Float CNA's and permanent assignments

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.

I'm a new cna with less than 3 months experience working in a LTC. Every night I report to work, I am placed on a new wing with a new assignment. It would be nice to have my own permanent assignment like the veteran cna's that have been there for a while. Out of curiousity, how long were you a float cna? And how long did it take you to get your own assignment?

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Specializes in LTC.

Where I work it's the opposite. You start off on the same wing for months and then after a while you get thrown to the wolves on another wing.

Once I started working all over I started to prefer it that way. More than a few days in a row on the same hall starts to drive me crazy. And it's upsetting when you haven't worked a hall in a while because when you finally do you really see how all the residents have gone downhill. It's pretty disconcerting. When you see all the residents at least every few days it's not as obvious.

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when i get my first job as a cna i would rather work the same hall all of the time because i would get to know the patients and know everything that i have to do before i get tol work everyday making my job easier and i can finish faster.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

At my last job, I had a permanent assignment as soon as I finished orientation. But it was the rehab hall, and since I only worked every other weekend (i have another job + school), every time I went there the residents I saw two weekend before were gone!

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My facility is so large that it is never the exact same group of employees working a shift day after day. We have a very complex rotating schedule system. There are 1-2 people who may get their preferred assignments for a few days in a row, but it never lasts long. The only person I know that doesn't have to rotate is a real "@*#%$&@#*&^^!)*&%" and gets whatever he wants because is best buds with the charge nurse.

My then-partner (who was an awesome worker) and I got semi-permanent assignment last year because it was the hall that nobody wanted and we always volunteered. All of that went down the tubes when my partner quit and management hired a bunch of lazy people. They decided the good CNAs could no longer be partners so they paired us up with all the bad people so that at least SOME work would get done.

For the most part I like having non-permanent assignments. It gets really stressful when you've worked the same hall for a long time and all of a sudden you get pulled to another one and you're completely lost. Rotating keeps all of your residents "fresh" in your mind and somewhat helps to prevent burnout from some of the meaner/non-compliant ones.

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My facility is so large that it is never the exact same group of employees working a shift day after day. We have a very complex rotating schedule system. There are 1-2 people who may get their preferred assignments for a few days in a row, but it never lasts long. The only person I know that doesn't have to rotate is a real "@*#%$&@#*&^^!)*&%" and gets whatever he wants because is best buds with the charge nurse.

My then-partner (who was an awesome worker) and I got semi-permanent assignment last year because it was the hall that nobody wanted and we always volunteered. All of that went down the tubes when my partner quit and management hired a bunch of lazy people. They decided the good CNAs could no longer be partners so they paired us up with all the bad people so that at least SOME work would get done.

For the most part I like having non-permanent assignments. It gets really stressful when you've worked the same hall for a long time and all of a sudden you get pulled to another one and you're completely lost. Rotating keeps all of your residents "fresh" in your mind and somewhat helps to prevent burnout from some of the meaner/non-compliant ones.

can you please tell me what is the name of your facility is it in NY, I am a new grad looking for work in nyc

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.
when i get my first job as a cna i would rather work the same hall all of the time because i would get to know the patients and know everything that i have to do before i get tol work everyday making my job easier and i can finish faster.

That is exactly how I feel. I'd like to see the same or familiar faces every shift, instead of being introduced to 'strangers'...(hope that didn't sound harsh ) that I don't know is independent, continent or incontinent. I feel like I could get my rounds done faster when I know that Mrs. Bailey gets out of bed on her own, uses her walker and goes to the bathroom. Or Mr. Andrews rings the call bell when he needs to go toileting, and Mrs. Smith is incontinent, she needs to be changed in bed with the assist of 2. I also like to chit chat with regular residents I'm aquainted with. Are they a mother or father? What are their interests? I'd like to feel connected to the people I care for... even though I am aware (and realistic) that my heart would break if they ever pass away while I still work in the facility.

Thank you for your response, mspee-wee! :redbeathe:redbeathe

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Specializes in LTC.

You still get well-acquainted with the residents when you float all the time... it just happens to be a larger pool of them. I'm stuck on the same hall almost all the time now because one of the permanent-assignment nurses called dibs on me... I really miss the residents on the other halls. :( And like coffeemate said, I think moving around helps avoid burnout. I wish we had a jumbled up schedule like his but a lot of people have permanent assignments and believe me you know it because the permanent people are always engaged in petty ~*drama*~ lol.

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.
At my last job, I had a permanent assignment as soon as I finished orientation. But it was the rehab hall, and since I only worked every other weekend (i have another job + school), every time I went there the residents I saw two weekend before were gone!

If I had a permanent assignment at our rehab hall, it would still be nice to be familiar with the nurses that I'd work with, and the residents that might stay there at least for 3 weeks. Some of my favorite residents I'd worked with were in the rehab hall. As soon as one left to go home, another would drop by. Big up's on work and school! :redpinkhe I'm trying to get myself enrolled in community to start taking pre-req's part time for nursing. I have a wedding and childbirth to plan for in a couple months! This has been some year. :D

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.
You still get well-acquainted with the residents when you float all the time... it just happens to be a larger pool of them. I'm stuck on the same hall almost all the time now because one of the permanent-assignment nurses called dibs on me... I really miss the residents on the other halls. :( And like coffeemate said, I think moving around helps avoid burnout. I wish we had a jumbled up schedule like his but a lot of people have permanent assignments and believe me you know it because the permanent people are always engaged in petty ~*drama*~ lol.[/q

Thanks for the outlook! I've noticed a sisterhood from the regulars at my facility. No drama at work (thank god) from the vet's. Much more willing to help and share input to newbie's like me because they happen to be so familiar with the residents down the hall.

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