Do you help the lazy aides?

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You know the ones... If they ask for help- do you?

What do you say?

The nursing supervisor would hear about it every time I do the other assistant's job, and I would keep a written record of it in a notebook for future reference. You are right to take care of the residents, but doing the work for the lazy employee is only insuring that they get their paycheck without earning it.

Specializes in geriatrics, dementia, ortho.

I do. I'm still new at my current facility so I haven't figured out the best approach with management as far as who to complain to that Aide X misses her shifts & sits outside smoking all the time. So for now I answer those call bells. I just started saying "X are you headed to Room 123 or do you need me to get it?" over the walkie so that the other staff is aware she isn't handling her assignments. The last shift we both were on ended with her being written up for being rude over the walkies when asked to cover a resident who was on her assignment. So I'm hopeful she'll be leaving soon, and the rest of the aides on my shift tend to be very helpful & good.

Specializes in LTC.

I have enough of my own work to do without worrying about other people. I am not going to neglect my assigned residents to pick up someone else's slack.

I already have more residents than is safe to take care of. It's hard enough for me to help the GOOD CNAs when they need it.

Unfortunately, reporting lazy aides to the charge nurse or shift supervisor doesn't seem to do any good. I have been known on occasion to go take care of someone on another assignment who isn't being cared for properly and helping them to fill out a complaint form mentioning specific CNA names and what was/wasn't done that goes straight to the DON or the administrator. Sometimes they go even higher up.

Lighting a fire under someone's behind seems to help a bit. Even if it doesn't, it is nonetheless quite entertaining.

I try when I can to help out but my residents come first. Why? I know for a fact that if I were to get behind, that lazy CNA will not come and lend a hand. :rolleyes:

I have learned to take care of my section first. What another CNA does in his or her section is their kuleana (business in Hawaiian).

The nursing supervisor would hear about it every time I do the other assistant's job, and I would keep a written record of it in a notebook for future reference. You are right to take care of the residents, but doing the work for the lazy employee is only insuring that they get their paycheck without earning it.

That's what I did - until I found another job. The lazy aides are still back there not taking care of patients.

It is management's responsibility to hold people accountable for doing their jobs. If they refuse to do so, there isn't much you can do about it.

I tend to my own duties I don't ask for help and I'm rarely asked to assist with anything our staff doesn't slack

Specializes in CNA.

If I am answering another hall's lights, who is answering my hall's lights? NO ONE. Therefore, I don't do it.

We have two aides per hall. One aide SHOULD be working the hall at all times. My partner and I make sure our hall is covered. Not so on the other halls. Both aides will go sit out behind the building and ignore lights. If it gets bad enough the hall nurse will come on the intercom and page them back to the hall. Ridiculous!

I don't do it. I look at it like this, where was you at when i need help doing something? I have my own duties that i have to get done with out worrying about what the next aid has going one.. If you wasn't too busy "hanging" around the nurses stand gossiping for half your shift then you wouldn't behind and need help.

I can your point about allowing residents to lie in a wet bed or whatever but if these lazy aides are constantly getting help from others, that is only going to reinforce their behavior.

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