Cry baby CNAs

[DrkCocoMurse215]

Let me start by saying I am a CNA and I'm not talking about all CNAs. I have a problem with some coworkers and even some CNAs in the forums here that just complain all day about how hard our jobs are and how the RNs don't do any thing, we do all the hard work they just pass meds, sit, and chart. Even heard someone say we should get paid as much as the nurses smh

1. We all work hard, CNA, LPN, RN, etc

2. There's more to being a nurse then passing meds and charting, and they do their fair share of work doing things we as CNAs don't have the knowledge and skill to comprehend and do

3. CNAs are paid horribly and deserve more, but to say as much as a RN is ridiculous, c'mon lets get real

4. If you feel this way shut up and find away to get more education and move on like I am

Again I'm a CNA, I'm overworked, and sometimes there are lazy nurses but all the whining and ridiculous comments are annoying. Sorry for the little vent.

[OCNRN63, RN]

This should get interesting.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I understand where youre coming from. The "we do all the hard work" line always makes me roll my eyes.

We do do the things CNAs do. There's not a shift that goes by that I don't wipe a little butt or get someone dressed or make a bed. No, I don't spend nearly as much time as they do with this stuff. But that's because I have, like, my own work to do and stuff. And, while I can help them with their work, they can't help me with mine.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I do CNA stuff all the time. I just need them to do things to "free me up" so I can do the things that only the RN can do. Sometimes it might look like I am just sitting, but I am usually looking over labs, etc. Sometimes I don't want to get tied up in a patient's room, simply because I have calls out to doctors, or some other department or other facility, etc., that requires me to be near the desk.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

And this sort of self pity isn't unique to CNAs. Many of the LPNs I work with complain that we do all the "real" nursing work like passing meds and changing dressings, as opposed to the RNs, who fill more of a supervisory role at my facility. And many LPNs comment how they'd "love" to see the RN pushing a med cart or the treatment cart for a change.

It always makes me want to say "be careful what you wish for". Because administering meds and treatments is certainly part of a RN's scope of practice. And with the way today's labor market is, there's plenty of RNs who might be willing to do "LPN work" for LPN wages.

Likewise, it could be pointed out to CNAs that if the nurses really did do everything they do, they might find their positions in danger of becoming redundant in the eyes of their employer.

As you go up the nursing ladder from CNA to LPN to RN, the scope of practice is cumulative (not sure if that's the right word). In a sense it's all "RN work". But the same can't be said the other way around.

[Jmira.BSN.RN]

And, while I can help them with their work, they can't help me with mine.

100% true!

[rumwynnieRN]

And, while I can help them with their work, they can't help me with mine.

That's something one of my preceptors told me, and it's true. That doesn't mean put ALL the patient care on the techs -- it means give them the tasks they can do while you do what only you can do. I'm not opposed to doing tech work -- how else am I going to assess their skin under there or see how they walk?

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

I've been a CNA, an LPN, and now an RN. We all work hard.

When I was a CNA, I worked my tail off.

I cannot believe some of the patients I was given when I was an LPN. That was wrong.

As an RN, I work harder than I ever did as a CNA. I would never have believed this if you had told me when I was a CNA. Back then, I thought I did all the hard stuff. I was so wrong, and I owe a huge apology to any RN I ever disparaged or thought was being "lazy".

[kalevra, BSN, RN]

If only the CNAs that keep whining at your work place ever get to live life as an RN with all the discharge, admits, meds, ADLS, doctor demands, coordination ECF/SNF, and the mountain of paperwork required to out process a patient.

CNAs get paid less because they have less responsibilities compared to an RN. They cannot do the things an RN can do.

Assign an ICU patient to a CNA let us see what happens.

If they do not like your station in life, then work towards improving yourself. Get and advanced degree, rather than complaining.

When a patient codes, whos butt is on the line? When medication is given at an overdose and something happens to a patient, whos butt is on the line?

The RN assigned has to feel the full might of disciplinary actions.

For your co workers that get annoyed at the difference in pay feel free to direct them to my post. Seriously they need to get over it.

[FlufferNutter, ASN, RN]

As a CNA, I completely understand. I see the nurses on my unit doing all kinds of work. Mostly paperwork, i.e. charting, etc. The rest of the time they are passing meds, which is really time consuming.

As a nursing student, this gives me some much needed perspective. I am getting into the nursing field because I want to help people. Clearly, working in a unit such as mine is NOT the place I want to be. I do not want to be a rolling pharmacy. I want to be hands-on, provide bedside care, and so on.

This is the main reason I want to go into trauma, or anesthesia, or some other high-energy job. I want to be challenged every day. I don't want to become complacent.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

As a CNA, I completely understand. I see the nurses on my unit doing all kinds of work. Mostly paperwork, i.e. charting, etc. The rest of the time they are passing meds, which is really time consuming.

As a nursing student, this gives me some much needed perspective. I am getting into the nursing field because I want to help people. Clearly, working in a unit such as mine is NOT the place I want to be. I do not want to be a rolling pharmacy. I want to be hands-on, provide bedside care, and so on.

This is the main reason I want to go into trauma, or anesthesia, or some other high-energy job. I want to be challenged every day. I don't want to become complacent.

I'm going to tread lightly on this post, but I can't just let it go. My response is assuming that you work in a hospital acute care? If not, ignore. I'm not sure if you do understand what bedside floor nurses do, seeing that you want to be "challenged" and don't want to become "complacent." What looks like only paperwork and passing meds is much more than that. And therein lies the problem with what the OP said and for nursing students' perspectives with what very little exposure they get to real world nursing. It is very clear to me now more than ever that many non-nurses have absolutely no clue what we do when they look at us working.

[BlueLightRN]

I'll start off by saying I love my CNAs, they bust butt and they're awesome. But I've had lazy, rude, and stupid ones as well working with me. They want as much money as I make? They're not responsible for managing the patient's INR and insulin titration, it's a little more time consuming to have to draw blood, call labs, call doctors, and if it's way too high or low manage the emergency and a lot more taxing mentally than changing a brief. Sorry. I work hard too. Maybe not physically, but mentally, and my job is a lot more challenging and holds way more responsibility. I depend on CNAs to do things that they are capable of doing so I have time to do things that they are not capable of doing. We all have to work together and stop bickering. They deserve higher wages but then again so do nurses. Also, if you sleep on my shift I will fire you because if I was caught sleeping on the job as a nurse I not only would get fired but probably lose my license for negligence. I'm not a mean nurse trying to pick on CNAs, I love them and need them to help me out when I have 50 patients to one nurse. But let's be real. The jobs are different and the skill set is different and the point of it all is to take care of the patient. So let's just get along and be kind and appreciate what the other is doing.