are there to help the nurses, and the nurses in turn help the aides when they can! It makes it much easier and everyone gets along! LOL. I like the idea of seeing an MD clean up a mess... I would pay a good bit of money to watch it... and even then I would probably assist them in the task.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Thanks guys! That does make me feel better. I am just glad that I got it off my chest, I get really nervous about bringing up anyting like that to the charge nurses and what not, I know in the end it will be my word against theirs, and as long as it doesn't hurt the patient I am not going to make a fuss about it. I do with I had gone with the "next time feel free to jump in and help" line, but honestly I was just too stunned when it had happened. I would love to work with any of you guys! Like I said my usual floor we have an understanding... we assist one another, aides are there to help the nurses, and the nurses in turn help the aides when they can! It makes it much easier and everyone gets along! LOL. I like the idea of seeing an MD clean up a mess... I would pay a good bit of money to watch it... and even then I would probably assist them in the task.

:yeah::up:I'd sell tickets to witness an MD help with ADLs myself. Well, now that you have the experience of such a situation and have read some of our responses, next time, I think I would offer the nurse a wash rag, since she is so interested in what you are doing.

I am always grateful to read things like this myself, because I want to be a great nurse and even better team player. Again, thank you for being a consciensous aide that wants to help.

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Anyway, if someone ever stands for 10 min. watching me clean up poop and not offer to help, I think I would say something along the lines of "next time, feel free to jump in and help".

If it was a bad back, etc, the least she could have done would be get your supplies for you, if she had 8 min to stand and watch!

I'm not generally so nice when someone pulled a stunt like what happened to the OP. What I said then and I still say when it happens is "what, are you hands painted on? Paint still wet, huh?" That gets them moving.

If the nurse had 8 mins to stand and do nothing on a very busy floor and if she has a bad back, then she could have been helping other nurses pass meds, page dr's, help unit secretary put in orders, etc. None of those require strenous activity.

If it continues, I would definitely say something to her otherwise she will continue to treat you this way. I'm not one for talking behind others backs, but you also might very discreetly ask the other aides that work this floor if they have the same problem with this particular nurse.

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