Disrespect from Medical Assistants

[JZ_RN]

Some of the MAs are older than I am and don't care to do much work. Anything to get out of work, they'll do it. Extra work, they complain. They take constant smoke breaks, disappear for an hour at a time, talk on the phone to friends and family, listen to irritating music, and expect me to do all of their work while I also have all my own NURSE work to do.

Any tips or ideas on dealing with this? I don't feel myself above them or feel like I can't help out, but if I am there they just expect me to do everything. I can't take a pee break but they are hardly working, all day long!

I want to put my foot down but the place is very 'clique-y' and I am not respected or friends with any of them, as I've not been there that long. I also technically "out-rank" tall the other employees except the manager and the MDs/NPs. I want them to be friendly with me (though I don't care to be friends or anything, I feel a good work relationship is important) but I am tired of being run ragged while they barely try.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[klhettinger]

I would tell your manager, if it is an good place to work then I think they would fix the problem without letting the MA's know it was you who said something. If they don't do anything, I would start looking for somewhere else to work. There are good places out there where you don't have to worry about repercussions for voicing that kind of thing.

[amoLucia]

Be a nag and make sure you have them aware of the things that they need to complete for you. Ask and keep asking for the results every chance you get until you get what you expected. Put it on a to-do list, reminder list, assignment sheet, etc so that there's no question about what is expected of them. If they're not completing the expectation, you'll have specific documentation to go higher up for their poor job performance. Play the role that you need the info so you can be better organized yourself.

Personally am not sure what would be needed, but if you need VS, wts, sugars, specimens, etc, put it on the list.

It's a start. A lot of newbies have the same problems with the old-timer CNAs in LTC. It's my method to start when I have problems (and yes, we experienced ones have the same problems at times too).

[JZ_RN]

I have spoken with my manager. She took me out of their area so they stopped using me to do all their work. I honestly, if this were my old job, would just have said "do your own work" and written people up. I don't want to start out on that foot, but just because I am there and helping which they sometimes need, doesn't mean I am there to take over their jobs. I don't want to be nasty to them but I may not have much choice. Finding another job is not an option now in this economy for the moment.

[LilacHeart]

Wow. I'm sorry they treated you this way. I'm disappointed that your manager removed you from their area instead of correcting their behavior because they haven't learned a darn thing!

As a CMA myself, I would never dream of being disrespectful toward a nurse or other HWC. In fact, I've experienced the other problem; nurses treating me like garbage because I'm "only" a CMA, giving me the tougher patients, the messy cases, etc., and then laughing about it just to be mean. Funny thing is, I respect them and the higher education they have and would have loved to have had a friendly working relationship with them (one in particular who was actually abusive). I never strutted around the office flinging my stethoscope or played nurse (I've read this description applied to all CMAs on this forum by some nurses and it is both hurtful and inaccurate).

As a CMA I am a trained and certified HCW (2 year associate's degree in community college plus a 1 year phlebotomist program from an accredited college and certification).

I hear what you say about worrying about finding another job in this economy. I've been accepted into a PN program and already worry about what kind of job I could get. Perhaps you can continue looking for a different job while working at your current one? I hope things work out better now with the change in work area.

[JZ_RN]

I hope to improve the working relationship with my coworkers and solve this problem. I respect them and I know they work hard, I helped them for about an hour yesterday, but I spent the rest of the day doing my assigned duties and my own work. It wasn't so bad when I felt like I wasn't stuck at their desk doing all the patient care.