We have a CNA/tech who is elderly, actually there are two or three in the hospital. This one was being a little slow getting the vitals and one of the younger nurses said "If ya can't get the work done, it's time to quit" in a disparaging way. :angryfire It really made me mad. :angryfire
I love these elderly CNAs, they do a good job and have old fashioned work ethics, even if they aren't as fast as a younger person. They don't gossip about their latest drunken night out or their sex life either.
Whew, You guys had me worried with all this elderly stuff. I'm 41 and in the US Army with intentions on finishing my BSN. In the Army 41 is considered old. Yes older employees are more stable, usually married and arn't worried about what popular culture has to offer and whats on TV. Plus we know what it is like to work long hours and not ***** about it. I'm just glad to know I still have a chance to work until 70!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I don't believe that I worked with ANYONE that is 70, but if there is a CNA that is able, they are truly blessed. I do have an older tech that works with me in the clinic. I love her to death. She is not the most computer literate, she is thorough and she loves to sneak in and give me tidbits on personalities of some of my co-workers. She'll warn me in a New York minute if something is out of place before the powers that be roll around, she is motherly and kind. Most of the nurses seem to not be too patient with her, but I greet her with a smile each and every morning. When the day does come that she retires, I'd actually be a bit upset...wouldn't try and stop it, but would be kind of misty-eyed.
i work with a lady in her late 70s. she's been a CNA longer than i have been alive. now she is our feeding aide and runs the dining room, passes ice and fluids. she was still working the floor when i started there. i learned real quickly to do as i was told, lol. i loved working with her on the floor. her patients were so well taken care of. she's bossy and some of the younger CNAs get mad at her in the dining room because she runs it like a drill sergeant and wont hesitate to come tell me someone is not pulling their weight in there. i tell them they need to learn to do as they are told like I did when i started working with her, lol.
my experience with older cna's has been a blessing to me. they were thorough, professional and caring. i learned a lot from them and i am so gratefull to them. if you have never had this experience, you are really missing out
I work with a CNA who is in her late 60's and she does her job really well. She has physical issues, but it doesn't stop her from doing her job. It is really something to watch her work with the patients. There is NO way I could do half of the things she does as well as she does them. In fact, one day I had to clean up a patient because she had pooped everywhere. I'm out of practice (not that I was ever that good to begin with and I work home hospice) It took FOREVER, and I was clumsy to boot (didn't hurt her, thank heavens!) Anyway, after it was over she sighed and said, "Well, thanks, but I wish Margaret could have been here...." I had to laugh. I agreed with her and said, "Me too!"
We have an elderly CNA and she's just awful! She's slow as dirt, won't do any extra work, and is bossy with the patients. She won't move on to the next until she's completely finished with her current patient, so the rest of them end up waiting forever. She snaps at the nurses and other CNAs too.
Can't help but notice the people with little experience appear to have an issue with elderly CNA's meaning they have critical remark to make rather than seeing their good side. Perhaps I am misreading, or those of us who have worked eons have an understanding of getting older and working in this field, than the younguns to this profession have.
Well if the patients are scared of her and the other CNAs don't like working with her then you can't help but see that over their good side. We have plenty of crappy young CNAs too but this thread isn't about them.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
it sounds like everyone in the previous posts has worked with elderly cna's who may be slow, but get the job done and done well. i, unfortunately, don't have as good an experience with the older cna's. the majority of our cna's are over 50 and speed wise, move pretty well. the problem is when they say that all their years as an aide has injured their back/shoulder/knees/anything and they can't help you turn or boost a patient. when they are physically incapable of doing their job, that bothers me. if you physically cannot do your job, thats when it's time to move on to something else. it seems like the cna's mentioned in the previous posts still completed their job. the cna's i work with will say "no" before you can even finish your sentence.
i suspect that's an attitude thing, not an age thing. i work with a number of younger cnas (in their 30s) who say "no" before you even finish your sentence. they've also injured their back/shoulder/knees whatever -- running their latest marathon, biking, in martial arts class, stumbling over a curb while on a bender, etc. someone who doesn't want to do the job will always find a reason not to do the job.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
can't help but notice the people with little experience appear to have an issue with elderly cna's meaning they have critical remark to make rather than seeing their good side. perhaps i am misreading, or those of us who have worked eons have an understanding of getting older and working in this field, than the younguns to this profession have.
I once worked with one, who I'm sorry to say, was there for the paycheck and little else. She worked on night shift and slept throughout the shift. She held a position of trust with her contemporaries and seemed to be the instigator whenever there was problems. Other than her friendship with the DSD, I don't see why she was valued as an employee. Never saw her work, so was never able to ascertain whether she was capable of doing anything.
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dbierwi440
4 Posts
Whew, You guys had me worried with all this elderly stuff. I'm 41 and in the US Army with intentions on finishing my BSN. In the Army 41 is considered old. Yes older employees are more stable, usually married and arn't worried about what popular culture has to offer and whats on TV. Plus we know what it is like to work long hours and not ***** about it. I'm just glad to know I still have a chance to work until 70!