On a very busy morning where I'm trying to control a patient's surgical pain to discharges and family and patient education I was confronted by a nurse tech. This is how the conversation went:
it was 11:35am. Me: " I know you are having your lunch at 12. Would you make ms. m's bed. She just sat in the chair but she will soon be called to dialysis in her bed so she will go need to go back to her bed soon."
reply from nursing attendant in front of the patient:" I will make her bed when I get to it. I don't appreciate you telling me how to do my job. I don't like the way you talked to me"
she had just created added unnecessary stress that morning.
she complained about me to my nurse manager who didn't agree or disagree but she listened. I had to tell her what transpired between us though brief. now I have a meeting this week with the nursing attendant and the nurse manager to discuss what happened?
to be honest I didn't even know anything bad happened? All I did was delegate a task.
All this please-and-thank-you business drives me nuts, I feel like it's condescending to thank a person for doing their job.
I have a few docs I work with who are always thanking everyone, and I know they're trying to be nice, but it always makes me think, "Don't thank me, I'm not doing you a favor!!"
My CNAs tend to get huffy if you don't thank them profusely every time they give someone a bath or get them back in bed, so I play the game because I need them to like me.
Anyway, OP, I don't think you did anything wrong...
It is enough to drive most people nuts!! But, you "play the game" because that's what people respond to. Motivating people requires one to actually do or say things that might feel unnatural. But that is how you win people and make allies.
The next time a patient has a valid complaint such as this, close the door, say would you report this and dial the
manager's number for the patient. Then step out so that he can speak freely.
Oh... no way, in my opinion. All my managers would have killed me for that. It makes the hospital look bad and encourages staff-splitting by patients. I would say "I'm so sorry to hear that," and if necessary, add on something about "Let me see what I can do to change that" or something of the kind. Then I would go brief the manager and ask her to see the patient. The manager would go in, talk to the patient (usually saying "I'm on my rounds, saying hello to everyone, how are things for you? Oh, everything's fine? And what about the CNAs, are they taking good care of you? That's good, but I heard there might have been a problem..." A good manager has a way of smoothing things over while also getting valuable information from the patient.
Specializes in SNF, Home Health & Hospice, L&D, Peds.
Yes, I have been known as "the *****" because I actually expect the CNAs to care for our residents. I am a nurse with 26 years experience and was a CNA for 3 years before that. I never, ever would have spoken to my charge nurse or supervisor (and still wouldnt) the way some CNAs have spoken to me. I have had more than one argue with and yell at me in the hallway, in front of staff, visitors and residents. Mind blowing and dealt with appropriately.
Not always though. A thousand please and thank yous for menial tasks and those manners start to sound insincere.
It is enough to drive most people nuts!! But, you "play the game" because that's what people respond to. Motivating people requires one to actually do or say things that might feel unnatural. But that is how you win people and make allies.
HD can wait, they get paid by the hour and have TV. Seriously, why did the pt just get out of bed if HD was going to be calling soon? Sounds like a time management issue, but there's probably a reason why that's the CNA's fault too. Honestly, I'm not buying your version 100% because you keep adding details a bit at a time and that raises a red flag for me.
It doesn't take long to make a bed. If you were present when the patient got up it may just be easier to make the bed rather than hunt someone else down to do it.
That is part of the problem- it is frequently easier to just do it ourselves than to try to get the staff that could and should be doing some of these tasks to take responsibility for their assignment. Unfortunately, after you have "just done it yourself" a dozen times today, the staff that should have been "doing it" assume you are going to pick up those tasks unless their is no other option, then they will "do you a favor" and pitch in for a while. I don't think they are going to do your med rounds when you get behind, or do a new admit patient history. I don't think they will be calling the doctor to get the orders written last shift clarified, but it is perfectly OK for you to pick up their work whenever its convenient for them.
Tex.
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It is enough to drive most people nuts!! But, you "play the game" because that's what people respond to. Motivating people requires one to actually do or say things that might feel unnatural. But that is how you win people and make allies.