In my facility, the the nurses put out a list of what resident's they need vital signs completed for at the very start of their shift. The CNA's are supposed to complete the vitals and return the list to the nurse. We (the nurses) use this as a reference before giving certain medications and for charting. Well, the problem is that the CNA's are not doing the vitals until late into the shift which means nurses have to stop and do the vitals required for specific medications during their very heavy med pass. I am a very nice person and and I absolutely HATE calling someone out and can't stand the thought of writing someone up, but management says that the nurses are "the keepers of the CNA's" and they do not reinforce to the CNA's that they need to return the completed vitals list to the nurse before they begin their med pass. Many of the CNA seem to be taking an attitude about doing the vitals and are deliberately not doing them. Also, I've found some given to me at the end of my shift to be running fevers or having BP's way too high and the CNA did not notify me. (a nurse last week told me her CNA found a resident with A.Fib to have a pulse of 145 and did not notify her!!!)
I overheard a CNA complaining about a nurse not toileting a resident when she was passing meds. Do CNA's not understand the time restraints nurses have?
Is this a problem at other facilities, too?? I have 25 residents that I am *supposed* to medicate within a 2 hour time frame. How could that even remotely be possible if I have to answer call lights and do all those vitals in the midst of a heavy med pass?? I am absolutely willing to answer lights after my med pass is finished, but I cannot spare the time while I'm passing meds. The majority of my 25 residents are difficult to medicate either because they don't want the meds or they have difficulty swallowing or they have a VERY large amount of various medications.
Also, as a nurse, I cannot leave just because my shift is over and if I'm not finished with everything 30 minutes after the end of my shift, management has a melt down about over time, but they also have a melt down if the nurse does not complete their charting.
Last week, I needed vitals for charting and the CNA did not do them. When she announced that her shift was over, I reminded her that I still needed the vitals completed (that she knew about when her shift started 8 hours earlier). She said nothing and left. So, I was chewed out for getting OT because I had to go get those vitals to finish my charting.
I feel like we are all adults and everyone knows their responsibilities. Why can't we all just fulfill the roles we were hired for??
Is this a struggle at other facilities, too?? And if so, how do you handle it??
