Forcing nurses to work as aides

Thanks again for all the responses to this topic. I had no idea it would be such a "hot button."

As far as posters who think I don't know basic nursing care, again, that is not the case. When I stated I was told by management that bathing someone is common sense it was said by management in response to my concerns as a way to give me the impression of how "easy" it would be to do an aide's job (no one can convince me that an aide's job is "easy").

Unfortunately my facility has no formal training for nurses on how to use this equipment - their orientation consists of work policies and fire drills. It blows my mind that they don't consider nurses when they train them for their jobs, and I have always stated that the CNA orientation (where they learn how to use the equipment) should be a part of basic nursing orientation. It frustrates me that people think nurses just know everything the moment they walk in the door each day. I don't ever like feeling like there is something I should know, but don't. I am definiately going to learn how to use this equiptment and won't hesitate to ask anyone to show me.

Again, thanks for your replies. I appreciate your insight.

I just finished Funds 1 in PN school. We didn't actually learn some of the things that are taught in CNA classes. For example: we didn't learn how to put a "brief" on a patient, we didn't learn how to put on those hose (ted hose?), we didn't learn how to operate lifts, and I know there is more that I can't remember.

When I took my CNA class a few years ago, we were taught those things and we actually had to get in the lifts to know how the patient would feel.

Some of the skills that we were't taught in Funds 1 are skills that are on the state board test for NAs. One of my skills for the state board test was putting on those hose. Now, its not like its a complicated task, but those things are hard as H*** to put on and I don't think that if I hadn't been taught and had the practice before that I would have passed that skill, especially since the state wants it done a certain way.

Anyway, sorry to get off the topic but this thread made me wander if there are other nursing schools that don't teach students what a CNA learns in their class?

BTW: We did learn some basic skills: transfers, oral care, TPR, BP, bed making, bed baths, peri care, etc., but it was no where near as thorough as the basic skills I learned in my CNA class. :)

My nursing program started us out with CNA skills...and then we were given the opportunity to work for pay (if we chose to) during our student years. But this was a now defunct hospital based diploma program...I don't know how it is done today.

Those who haven't done CNA work, or have never watched what they must do for am cares in LTC obviously don't KNOW how hard it IS. It is a skillful art involving hard physical work...with the CNA's working together like a well oiled machine to get all these totally dependent folks up, cleaned, and going for the day. I sure would NOT want to 'step into' that new role during MY pregnancy.

Perhaps spending a little time with the lowly aides and finding out what they do besides take breaks would be in everyones best interest. Since you are held responsible if they screw up I should think you would want to know what thry do. In the Marine Corps everyone knows as much about each others job as possible. They do it in case of mortality but I believe it applies to any workplace as a sort of healthy checks and balances.

I work in LTC as an RN...started as a CNA while in nursing school for my BSN. I took the job as a CNA while in my second year in order to learn pt care and get a step ahead in nursing school. Let me tell you this helped! If it wasn't for that CNA experience I would have never really learned basic care.

Getting back to the OP...your facility should have trained you on lifts etc. Once you get the basic inservice (should only take less than 8hrs) you should be good to go. Now weather you should have to work as a CNA...different story.!

I work in LTC as an RN...started as a CNA while in nursing school for my BSN. I took the job as a CNA while in my second year in order to learn pt care and get a step ahead in nursing school. Let me tell you this helped! If it wasn't for that CNA experience I would have never really learned basic care.

Getting back to the OP...your facility should have trained you on lifts etc. Once you get the basic inservice (should only take less than 8hrs) you should be good to go. Now whether you should have to work as a CNA...different story.!

The frightening part is that an ER nurse does a lot of aide work, unless they have aides for that. I didn't see any aides in the ER where I did my time for EMT, my preceptors joked about putting me on code brown duty but they all knew I wasn't even taught how to place a bedpan.

I don't believe anyone should be thrown to the wolves without proper training in using the lifts. Any LTC facility that believes in "learn as you go" for nurses is just asking for a mountain of incident reports. I also believe that anyone on "light duty" should be limited to feeding and taking vitals. A pregnant woman's body is under enough strain being pregnant, it doesn't need anymore added by lifting pts or moving lifts and med carts.

Thanks for your responses. I sense that the impression of my post was that I do not want to "work as an aide." This is not the case. My concern is that I have not been trained on the equiptment they use on a regular basis, which I am expected to just learn as I go, combined with the physical demands of the job and my limitations. I have told my boss this and she said the nurses should all be trained on this equiptment, but there has not been any training provided so far. Just to make myself clear, I do know basic nursing care, how how to wash residents, take vitals, etc. I do not, however, know how to use a shower chair, or how to transfer a resident into or out of the tub/shower, using lifts, etc. and this worries me about liability as pointed out by nursemaa.

chris_at_lucas_RN I agree it is important to always ask for help, which I always do.