CNAS behind Nurses Station more than nurse

jschut, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2004

I wish I knew....

In our facility, we have the ones who think that because a call light isn't in their section, they can just sit around and not answer it!

When I was a CNA, we had to answer any and all call lights, empty trash cans (and put a fresh bag in), and (another pet peeve of mine) make beds with straightened sheets and a bed spread!

Where I work now, the CNA's just throw the sheets over the bed, if it gets made at all, trash overflows, linens and briefs are left in rooms, people are left with crumbs down their fronts and food in their laps.... I have applied elsewhere, because reporting it does no good. I have tried, and my write ups get ripped up by the DON....so why try?

LPN1974, LPN · Dec 30, 2004

I wish I knew....
In our facility, we have the ones who think that because a call light isn't in their section, they can just sit around and not answer it!
When I was a CNA, we had to answer any and all call lights, empty trash cans (and put a fresh bag in), and (another pet peeve of mine) make beds with straightened sheets and a bed spread!
Where I work now, the CNA's just throw the sheets over the bed, if it gets made at all, trash overflows, linens and briefs are left in rooms, people are left with crumbs down their fronts and food in their laps.... I have applied elsewhere, because reporting it does no good. I have tried, and my write ups get ripped up by the DON....so why try?

I agree with you. I've been there and done that, too.

You report and report and nothing ever changes.

If the DON is sabatoging your efforts, you may as well leave.

Bosses, DONs, administrators.....they are a LARGE part of why nurses leave and go find another job, {and it won't be any better there either, nost likely}

AND why nurses leave the profession.

They just don't have a clue as to why they can't retain staff.

jaimemds · Dec 30, 2004

try using the HIPPA regs to get them moving. This works because there is sensitive info about the pts. behind the desk that the CNA's DO NOT need to know

ktwlpn, LPN · Dec 30, 2004

Good luck with that one.You sure won't make any friends-not that we are there to do so but a few cranky cna's can sure make your life miserable.I am a full time float now which I absolutely love but I do have to take my turn on the unit from hell with the cna's that think they can do what they want when they want to do it...We clash every shift-and it starts with food,coats and sweaters thrown about the nurse's station and goes down hill from there.The worst part is the other nurses.No one else complains or stands up to them....so I look like the the one with the problem...I take my position seriously and if the residents in my care are not getting the care they deserve then I do something about it....I don't stand for cna's giving sloppy care-and a few of this crew have raised that to a high art....I guess the other nurses don't notice that no-one gets out of bed,gets mouth care or a tub bath unless they watch and "encourage" this crew to do so......I expect common courtesy at the desk especially when I am on the phone or talking to a visitor.And please don't eat on my chart.....argh!

Q. · Dec 30, 2004

I wish I knew....
In our facility, we have the ones who think that because a call light isn't in their section, they can just sit around and not answer it!
When I was a CNA, we had to answer any and all call lights, empty trash cans (and put a fresh bag in), and (another pet peeve of mine) make beds with straightened sheets and a bed spread!
Where I work now, the CNA's just throw the sheets over the bed, if it gets made at all, trash overflows, linens and briefs are left in rooms, people are left with crumbs down their fronts and food in their laps.... I have applied elsewhere, because reporting it does no good. I have tried, and my write ups get ripped up by the DON....so why try?

God, that is so sad. I feel so bad for the residents.

vanurse1968 · Dec 31, 2004

Thank you. I've decided to just tell them to move simply because I'm the charge nurse and I said so. Sounds harsh but it works. I hate to come off as a b--ch but I've been told by other nurses than I've gained a lot of respect by not taking any crap. I hope they're right.

bargainhound, RN · Dec 31, 2004

I worked at one NH that had a policy that NAs could not sit behind the desk or even go behind the counter. At the time I thought it was harsh, but I do see the good points that policy could have, especially in situations as you relay.

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 31, 2004

God, that is so sad. I feel so bad for the residents.

I 2nd that. More concerning than who is where, is the fact people are not getting the care they deserve and PAY for! It is a shame.

:angryfire

flashpoint · Dec 31, 2004

Well, I disagree that HIPAA is a reason for them not sitting at the nurses' station. What information do they NOT Have a right to know about the resident? Anything that affects the resident potentially affects their care and how it is delivered, so it seems to me that everyone on the healthcare team needs to know. CNAs generally have more contact with the residents than anyone else.

I firmly believe that as long as the work is being done and residents are well cared for, the CNAs have a right to sit down...don't they have ADL flowsheets or some sort of charting to do themselves? I do think that everyone should be respectful of the fact that the nurses need a place to do their charting, make phone calls, etc so that if a nurse needs the space at the nurses' station, it should be made available to her. One of the best LTCs I ever wored in had "mini-stations" all over the building...they were flip down tables where the CNAs (or anyone else) could take their ADL books or charts and sit down and do whatever they needed to do...they were positioned throughout the buiding between rooms, near the nurses' station, etc.

I've found that if you treat the CNAs you work with respect, most of them will do anything you ask them to do. There are always a few bad apples that are going to slack off and buck the system, but I've never found them to be the norm.

bargainhound, RN · Dec 31, 2004

The CNAs were allowed to sit down, just not behind the nurses desk.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 31, 2004

Well, I disagree that HIPAA is a reason for them not sitting at the nurses' station. What information do they NOT Have a right to know about the resident?

I say this as a former CNA, there is NO reason why i had to know everything about every resident. If there was something i needed to know, i'd ask a nurse (especially if the rt. was peeing orange).