I;m not a nurse, or even a student yet... this observation is based on my experience as a patient and a volunteer, many years ago, both at an urban teaching hospital.
CNAs existed in theory, but they were never to be seen outside the cafeteria, especially during evening shifts. I don't like bashing, but I am serious... they just were not to be found, and when they were, it seemed the nurses had a hard time getting them to work. I really am not exagerating: as a volunteer I;d ask who was on when I started my shift, and seldom saw any of the 'on' CNAs unless I went to the cafeteria.
Part of the problem, I think, was that this hospital had a huge # of agency nurses, so there seemed to be little sense of obligation towards co-workers since, "hey, either I'm gonna be gone next week or you are".
When I was a CNA I knew of several CNA's that would hide towards the end of the shift, after they completed their last rounds. They didn't want the nurse to find them so she couldn't ask them to do anything else.
I never had a problem with the tech's hiding in psych. They would always let me (RN) know where they were.
In med/surg I only had one CNA that would disappear. And I knew where to find her, head down in the break room. It was no secret, so I don't think that is hiding.
I worked as a CNA, and while I met some who were wonderful, caring, responsible, and a joy to work with, I've also met plenty who I wouldn't trust with my houseplants. I worked in a place where they didn't even bother to hide, they'd just sit at the stations and talk on their cell phones. That's what they get for having low standards and letting them get away with what they do, especially when they can't afford to fire said CNAs due to understaffing.
Ultimately the care the patients receive is left in the hands of the RN. If you have CNA's and a patient is found lying in poop for hours it is as much the RN as the CNA to blame. The RN must supervise the CNA's to make sure that the patients are receiving the proper care and are informed as to the individual needs of the patients..alot of times the CNA are left out of the loop especially if they are not allowed into shift report. If you (the RN) see a CNA not doing anything but loafing then give them work to do or review the work they have already done because it is legally your responsibity.
i work for agency and i know what its like not getting help with the residents from regular staff. i also know what like when you're regular staff no one wants to help you. i even heard a charge nurse telling and aide not to help me. seriously this has happen to me. or how about this part when the other cna goes on first break ok, you're waiting to go on your break, guess what you can't because its too late, because the ones that went on first break didn't bother to tell you they are back. o yea been there done that.
I was a CNA for 4 years then an Extern for a year before I became a RN, and let me tell ya.. we Ran our butts off... we were there... we just ran and ran and ran and ran, I never sat down for a minute.. and quite frankly, the only time I was in the cafateria was to get a nurse something or something for the patient... I never hung out there.. I never had the time. Im not sure what kind of hospital you work for, that allows that type of behavior.. but ours certainly doesn't if your CNA's have time to dissappear... they have time to be at home NOT collecting a check. We have a great unit all our CNA's work their butts off as do our nurses we all help each other, and when we as nurses are caught up with our stuff, charting, etc... we help the aides with their work what ever makes the night go along easier for everyone. We help the other nurses.. I reckon we just have a great crew... I work in the CCU/ICU Pool, so I get pulled to Every floor in the hospital, and quite honestly, I find it that way on nearly every floor.... maybe its just our hospital... but we are working toward Magnet status... I guess we all are trying to do our share .... At least the night shift is..LOL.. don't work days.. have no idea how they run things!
I;m not a nurse, or even a student yet... this observation is based on my experience as a patient and a volunteer, many years ago, both at an urban teaching hospital.
CNAs existed in theory, but they were never to be seen outside the cafeteria, especially during evening shifts. I don't like bashing, but I am serious... they just were not to be found, and when they were, it seemed the nurses had a hard time getting them to work. I really am not exagerating: as a volunteer I;d ask who was on when I started my shift, and seldom saw any of the 'on' CNAs unless I went to the cafeteria.
Part of the problem, I think, was that this hospital had a huge # of agency nurses, so there seemed to be little sense of obligation towards co-workers since, "hey, either I'm gonna be gone next week or you are".
Is this typical?
Not every CNA is like that and not every Facility is like that. There are disapearing aides....i would often be the only aide o nthe floor for 50 people with a nurse (not bashing all nurses, just this one in particular) who didnt give a crap, and would rather sleep at the desk or read a book, and then yell at me if i didnt get to Pt A at the end of the hall fast enough. it just depends on who you work with and how much they care about thier Pts.
I work as an aide, and I'll say that on my floor, a Med/Surg with about 45 beds, and 3 aides, if you have nothing to do, you're not being truthful. Someone always needs a new attends or a foley emptied or a new johnny or bed changed or an RN needs help or one of my fellow aides needs help. If census is low and the patients are all cleaned and comfy, there are shelves to be restocked or some contact hours we can do on the intranet - something. There should be no reason for an aide to disappear, but I do understand it happens.
There is one aide on my overnight shift that thinks because the patients are asleep, she can relax and just "babysit". And she does. Management doesn't care, as long as the patients are cared for promptly. She doesn't like me much, because I'm a nursing student and get the "Oh, you're doing that so you can just relax and pass meds. No hard stuff!" Puh-lease!
Yes, there are some RN's I work with that couldn't be BOTHERED to change, or even HELP change an Attends. Heck, I had one HUNT ME DOWN on the floor to tell me to go into a pt. room and hand him his drink. SHE WAS JUST IN THERE! AND SHE WAS LIVID, that she had to come find me to do it!
But I also work with the BEST nurses, that will ask ME if I need help changing a patient, or won't even ask, just help!
Anyway, end of my rant! It just ticks me off because I know bad aides at my facility won't be fired because they already have to use too many agency ones anyway. They'd rather pay a lazy employee $11/hr than an agency $19/hr.
I was a CNA for 4 years then an Extern for a year before I became a RN, and let me tell ya.. we Ran our butts off... we were there... we just ran and ran and ran and ran, I never sat down for a minute.. and quite frankly, the only time I was in the cafateria was to get a nurse something or something for the patient... I never hung out there.. I never had the time. Im not sure what kind of hospital you work for, that allows that type of behavior.. but ours certainly doesn't if your CNA's have time to dissappear... they have time to be at home NOT collecting a check. We have a great unit all our CNA's work their butts off as do our nurses we all help each other, and when we as nurses are caught up with our stuff, charting, etc... we help the aides with their work what ever makes the night go along easier for everyone. We help the other nurses.. I reckon we just have a great crew... I work in the CCU/ICU Pool, so I get pulled to Every floor in the hospital, and quite honestly, I find it that way on nearly every floor.... maybe its just our hospital... but we are working toward Magnet status... I guess we all are trying to do our share .... At least the night shift is..LOL.. don't work days.. have no idea how they run things!
:wink2:Thank you for sharing how hard CNA's do work. I worked as a CNA on a crazy busy Med/Surg floor for 5 years before working as an RN. I was biting my tongue reading the post however, there are lazy workers in every field. I worked as a CNA and myself and my co-workers lost 20lbs average within the first 6 weeks.
I am now working towards my RN and my frustration is with the some of the new RN's we have who consider it to be out of their job description to help aides with patient care when their help is sorely needed. All they do is sit on their butts at the desk and get up to dispense meds and do vitals. I know RNs are very busy but so are CNAs and working together would make it easier for all of us to get our duties done rather than refusing work that is "the CNA's job".
I always vowed to my CNA co-workers that i would not become "one of those nurses" and have followed the example lead by the older nurses now leaving the profession who weren't afraid to make a bed or remove a patient tray once in a while and whose work ethic i admired.
The idea is teamwork and i think that at least in my facility we are getting further and further away from that.
So, to all the CNA's reading this post----most RN's do appreciate the hard work that you do do. Without you, patient care would be greatly lacking.
I love my CNA's!! The good ones that is. And let me tell you, the good ones are GREAT! I don't have to babysit them or watch over them like a hawk because they are going to dash out or hide to avoid answering a light. Babysitting bad CNAs isn't part of my job description. We have far more good ones than bad though. I know this one CNA we have will go off and hide in the linen closet to do text messaging. She's been caught by other nurses but not me. She's still there. We're so short staffed though, I'm sure they will keep her on until she becomes an unbearable problem for the nurses, then out she will go.
For the most part, our CNAs bust their butts. They Know what to do and they do it. They are also my eyes and ears when I'm not in the room. They are great about letting me know when something is up with one of the res.. I swear I wish I could clone those girls, they are magnificent. Too bad the few out there that are bad eggs don't just move on to something they are called to do, because being a nurse's assistant isn't it.
The idea is teamwork and i think that at least in my facility we are getting further and further away from that.
GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN
1,553 Posts
When I was a CNA I knew of several CNA's that would hide towards the end of the shift, after they completed their last rounds. They didn't want the nurse to find them so she couldn't ask them to do anything else.
I never had a problem with the tech's hiding in psych. They would always let me (RN) know where they were.
In med/surg I only had one CNA that would disappear. And I knew where to find her, head down in the break room. It was no secret, so I don't think that is hiding.