Frustrated CNA - for (some) nurses

[Flatbelly]

I'm starting nursing school in a couple of months, but currently work as a CNA. My dream job - a hospital. Found one. Ecstatic :) After a few weeks - not so ecstatic. I love my job, I love my patients, I love most of my co-workers. Alas, not all of them. This thread is for CNAs who feel frustrated and need a place to vent

Nurses, please read this even if it makes you angry. Maybe I'm exaggerating and need a slap? Anyway, everything written below is for you...

1. I'm a CNA, not a doctor, not a nurse. I KNOW my job is not as important as yours, you have a better education and earn more money, however, we share a workplace and I'm a person just like you. How do you think it makes me feel when I greet you with a "Good morning" and get treated as if I'm invisible? Ditto for turning your back at me when I'm in the middle of asking you a question about a patient. Yes, I see you're turning away from me because another nurse wants to talk to you. But she wants to know when you're going for lunch. I on the other hand, want to know if the patient is still NPO.

2. I'm a Nursing AIDE, I know what it means, I know I'm here to help you, but I'm not your slave. If I tell you I can't come immediately to your patient, it's because I'm in the middle of dealing with another patient who needs to be washed from head to toe. Yes, I'm here to help you, but it's the patient who is my priority, not you.

3. The patient has dry, flaky skin and needs lotion applied? Guess what, the pyxis is out of lotion. My name isn't Harry Houdini, so I can't make it appear out of thin air. Also, I'm not allowed to take anything from another room. ASK my why something hasn't been done before you get a fit and shout at me. I'll get the lotion and apply it as soon as I'm able to do it.

4. I care and I'm not lazy. I'm fresh out of school and still can't work as fast as the speed of light, I need time to learn a few tricks and organize my work properly. Don't make stupid comments and suggest I should think about another career. HELP ME. Spare 60 seconds, explain/show what I can improve to make my work more efficient. In return, I'll gain time and the knowledge to HELP YOU.

5. I'm human and make mistakes. So do you. OK, I blew it and left a complete patient to be done last instead of first. He is dirty and spent a considerable time in his bed in soiled diapers. My bad, I feel terrible about it. I learn from my mistakes, it WILL NOT happen again. Once more - I know I blew it. But... we start our shift at 6 AM. It's almost noon now. Were the hell were you for 6 hours?

6. PLEASE do not make sarcastic comments about me in front of the patient. If you want to make me look like an idiot, this sometimes works. More often, the patients comment your behavior as soon as you leave the room. What am I supposed to do, join a patient in the rant on Nurse B***???

Mind you, most of the nurses I work with are terrific. Helpful, nice and don't treat me like dirt. A few bad apples however make my life a bit miserable. I hope when I become I nurse I'll remember what it's like to be a beginning CNA

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Wow, I'm really impressed with how you took the initiative to organize your time, and how proactive you were. Good job!

[Flatbelly]

Wow, I'm really impressed with how you took the initiative to organize your time, and how proactive you were. Good job!

Thank you! :) I'm sure all this organizing will help me later, when I'm a nurse.

[C_K_GrodeckLPN]

sorry you were treated so badly... YOU CNA's ARE OUR BACKBONE!!! We licensed nurses couldn't get our job done without your assisitance. I have ben a nonlicensed aide, then a CNA,, then Medical Assistant & currenly an LPN of 12 yrs. I

t is usually the Nurses that have never been an Aide that have the least commpassion that spoil it for the rest of us. I completely support your efforts. Have a talk with your Director of Nursing & discuss your concerns. Sometimes your discussion will be just the cutting edge for change.

Update us on how things are going.

[Tippy-ta-ta]

Your run down of your day was excellent. I really enjoyed reading how organized and time managed you are. That is really great.

[rngolfer53]

Flat, you raise excellent points about how not to treat any fellow employee.

I can tell you from experience in other industries that this is not a condition unique to hospitals or health care. For whatever that's worth.

Sadly, it seems there is no attention paid to having a systematic, organized program of appropriate workplace conduct in many institutions. And I don't mean the meaningless feel-good seminars that are offered.

Mostly, though, it comes down to good management, and really good managers are not plentiful.