CNAs hiding linens in the closets.

[ari3sdog]

It's almost the end of our shift. The DON came up to us asking who's in charge of that room because she saw linens inside the closet. We looked at the assignment on who's assigned to that room. The CNA who is assign of the room said to us that he is not aware of the linen being in there. So, they are thinking that it was the night shift people. So... I talked to my colleague about me telling the DON about what he said. So..I did.

I went up to the DON and told her that he is not aware of the linens. She gave me a sarcatic answer "O..ya sure..."

Anyways, I told her what exactly he told me.

The person who was orientating me was looking for the CNA who worked last night. I told her that we should endorse it to the next nurse that to tell the CNAs not to store any linens inside the closets. But insist of finding the culprit..lolz

Hmmmm...do you think this situation is very common sense? Why would you wanted to confront the person? We might be judging the wrong person. Anyways, what's the point confronting every person? Every person will deny any accusation. It's only a linen for crying out loud. Why can't we just endorse it to the next Charge Nurse to tell the CNAs on their shift not to store any linens.

Maybe the CNA might put it in there because the CNA is afraid of running out of linens. Probably, the CNA just forgot to remove it. Why confront every person? We will waste a valuable time looking for the culprit rather than spending our valuable time for work and the Patients. Why can't we just announce it to the meeting or something like that.

What would you do on this kind of situation?

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Anyways, what's the point confronting every person? Every person will deny any accusation. It's only a linen for crying out loud. Why can't we just endorse it to the next Charge Nurse to tell the CNAs on their shift not to store any linens.

Maybe the CNA might put it in there because the CNA is afraid of running out of linens.

Heh. I'll bet you're right and the NOC aide is always running out of clean stuff. It used to happen to us with Depends - we'd never get enough. And sometimes the evening shift would snag the nights bag.

Your DON just sounds like a gonad-buster who likes confrontation and power. They exist. I had one who would decide that someone did A and, if denied, she'd give you a perky little, "Really? Then who did?" Of course, the implication is that you're lying, not telepathic.

Hang in there.

[jackson145]

People will always find something to complain about. Just be glad you aren't as crazy as the DON sounds. Of course, wouldn't it be nice to have enough time on your hands to worry about such trivial matters?

[manofcare]

I would be tickled pink if we could get some of the techs (CNAs) to leave the lounge long enough to move linens to the closets, it's at least closer to the bed for the licensed and intern staff to change the beds:) Seriously, I know of one tech that really earns her keep on our Med/Surg floor. You can tell when she is there, because the linen bags are full before lunch. Man, I try to grab a few of those bags and drop them down the chute for her. She is worth her weight in gold, in my opinion. I can not understand how we got so many lazy people doing the tech jobs.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

If the worst problem she has is employees who care about running out of linens, she needs to give you all a raise- or maybe buy more linen so people don't have to hide it for their residents.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

What Canoehead said!!:yeahthat:

[frail316]

Confrontation is useless unless somebody admits to it. It is better to find a way to ration or keep linens accountable in some way so that no single person can abuse linen usage. If there is no shortage in linens during a particular shift or for the whole facility in general, then I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. But if there is a shortage, then the night shift nurse should be held responsible so that they may enforce it some way or another.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

this is probably not the case, but could it be a cna who doesnt want to work? and hides the linen so that they "cant"?

[caliotter3]

I never worked in a facility where CNA's did not hide linens or take another CNA or section's linens. It is just what happens. Most of the time I worked night shift. We never had enough linens to even do first rounds. At one place the laundry lady was kind enough to leave the keys to the laundry room for one of the CNAs so we washed our own linens all night long to try to take care of our residents. This stopped when one of the dryers malfunctioned and started a fire one night. After that no more linen washing at night and no more linens for the residents. And it is quite true that some CNAs hide linens to avoid work. One of the facilities bought a lot of new pads. Guess what? Someone put the new pads out on the wall outside the building so that their friend could come by and steal them, so we were back to where we started. The facility did not replace the stolen pads. Our DONs would never waste their time getting involved in which CNA was hiding linens. Your DON is not spending her time wisely or is off in left field somehow. Her priority list should have plenty to keep her busy ahead of CNAs and linens. For that matter, this could have been handled during a nursing staff meeting.

[tobimikal]

oh I do that all the time. When the housekeepers are swamped and dont get all laundry done the night shift always get shafted. And by the way we definately have more bed changes at night. So we will hide sheets and depends in the closets on the shelf behind the clothes. Its not hurting anyone it just means that stuff is right there so that our running around is minimized a little and we know we will have the stuff we need. Its not like were taking all of the other shifts stuff so whats the problem. At least were changing them right! I know of a whole lot of aides that dont. But that is another discussion that will only get me riled up.

[JaredCNA, CNA]

Heh. I'll bet you're right and the NOC aide is always running out of clean stuff.

As a CNA on 3rd shift, I concur.

THERE ARE NEVER ANY CLEAN LINENS AT NIGHT. It's like all of our ancillary services except resoiratory leave with management at 1700.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

Yep....but then again...if you have to find pillowcases to put over icebags, then YOU have to hunt some down off every floor...lest you reuse the same one again....same people who tell me to wake pt up at 3for VS and then wake them up at 4 to put ice on em....Nope, I'll go with wake em once for patient comfort alex....