Does anybody really care?

magichospital · Jun 18, 2011

That reminds me of where I had my clinicals! The workers (mostly) never respected privacy and some of the CNAs were very rough even when the residents were crying of pain! :crying2: It makes me sad to see that but what can you do? I just became certified (today in fact) and I am trying to get a job somewhere other than a LTC because it is just so sad to see that!

Anne36, LPN · Jun 18, 2011

Have you been giving care the way you were trained? Mabye if other cna see the quality of care you give it will rub off on them. Im sure your residants and nurses will appreciate you. Do you think your observations are a sign that the facility is understaffed? If you are new, mabye a few weeks in that facility will shed some light on these issues. It sounds like the cna are strapped for time. Just remember patient safety first. Dont burn yourself out too fast, you are only 1 person, doing an enormous job. Good luck!

Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 18, 2011

If you want to do things the right way, then that is perfectly fine. If you don't like linens on the floor, don't put them there. Then again, that is one thing I am totally guilty of and probably always will be. I am a good CNA, and I know it. In reality, tossing some linen on the floor while your changing someone and holding them with one hand is not going to kill anybody and after your done it's going straight to the laundry anyway.

I don't mean to be rude or anything, but it's just the reality of the job. Class World and Real World are 2 very different places. As long as the resident is clean, dry, and safe, it isn't going to make much difference where the dirty linen is. Just don't trip on it. :)

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Jun 18, 2011

Linens on the floor? Pssssh. Everybody does that. Dirty linen is still dirty and gross no matter where you put it and you're not always in a position to place it in a bag immediately.

You're a stranger to the residents, so right now it may seem wrong not to introduce yourself and announce what you're doing, but once you have a relationship with the residents it's really not necessary unless they're really demented and then you have to explain a lot more than that!

You can and should be kind to the residents, but you can't give them the "care and attention they need and deserve." Not without neglecting half of them.

My instructors made sure to tell us that what we learn in class is for the test, and we will not see things done that way on the job because of poor staffing and other difficulties. I think any instructor that doesn't warn the students of this fact is doing them a disservice.

orthonurse55 · Jun 18, 2011

i am a newly certified cna. i just got my first job and have worked 4 days. as i worked with my trainers (somebody different each day) i found that almost everything they taught us in cna class is not being implemented by not only the long time cna's but also those new to the work. i have worked both 2nd and 3rd shift, and nobody seems to 1-knock, this is one of the residents rights! in illinois, if the state were in the building and saw you walking into a room without knowking it would be a ding on the facility, whether it is ltc or hospital. this is their private space, and for their privacy we are required to knock and be told to come in. granted, some people can't tell us to come in. in that case, the act of knocking at least lets them know someone is entering the room.
2-address the resident, 3-announce themselves, you should be announcing yourself when you knock on the door and of course address the resident/patient! we are not in there to move sacks of potatoes! they are people - but i can see you know that.
4-let the resident know what they are going to do!!! of course! why would anyone not do this! it doesn't even take extra time! if they don't they are definitely violating resident rights. as well as possibly scaring the heck out of an elderly person who may not understand what is going on most of the time anyway.
this is crazy! one cna said 'we don't have time to get them snacks tonight" and just didn't do it. incident report!
the adl books are only half filled out. also, it seems that it is ok to throw dirty briefs and linens on the floor!?! what??? i can't even believe it. infection control issue
the place where i work has a very good rating, everyone seems very nice (especially the residents), and there are all kinds of things in place to report abuse and other things, but it just seems gruff and dirty. is it like this everywhere? it seems that it is just a job to many, and the fact that these people are in need, have lost much of their dignity, and are really people has left these workers' minds. i am trying to get into the rn program where i live, so cna work is not what i want to do forever, but i am wondering if i can take it if it is going to be like this.
does anybody have any advice? i try to be kind, apologetic, and understanding to all of the residents, and give them the time and care they need and deserve. am i a freak who is going to fail because i won't have enough time to actually do my job?
any advice or encouragement would be really appreciated.
thanks,
michael
michael,
it sounds like you had some very good training and have great morals when it comes to taking care of your residents. don't trade that in becasue you are working with substandard staff! you can see my inserts, but i think you already knew those answers. i am a cna instructor, and i also work pert time in ltc. i am a stickler for the rules and anyone who doesn't abide by them can go work at wal mart. you are right - our residents deserve the proper treatment from us - all of us! keep up your excellent work skills and hope they embarass some of the others to shape up. talk to your don about getting some inservices sceduled about legal issues and resident rights. or find a different ltcf - they are not all like that!
as rar as throwling linens on the floor - once in a while it is unavoidable. sad but true. but that should be rare. it is a major infection control issue and those writers who commented that it is ok - it is not! you are walking on that floor, as is anyone else who walks there afterwards. then walking into other rooms, the grocery store, your home! for goodness sake, have you all forgotten your infection control lesson?
keep up the good work michael, and keep your standards high. you will be a wonderful cna and a great nurse who will one day be respected by the staff you work with.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Jun 18, 2011

Where is this mystical facility that provides enough staffing and supplies so that CNAs can follow all the rules do their jobs perfectly?

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2011

Where is this mystical facility that provides enough staffing and supplies so that CNAs can follow all the rules do their jobs perfectly?

It's in NeverNever Land.

northernguy · Jun 19, 2011

IF you are doing everything by the book and still getting everything done on time, AND answering call lights and assists promptly, then good for you. The thing Ive found with brand new CNAs is it usually takes them a while working out getting their people done on time, doing everything by the book, and answering call lights and assists. Usually they will either be on the call lights instantly and help with assists, but then fall massively behind with their own people, or else will develop tunnel vision and get their people done, but will leave the call lights and assists to the others. Rarely is a new CNA able to balance out the two, and the more experienced CNAs have to pick up the slack as a result. Remember, you are a team, if you got your people done on time but snacks didnt get passed because other aides were busy answering all the call lights you neglected, you share some of the blame.

Doing this job you are always under time constraints. If you are being super thorough doing someones shower and doing everything perfectly by the book, but are taking forever, while the other CNAs are helping your other residents and answering their call lights, thats still a fail.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Jun 19, 2011

And about the snack thing. Why do you think this girl said she didn't have time to pass the snacks? I'm guessing the answer is (drum roll)... she didn't have time! Usually the person that passes the snacks doesn't get to toilet her people. How many residents do you think you can take care of in a day (I'm really asking). I doubt you'll say "10 or 15." If you're dawdling with one resident for too long, it's not fair to the others who are sitting in pee or waiting with their call light on forever.

If your coworkers are rushing wordlessly into rooms and flipping residents who don't know what's going on around, that's a shame, and they're only making it harder for themselves when those residents stiffen up and become uncooperative. It doesn't mean you have to do things that way. But you will never find a facility where you're able to control how the other aides act.

EMTJAY · Jun 19, 2011

You're going to find many things that aren't done by the book in LTC facilities. You will find the staff at most places don't care about their patients, nor have any interest in medicine. It's just a paycheck, but that's just the way things are in healthcare. Do you honestly see half of the CNA's moving on to other positions in healthcare? Probably not.

CNA work in a LTC can be tough, 10 to 15 patient ratios, co-workers calling off, so of course short cuts are taken to get things done. In most cases it's not terrible if linens fall on the floor, not introducing yourself to a patient every time you make contact, or knock on the door for that matter. Your new, but once you been around for a while and things start getting hectic things will change.

interceptinglight, CNA · Jun 19, 2011

It's all coming back to me now!! All the idealism I felt when I started out as a CNA student, all excited about the adventure ahead of me -- looking at the pictures in the text book of relaxed-looking aides bending over their nice and tidy little patients doing things like putting a nice warm blanket over them so they won't feel cold sitting on the toilet -- imagining myself flying through the hallways with my cape flapping -- SUPER CNA ON DUTY!! Then reality hits. Heavy back-breaking workload, gossipy uncaring co-workers, a whole shift's worth of nasty Attends overflowing the wastebaskets, incontinence pads placed over wet linens because the evening shift aide didn't want to do a complete linen change on last rounds......and the real kicker -- NOBODY CARES WHAT THE CNA's HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ANYTHING !!! Nobody really wants your input or suggestions about what could make things work better......just show up for your shift and do the work as quickly and efficiently as possible. After I got over the initial shock of what my job was going to be about, I did become really fast and light on my feet -- none of my people were ever neglected and as much as possible I didn't make any of them wait too long for me to get there and help them. Today I no longer work in long-term care because the low pay was not worth the risk to my back -- however I am glad for the experience I gained.