CNAs always at risk for getting terminated

[Ms. Nurse Assistant, LPN]

Why are nursing homes always firing and hiring CNAs? I worked at two facilities who go on firing rampages and get rid of nearly every worker on the floor except for a few every 6 months or so. I have a friend who works as a Med Tech, who witnesses this. One girl, a CNA, got fired for no reason at all, she was called in the office and told by the administrator that "we will not be needing your help at all".

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Contrary to what y'all might think, most of us don't fire people willy nilly. I go through a lot of time and effort to interview, hire, orient, and train all my staff. I, and most of my colleagues, don't fire people because we don't like their socks or for some other crazy reason. I fire staff because they are insubordinate, don't do their jobs correctly despite numerous counseling sessions and inservices, have too many absences, or are abusive. There is ALWAYS a reason. Certainly the person being fired won't come out and tell you that they are a bad worker or flat out refused to do something their supervisor asked them. I have worked with some stellar CNAs in my long career and some stinkers as well. You can teach anyone how to change a brief, deliver a tray, or turn a resident, but you CAN'T teach just anyone how to CARE about the people they care for.

[vonmaria]

I'm currently a CNA student & plan on going into Home Health when I become certified. It's better pay & more of a flexible schedule.

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

I know it's frustrating to see the revolving door of aides go round. It ends up leaving us short staffed and stressed out. The other aides aren't happy because they are getting mandated or being asked to do a lot of overtime. It's enough to make a nurse scream. Then there's the training of new staff, who may or may not leave or get fired before orientation is even over.

Alot of times,though, you and I aren't going to know why another staff member got fired. This is as it should be. I would not want the whole facility or even just the other nurses knowing my business. I don't think you should assume that there was no reason, but that you don't know what it is.

[SunnyAndrsn]

Why are nursing homes always firing and hiring CNAs? I worked at two facilities who go on firing rampages and get rid of nearly every worker on the floor except for a few every 6 months or so. I have a friend who works as a Med Tech, who witnesses this. One girl, a CNA, got fired for no reason at all, she was called in the office and told by the administrator that "we will not be needing your help at all".

Actually, I wish they would clean house at my facility. There are several CNAs who are horrible right now, intentionally slow and insubordinante as well. It's very difficult to have the disciplined, re-educated, etc. They seem to be able to talk their way out of anything--including suspected abuse.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

As a nurse, I am always at risk for getting terminated if the people who work under my license don't do their jobs properly. It goes both ways.

For example, a medication aide failed to administer nearly 20 doses of medication a while back. Not only did the medication aide get terminated, but the charge nurse was terminated and had her license number referred to the board.

[rngolfer53]

Why are nursing homes always firing and hiring CNAs? I worked at two facilities who go on firing rampages and get rid of nearly every worker on the floor except for a few every 6 months or so. I have a friend who works as a Med Tech, who witnesses this. One girl, a CNA, got fired for no reason at all, she was called in the office and told by the administrator that "we will not be needing your help at all".

Just as the jails are populated almost entirely with innocent people, unemployment lines are full of people who were all fired for "no reason at all."

Hiring and training new people is expensive in any business, so it's rare to fire people w/o cause.

I go into LTCs a lot, and if I were the manager, there are plenty of people who would be out the door quickly. Why? Because they do little to nothing besides sit and talk, watch TV, text, play games, or sleep. Meanwhile the smell of urine and stool wafting out of rooms is almost tactile.

By no means do I intend to indict every employee, because there are many d**n good and dedicated ones.

I think weak managers let the lazy/incompetent ones get away with it, until someone raises a fuss, then the lot of them are gone.