CNAs are Referred to as Merely "Girls?"

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I initially posted this in LTC: Directors/Assistants...not paying attention like I should have been! I think I will get better response here.

I was a dietary aide when I was in high school...way back in the late 80s. The facility I worked at had a lot of issues with various departments not getting along. The administrator had a "teambuilding expert" do an inservice on teamwork and respect.

On of the things the expert said stuck with me and still bothers me. She said that no one on the staff should be referred to merely by their gender. She strongly suggested that we not refer to the maintenance staff as "the guys" or the nursing staff as "the girls." It honestly drives me crazy when someone approaches me and asks something like, "Where are your girls?" or "Can you get a girl to take Mildred potty (you probably don't want me to talk about how much I HATE the word "potty!").

Does it bother anyone else when CNAs and nurses are referred to as "girls" rather than by their name or title? I honestly don't ever remember anyone asking the housekeeping supervisor if one of her "girls" can mop a room after a spill. No one asks the dietary supervisor if her "girl" can take a coffee cart to a room for a family.

Why do people think it is alright to call the nurses and CNAs "girls?"

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