Had to work as CNA

[Sol95]

Hello everyone, i have been working in this LTC /rehab facility in MA as a staff nurse for 3 years now, my shifts are two 7pm to 7 am shifts and two 11-7 shifts, sometimes i have to work 4 hours on one floor and 8 hours on another floor, not a problem. Recently they asked me to switch my schedule to work only 11-7 shifts which i declined as this is not what i originally agreed to. Next thing i know i come to work and i am beeing told that we are short CNA's and i have to work 4 hours as a CNA and the rest of the shift as a nurse. What do you think about this?

[Tacomaboy3]

4 hours doing CNA work while earning RN pay? Sign me up.

[TriciaJ, RN]

4 hours doing CNA work while earning RN pay? Sign me up.

I'm with you. There is no such thing as "CNA work". It's the aspect of nursing work that can safely be delegated. It is not beneath any nurse to do it. If I still get RN wages while occupying a role with lesser responsibility, I'm in.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

I'm with you. There is no such thing as "CNA work". It's the aspect of nursing work that can safely be delegated. It is not beneath any nurse to do it. If I still get RN wages while occupying a role with lesser responsibility, I'm in.

Dis.

Y'all do realize that if the nurse:patient ratio thing becomes a reality far and wide, primary nursing will be the go-to, yes?

Why is everyone who is objecting to this objecting? Can't handle it? So why do you think you're above doing it?

[Sour Lemon]

Dis.

Y'all do realize that if the nurse:patient ratio thing becomes a reality far and wide, primary nursing will be the go-to, yes?

Why is everyone who is objecting to this objecting? Can't handle it? So why do you think you're above doing it?

I don't mind "being the CNA" on occasion, but primary nursing is not quite the same thing as your co-workers suddenly becoming your supervisors and delegating tasks to you. In fact, it might be more fair to give each nurse fewer patients and let them work together to accomplish what they need to. Some of the best nights I've had were nights where every RN had 2-3 patients (in med/surge) and we had no CNAs ...even when the patients were very heavy.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

I think it's good for overall work morale and rapport. It helps you become more in tune with what the routine and expectations are for your ancillary staff co-workers. Also, it's a real "back to basics" nursing care experience.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

I don't mind "being the CNA" on occasion, but primary nursing is not quite the same thing as your co-workers suddenly becoming your supervisors and delegating tasks to you. In fact, it might be more fair to give each nurse fewer patients and let them work together to accomplish what they need to. Some of the best nights I've had were nights where every RN had 2-3 patients (in med/surge) and we had no CNAs ...even when the patients were very heavy.

I see your point there. I guess in my experience when I've been utilized as designated assistive personnel I have not been treated any differently. But sadly, I feel a lot of our fellow nurses do abhor this for the duties themselves.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

It's not below me as a nurse. Job descriptions usually state " other duties as assigned ".

You are so very wrong

It is not beneath a nurse to meet a patient, residents needs

Please review you nursing board NPA

[NuGuyNurse2b]

You are so very wrong

It is not beneath a nurse to meet a patient, residents needs

Please review you nursing board NPA

I'm pretty sure you misread that post...it's the exact opposite of what you are responding to it as.

I personally don't have a problem with playing the CNA role while getting paid RN salary, but in my experience, I've had fellow nurses who then just dumped the whole assignment on me even though they're still the one who is technically caring for the patient in the RN role. "Hey can you give the meds?" or "can you do the admission?" - it gets hairy.

[Lucydog14]

Yeah that's what I said . It's not below me to work as a CNA.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

You are so very wrong

It is not beneath a nurse to meet a patient, residents needs

Please review you nursing board NPA

This makes no sense as a response to your quoted post.

[Orion81RN]

I would do it and tell them I would do the best I can but may be slow. I've been out of working as a CNA for 6 years, and never was good at being quick to begin with.

That being said (hmm, I say that phrase a lot, lol,) if it were a thing that happened on a regular basis, I would look elsewhere for employment. ADLs are in no way beneath me. In fact I have been working private duty for a year now, so I do all the ADLs and enjoy it just fine. But if it were the ONLY thing I did, I would be quite bored

[Green Tea, RN]

This is nothing new to me. When I was a nurse on med-surg, they assigned a nurse to a nurse aide role when nurse aide was short. Actually I liked it when I played the role of a nurse aide. No assessment or it's charting was necessary. No scheduled medication administration (unless I was asked to do by the assigned nurse). Doing nurse aide's tasks were not stressful at all.