A CNA/RN Student's Lament

[OneDayAtATime93]

I have been working as a CNA for 3 years on a busy med/surg floor, and the things I have seen so far have frightened me to where I didn't even know if I wanted to even do nursing anymore. I started working as a CNA with no experience, so everything was new to me. I had heard of the abuse CNAs take but I had obviously never seen it.

Let me say that probably 50% of the RNs I've worked with in the past 3 years actually gave a crap about their CNAs. I have worked with some that really were team players and knew I was going for the RN program and they'd sit and tell me rationales and helped me study to take entrance exams for the program. They really encourgaged us. However, I had others that constantly sat down and justified their laziness with "charting". I got SO SICK of it. I mean, I was busting my butt with 12 pts, (and my floor is the dumping ground for drug abuse, AMS, total care pts) so we'd have about 7-10 that were Q2 turn, asst with meals, changing in the bed, etc... . They would sit, pass their meds/do their assessments, and then sit again and make up to triple what I was making. I never heard an RN complain about the floor, really. I heard a nurse talking to the nurse manager a few weeks ago and she said "The RNs are all having a good day, we were just talking about it" and I scoffed and then they told the NM "The CNAs aren't, as usual" (in a way as if the CNAs are all pessimistsor something with a bad attitute ) I saw CNAs work their fingers to the bone to while the RNs were sitting in the RN station taking selfies -literally. And management NEVER said anything to them, but we had some chage nurses that if the EVEN SAW a CNA sitting, they would begin a game of 20 questions "Are all 12 pts bathed? Are they fed? Have you done your rounds? Have you asked the RNs what they need you to do?" etc... and then they would tell the manager that you're sitting and then it got brought up in the next metting how CNAs aren't doing their job or something and we'd get spoken to about job descriptions. I know its usually the CNAs that are singled out for being lazy, but it isn't true in my facility. Of course, there were a couple bad apples (I'm talking maybe 2-3 max in the entire 3 years) that were terrible CNAs and were fired, but the rest of us were all RN students, PA students -heck we even had one that was just accepted into medical school!

And not to mention I saw how the RNs treated each other! Shift change was a constant battle between day/night shift. One RN would be upset with another RN and would say the other RN's shift is easier, they always get stuck with admits, the charge nurse is that or that, blah blah blah. This is a 24hr job! If we can't treat each other with respect, how will we help pts?! I really had to take a month or two to determine if I wanted to do nursing. Yes the 3/12s is good, yes the pay is good, but the stress.The stress will kill you. I watched one of my favorite and beloved charge RNs clock into work and have a stroke at the time clock. She had been complaining of the stress on the floor for months, and it finally got to her. Even I developed hypertension and had to started on BP meds -at 21yrs old. I knew it was the stress. Everyday after work I would try to sit and calm down because I was so upset from work. I hurt everywhere. I took my BP at work one day and it was 155/100. I knew I would be next if something didn't change.

After some thought I've decided to continue with nursing. I'm just so tired of being abused on med/surg floors. Rude pts, rude staff, and rude managers (management is a whole different story though). I told myself I'm going to be an advocate for the support staff when I'm an RN because the wage they're paid, and the work they're given is unacceptable. It almost forces you into a career change. After school I've thought about the ICU (knocked out pts, and limited family visitors sounds like such a needed changed of pace) but all my professors tell me to do med/surg after school. Does anyone have any advice? I appreciate it.

[Collor]

Med-surg as a nurse is very different than as a CNA (I know because I did both :-)..

Med-surg for me was a good starting area once I became an RN.

Having said that, after a year of med-surg I knew it was not my niche. I applied to ER and was hired. My med-surg experience certainly was a stepping stone for critical care nursing.

I hear new grads are having a hard time finding jobs. It might come down to taking a med-surg position just to get your foot in the door, but apply to other areas of interest!

[OneDayAtATime93]

That is true. If it comes to where I need a job, I may have to accept a med/surg position. I just want to be "that RN" that helps everyone and I'm not sure if I can handle some of the RNs treating staff poorly.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

That is true. If it comes to where I need a job, I may have to accept a med/surg position. I just want to be "that RN" that helps everyone and I'm not sure if I can handle some of the RNs treating staff poorly.

I will point out that you can only be in control of your own nursing practice and how you treat others; it does one no good to stress over lazy, unprofessional people because, as long as your nursing care, and judgment is not compromise, everything (and I do mean everything) else is secondary.

I will also point out that there will be times that you ABSOLUTELY can NOT do everything-once I moved up the ladder from tech to LPN, then to RN, I had to learn how to prioritize more effectively and use delegation as an art; the more responsibility one has, sometimes that sit at the computer taking a selfie is a way to recharge-not my way, however not the best way, sometimes that is the only breather at a moments pace.

Keep having your philosophy, but make for your benefit-and don't forget your patients too!

Best wishes.