Do other LVN's agree with me?

[eastxlvn]

i have been an lvn for about 1 yr. i work at a smaller hospital that employs both rn's and lvn's. the other day i overheard an rn instructor telling her students that they would never have to do bed baths or help pts to the bathroom because CNAs did that. this bothered me because i know at my hospital both RN's and LVN's take pt's and if their pt needs help going to the bathroom we help them regardless of title. we do have CNA's but they are usually busy theirselves and many times it is just easier do it yourself than tracking down a CNA. i just wanted to know some opinions on this. i thought mabey at bigger hospitals they do have well staffed CNAs that take care of those needs and mabey at those places RNs never have to do those things. (unlikely). anyway it just bothered me because i thought it was unrealistic what she was telling them but didnt want to tell them wrong.

[caliotter3]

It is better that you do not interfere with what an instructor is telling their students. However, that remark was untrue and not appropriate. You would be doing the students a favor by going out of your way while they are in the room with you to demonstrate that you are not above everyday patient care. They will notice.

[swee2000]

It is better that you do not interfere with what an instructor is telling their students. However, that remark was untrue and not appropriate. You would be doing the students a favor by going out of your way while they are in the room with you to demonstrate that you are not above everyday patient care. They will notice.

I agree that one shouldn't step over an instructor's toes by correcting the unrealistic comments. On the other hand, I'm curious to know why instructors make these comments in the first place, as they could lead to problems for the student down the road. In fact, I personally encountered this scenario in October, while precepting a new LPN on a Med/Surg unit. Let's just say it wasn't an easy orientation due to the false pretenses & misleading expectations on the part of the LPN, although he wasn't entirely to blame.

[SunbabiLPN]

i agree with leading by example. i have seen several nurses through the years get mad when they are asked to do personal care on a patient. i think alot of them forget that we are there to take care of the patient's needs regardless of what those needs are. some nurses have even questioned me when they see me taking a patient to the bathroom instead of tracking down a cna. i continue to provide patient care regardless of what they say and sometimes i see them starting to do the same as me.

[caliotter3]

An added benefit of doing tasks with the patients that normally fall under the CNAs responsibility, is that most CNAs will watch you getting in and helping and will respect you for that. They usually (but not all) will then go the extra mile for a nurse that helps. The only compliment I ever took to heart, came from a CNA who remarked to me one time that she noticed that I was the only nurse that did a certain task. That remark meant more to me than any good comment from a supervisor. Not that supervisors have gone out of their way to compliment my work.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

These students will receive the surprise of their lives, if they are truly foolish enough to believe what the instructor tells them about not having to toilet patients or give baths. Sometimes it's more convenient for the nurse to walk the patient to the toilet or hand them the bedpan, as opposed to spending 45 precious minutes to track down a CNA to do the deed.

The erroneous information being bestowed upon nursing students might be one of several reasons why many newer nurses abandon the profession within a few years of receiving their licensure. Some of these healthcare workers never envisioned having to wipe someone else's butt, possibly because the trusted instructor told them it would never happen.

[Jules A, MSN]

I agree and what a disgrace that instructor is to our profession. Being part of the team and doing what needs to be done isn't beneath anyone, imo.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

An added benefit of doing tasks with the patients that normally fall under the CNAs responsibility, is that most CNAs will watch you getting in and helping and will respect you for that. They usually (but not all) will then go the extra mile for a nurse that helps. The only compliment I ever took to heart, came from a CNA who remarked to me one time that she noticed that I was the only nurse that did a certain task. That remark meant more to me than any good comment from a supervisor. Not that supervisors have gone out of their way to compliment my work.

:yeahthat:

Exactly, 100% right!

Once upon a time I was an LPN working on a med-surg floor doing patient care. I worked with one group of RNs who would spend 15-20 minutes tracking down the LPN or CNA to fill a water pitcher, put a patient on a bedpan, etc etc. Another group would do some of those things themselves. They were also a lot more willing to help turn a patient, pull the patient up in bed, etc etc. Guess which group got more help and more respect?

Once I was in the middle of a massive tube-feeding "code brown" (shoulder blades to knees!) with a CNA helping me. The RN called in to the room to tell me Mrs. CVA in the next room needed the bedpan. I told her we were cleaning up this patient but I would be in there shortly. The RN called me three more times! And yes, she knew what we were doing. (She actually stuck her head into the room to see!) Finally the CNA looked at me and said "just go ahead, I'll stay here and hold this patient on his side." I went to the next room. Mrs. CVA could roll herself over, she just could not get the bedpan for herself. She rolled, I put it under her, she rolled back. Went and finished the Code Brown, went back and took Mrs. CVA off the pan. She rolled over, I wiped her bottom, took the bedpan, she rolled back, I helped her get settled. No real physical exertion involved for me, at all. The RN told me she "couldn't put anyone on the bedpan because of being pregnant" (just barely showing). :angryfire

The plastic fracture pan wasn't that heavy, even with urine!

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

Isn't it really all about team work anyway? Keep it simple.

[MzMouse]

No nurse should be above doing bed baths and basic cares for patients. It is so frustrating to see nurses and managers delegate what they feel they are "above" doing themselves. Especially when they do have time to simply do the task and be done with it.

I would not correct an instructor either-no win situation. Leading by example is the way to go.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Yeah, I agree. Do not disagree with instructors. Even if you are the student under them. But, yes, nurses do make beds, change briefs, brush teeth and whatever else is necessary. It is not the only part of our responsibility, but, we have to do it in addition to medications, treatments, charting, picking up orders, or whatever else. Bottom line is that we have to learn to manage our time in case there is no aide available.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Look at the poop thead in General Nursing Discussions. That's the root of much of this attitude, and the cause of many problems.