Disgusting Nurses!! SICK of my status as a CNA

Published

Hello AllNurses Community,

I would have to first say that THIS IS NOT ABOUT EVERY RN (I have come across some really good Nurses in my life). Well, I would have to start out by saying that I need to vent, so I came to allnurses to do just that. I work a 12 hour shift yesterday. I was flowed to another unit, which I did a 1:1, with a patient who was very combative and was also HIV positive. Anyways, there was two patients in the room a male and female. The male patient was the one I was caring for. I sat down at the computer, since the two patients were sleeping, about two hours into my shift the male patient wakes up very angry. The computer was in the corner of the room, because most hospital rooms are fairly small. I turned my back for one minute and the male patient pulls the NG tube out of his nose, so the Nurse Manager comes over to me and says that PCA (Patient Care Assistant) are not allowed to go on the internet, they only can use the computer for vitals. I work in this hospital for a number of years and that was never address to me, but anyways I wasn't on the internet. I use internet access only for my charting information. Anyways, his Nurse had to put another EG-tube in his Nose. I didn't know if this Nurse wanted me to assist her with him, because I got some mean looks coming from the Nurses who were assisting in this procedure. I notice none of the Nurses were properly protecting themselves from this HIVpositive patient. So, as the days goes on I notice that the patient had a BM. I call for some assists from his Nurse to help me with this patient to get him clean up, because I was not going to clean him alone. This patient was about 6ft 2in tall almost 220 and he was in 3 point restraints, so there would be no way I could handle him myself. It took the Nurse almost 30min to come into the room. I was also having issues with his BP being so high 179/120. The Nurse finally came with another PCA, the other PCA got the linen and she asked my if I had the basin. I told her I had keep it in the restroom. I was in the restroom getting the soapy water and thinking that this PCA or the Nurse was watching him, he pulled out his NG tube again. The PCA walked towards me coming out with the basin in my hand fulled with water of the restroom and saids, "DID YOU SEE HIM" I had to her what, She said, he pulled out the NG tube again. The Nurse and the other PCA were standing right there when I left to go get the water in the basin and they must of turned their back on the patient, thinking that was the only one totally responisble for the patient at that moment. I was mad at this point and tolded the PCA, that there is no way that I will get blamed for this one, she just batted her eyes and walked away. I had to wait another 20min. for the RN to come in to put the second NG tube down his nose, last time his blood coming out of his nose, so the Nurse brought in protective gear. Also, she brought in 3 other RN to assist. All of them were so annoying, joking, taking pictures of there self with their protective gear on, while the patient was angryly waiting to get the NG tube in his nose. I just couldn't believe my eyes. One of the Nurses went to the bathroom in the patients room to see how she looked in the mirror with her protective mask on and said "Don't take a picture of me, I don't look good right now", this was all happening before we tried to put this NG tube down this patients nose. By Now I am really upset, but this upset me even more when one of the Nurses said,"Since you let him pull his NG tube out again, we will put an NG tube in you next time"!! I didn't say anything I just held my breath. I was so concern with this patient I let it go, but now I am so angry that I can scream, how can I let these people make me feel like this. I JUST WANT TO LET ALL OF YOU RN OUT THERE KNOW THAT CNA ARE PEOPLE TOO AND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DEGREE DON'T THROW YOUR WEIGHT AROUND. ALL OF THESE NURSES HAD NO RESPECT FOR THAT POOR PATIENT. I BEGINNING TO HATE NURSING AND i WILL BE DONE VERY SOON BEFORE MY PROGRAM. I AM HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS. I AM TO OLD FOR THIS BS.

This sounds crazy seriously..I dont understand what is so exciting and funny about wearing the PPE:confused: Looks like those RN have mental issues or something???????[/quote]

Or extremely immature.

Possibly,I guess they went into nursing too young perhaps..I noticed thay younger nurses tend to act less mature...I work as a transporter and sometimes deliver IV pumps among other stuff and I see youngish 21-22 nurses joking around and just having bad attitudes....just an example yestarday I was delivering a pump syringe to peds unit and there were couple of young nurses (now mind me I'm still in my twenties so is not like they are too much older than me but couple of years difference) and when I went ahead and informed them that their equipment is delivered one of the nurses gave that "attitude look" and said one syllab word "What?" Very,extremely professional behavior,the other complimented me on my earrings (what the h.e.c.k I'm informing you that I brough you the equipment you needed and you touch on entirely different subject instead of check me off and say THANK you-that is not too much to asked.On the same day I had a little beef with this time youngish PTC who thought that I was lower in the hospital hierarchy since I'm just a little transporter (I dont normally tell too many people that I'm a new grad with current license just occasionally to some patients (I guess my knowledge about medicine do show when they ask me how come I'm so informed about the diseases) and ocassionaly I speak with nurses and let them know I got my license,but back to the subject I had a discharge and went in to pick up the pt from their room so I knocked and came in,the PTC was helping the pt to put on his pants and she saw me and proceeded to tell me in a VERY rude voice (almost screaming) that the pt is not ready yet,ok chill you dont have to raise your voice at me,a little courtesy never hurted anyone. Ok so since I'm a transporter I see many faces,go to every hospital corner,room, you can imagine and I'm getting to know hospital culture.So far my personal conclusions are;younger nurses joke around,act immature,mid age nurses (in their 30's) act more professional but tend to be snotty and rude,once in blue moon I meet a very nice nurse,but majority of the nurses act like they are better than anyone else on the floor and they are rude to everyone except MDs since they feel inferior to the doctors :p Just many crazy things going on behind closed door,one thing is sure I'm very happy and thankfull that I went into nursing in my mid twenties,I do think I probably would act just as the nurses I'm bashing now,I admire those young nurses who act so professionally at such a young age.

Specializes in LTC, M/S, CCU, ER.

I don't think the point was that you were on the internet (no one in this thread has said that you were), but that when you're 1:1 with someone, you can't take your eyes off of them for even a minute. If you do, you have to be SURE that someone else is watching them and is aware of the patient's situation. It's almost a certainty that the second you turn your back, something will happen. :( Very glad to hear that you reported the behaviors of the nurses. I sincerely hope that it gets followed up on, and that they are disciplined. That poor patient. :(

Blackheartednurse,You do understand where I am coming from. Not all the Nurses that were involved in this were in there early 20's. I think the one that had said to me, "We will put an NGT in you next", was in her early thirties and the nurse who took the pictures from her cell phone was almost 50+. I just think it comes in all ages, but the young Nurses seem to not really care about their patients, this is just from what I have seen. Not all nurses behave in this matter. I am really giving a second thought to Nursing. I am so close to getting into my program.

I would like to post a message to all of you that replied. I want to thank you for replying this community has given me so much information and feedback. I don't feel very good about my job situation. I let everyone no in the last post that my job is on the line since the male patient pull the EG tube out. I would also like to say that his Nurse told me that the second time he pulled it out was her fault because she had turned her back on him. I think she just wanted to take the blame because she heard the awful things the Nurses were saying in my presents. I also have to say that the Nurse never took photographs of the patient, they were only taking pictures of each other on their cell phones. The patient was never attended to like he should have been.

If push comes to shove, wouldn't IT be able to tell if the internet was accessed from that computer at that time?

For myself, if I was accused of that, I think I would be proactive and go to IT and get the proof myself, then show it to my unit manager as well as the unit manager of that unit, particularly if I felt that my job was on the line because of it.

If this cost me my job they will probably obtain information from that computer. I did use the computer and it's a part of my job to get on there for the purpose of Powerchart, so I really don't care what they say. I know jobs are hard to come by, but it's not worth the stress for me. I couldn't wait to get home to see my family. I felt demeaned by these Nurses. I am a good CNA and have been praise many times for my work. I know i can get something else, but if this means that I will have to look for another position some where else. I will not find work as being a CNA. I think maybe do something else. I am also in Summer school finishing up my last class before the BSN program. I really don't know if Nursing is for me.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
If this cost me my job they will probably obtain information from that computer. I did use the computer and it's a part of my job to get on there for the purpose of Powerchart, so I really don't care what they say. I know jobs are hard to come by, but it's not worth the stress for me. I couldn't wait to get home to see my family. I felt demeaned by these Nurses. I am a good CNA and have been praise many times for my work. I know i can get something else, but if this means that I will have to look for another position some where else. I will not find work as being a CNA. I think maybe do something else. I am also in Summer school finishing up my last class before the BSN program. I really don't know if Nursing is for me.

I don't think you should give up on nursing because of this. EVERYONE makes mistakes, PCTs, Nurses, Doctors... everyone. The most important thing is that you learn from your mistakes. Do you feel as though there was any learning experience that you could take away from this incident? If so, keep on going! I'm sure you'll make a great nurse someday.

Now if you feel as though you had no part in what happened and that there was nothing you could have done to prevent the situation from happening, or that you haven't learned and would have done the same thing in a similar situation then you probably do want to rethink your career choice. Good luck with whatever you decide. I really hope you take what I'm telling you as constructive criticism... I'm not trying to make you feel worse about a situation that you already feel bad about. I just want you to shake it off and open your eyes a bit.:nurse:

Eiano,

Yeah, I have been thinking long and hard about this situation all day and even cried a little. I love Nursing and I do may my patient first priority, but if it going to my Nurse manager for review, she will get the final say. I do have to say Eiano that I did learn a whole bunch from this situation. I learned that NEVER NEVER TAKE MY EYES OFF THE PATIENT and Never just stand there and let a group of inmature Nurses act the way they did. I should have stood up for that patient and said something. I think about it now and I should have told them something. I thank you so much for your reply and thank you for reading my post. I do feel better that i reported this information to the employee complance dept. I only work one time a week and this hospital and I also work registry, so if i have to do more hours some where else I will. I will speak up next time. Tommorrow is my last day for my summer class and it is my last class until my program. i will find out if I get in to the program in october. I will take your advice and keep going forward and I will try to be more responsible, but I will never act unprofessional like those Nurses. I have a long week ahead of me to find out what will transform from this, because the investigation is taking place as we speak. Thank you Eiano and good luck with you,you sound like a wonderful PERSON AND NURSE. :redbeathe

I've never heard of male and female pt's being in the same room.

Specializes in LTC, M/S, CCU, ER.

I was wondering about that as well, but forgot to post about it. The only time I've seen this is when the two patients were a couple.

Hello AllNurses Community,

I would have to first say that THIS IS NOT ABOUT EVERY RN (I have come across some really good Nurses in my life). Well, I would have to start out by saying that I need to vent, so I came to allnurses to do just that. I work a 12 hour shift yesterday. I was flowed to another unit, which I did a 1:1, with a patient who was very combative and was also HIV positive. Anyways, there was two patients in the room a male and female. The male patient was the one I was caring for. I sat down at the computer, since the two patients were sleeping, about two hours into my shift the male patient wakes up very angry. The computer was in the corner of the room, because most hospital rooms are fairly small. I turned my back for one minute and the male patient pulls the NG tube out of his nose, so the Nurse Manager comes over to me and says that PCA (Patient Care Assistant) are not allowed to go on the internet, they only can use the computer for vitals. I work in this hospital for a number of years and that was never address to me, but anyways I wasn't on the internet. I use internet access only for my charting information. Anyways, his Nurse had to put another EG-tube in his Nose. I didn't know if this Nurse wanted me to assist her with him, because I got some mean looks coming from the Nurses who were assisting in this procedure. I notice none of the Nurses were properly protecting themselves from this HIVpositive patient. So, as the days goes on I notice that the patient had a BM. I call for some assists from his Nurse to help me with this patient to get him clean up, because I was not going to clean him alone. This patient was about 6ft 2in tall almost 220 and he was in 3 point restraints, so there would be no way I could handle him myself. It took the Nurse almost 30min to come into the room. I was also having issues with his BP being so high 179/120. The Nurse finally came with another PCA, the other PCA got the linen and she asked my if I had the basin. I told her I had keep it in the restroom. I was in the restroom getting the soapy water and thinking that this PCA or the Nurse was watching him, he pulled out his NG tube again. The PCA walked towards me coming out with the basin in my hand fulled with water of the restroom and saids, "DID YOU SEE HIM" I had to her what, She said, he pulled out the NG tube again. The Nurse and the other PCA were standing right there when I left to go get the water in the basin and they must of turned their back on the patient, thinking that was the only one totally responisble for the patient at that moment. I was mad at this point and tolded the PCA, that there is no way that I will get blamed for this one, she just batted her eyes and walked away. I had to wait another 20min. for the RN to come in to put the second NG tube down his nose, last time his blood coming out of his nose, so the Nurse brought in protective gear. Also, she brought in 3 other RN to assist. All of them were so annoying, joking, taking pictures of there self with their protective gear on, while the patient was angryly waiting to get the NG tube in his nose. I just couldn't believe my eyes. One of the Nurses went to the bathroom in the patients room to see how she looked in the mirror with her protective mask on and said "Don't take a picture of me, I don't look good right now", this was all happening before we tried to put this NG tube down this patients nose. By Now I am really upset, but this upset me even more when one of the Nurses said,"Since you let him pull his NG tube out again, we will put an NG tube in you next time"!! I didn't say anything I just held my breath. I was so concern with this patient I let it go, but now I am so angry that I can scream, how can I let these people make me feel like this. I JUST WANT TO LET ALL OF YOU RN OUT THERE KNOW THAT CNA ARE PEOPLE TOO AND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DEGREE DON'T THROW YOUR WEIGHT AROUND. ALL OF THESE NURSES HAD NO RESPECT FOR THAT POOR PATIENT. I BEGINNING TO HATE NURSING AND i WILL BE DONE VERY SOON BEFORE MY PROGRAM. I AM HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS. I AM TO OLD FOR THIS BS.

Better to know now than later what you would really be getting into.

I think you got blamed unfairly, I think the nurses acted goofily, inappropriately, according to what you said.

Please don't be mad at all of us. Most of us are pretty mellow and don't forget that we, too, deal with many, many problems and problem people and problem actions from aides, doctors, supervisors, etc., etc

Let's try to be good to and for each other.

Don't just swallow all your upset. Try to calmly say what is bothering you, nicely, courteously, once you have calmed down. Say it to only 1 person at a time. Do it privately, do not yell. Just let her or him know how you felt when she or he did whatever. Hopefully, you will get an apology. If not, at least you will have gotten it off of your chest. And you might get some feedback on how that person perceives you and your actions, too. :saint::banghead::redpinkhe God bless you and I hope things go well for you.

Blackheartednurse,You do understand where I am coming from. Not all the Nurses that were involved in this were in there early 20's. I think the one that had said to me, "We will put an NGT in you next", was in her early thirties and the nurse who took the pictures from her cell phone was almost 50+. I just think it comes in all ages, but the young Nurses seem to not really care about their patients, this is just from what I have seen. Not all nurses behave in this matter. I am really giving a second thought to Nursing. I am so close to getting into my program.

Why would these nurses or this situation keep you from becoming a nurse?

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