It is me or them!!! I can't stand it anymore!

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in NICU.

I am so sick of hearing attitudes from aides. I'm sick of it up to my chin. I can't hear it anymore. I think if an aide gives me attitude tomorrow I am going to flip out. I don't know what to do. They don't want to clean patients, turn patients, take vitals, get water, do a blood sugar, do I/Os, help patients to the bathroom, answer call lights, or anything! I shouldn't have to remind them to do their job... Oh but when I do because it isn't done all I get is attitude. All day with my 6 patients I did my job and I did their job. When I page them over head they don't answer. So i have to stop what I'm doing to put the pt on the bedpan, take them off, get water, ect ect.. I don't mind helping out.. I help out more than most nurses!!! But yet they still give me crap. Most of these aides have been working here for years.. Instead of setting a good example for the younger aides they are teaching them how to have an attitude..

I'm going to my director tomorrow. I can't put up with it anymore.. Either something has to change or I'm leaving. I love my job.. But I hate dealing with this everyday... Every nurse is sick of it.

They aren't even giving baths!! It is absolutely absurd. We've had this problem for a while.. The DON will talk to them and they'll act better for maybe 2 weeks, then it is back to the same ol' attitude.

Are there not any good CNAs anymore? Where are they?

Tiger

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Most of them are working techs in my ER. Sorry, but I refuse to give them back.

Seriously, I'm sorry you are having to go through this. Only thing I can think of is keep documenting and telling the DON. Have you tried making a list assigning specific baths and tasks for each one at the beginning of the shift, and pointedly asking if they've done it yet during the day?

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I worked with a couple of aides at my last job and I hated working with them. Very lazy, didn't turn patients, didn't answer call lights and then would go on and on about how tired they are. I just wanted to scream "DO your (insert expletive) job because you are making mine harder"

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A good CNA is worth her weight in gold. I love, love, love working with the CNA's who do their jobs well.

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i am so sick of hearing attitudes from aides. i'm sick of it up to my chin. i can't hear it anymore. i think if an aide gives me attitude tomorrow i am going to flip out. i don't know what to do. they don't want to clean patients, turn patients, take vitals, get water, do a blood sugar, do i/os, help patients to the bathroom, answer call lights, or anything! i shouldn't have to remind them to do their job... oh but when i do because it isn't done all i get is attitude. all day with my 6 patients i did my job and i did their job. when i page them over head they don't answer. so i have to stop what i'm doing to put the pt on the bedpan, take them off, get water, ect ect.. i don't mind helping out.. i help out more than most nurses!!! but yet they still give me crap. most of these aides have been working here for years.. instead of setting a good example for the younger aides they are teaching them how to have an attitude..

i'm going to my director tomorrow. i can't put up with it anymore.. either something has to change or i'm leaving. i love my job.. but i hate dealing with this everyday... every nurse is sick of it.

they aren't even giving baths!! it is absolutely absurd. we've had this problem for a while.. the don will talk to them and they'll act better for maybe 2 weeks, then it is back to the same ol' attitude.

are there not any good cnas anymore? where are they?

tiger

you have to change. seriously. i know this quick response may **** you off. they -the cna's- know they've got a sucker of an rn/lpn. advise the don that you are about to level the playing field and that pt care/safety is #1 rule. then, start you're next shift in 4 wheel drive! grow an index finger and point, 'you! do this and do it now!' get with the facility supervisor... they should have a vested interest. send someone home early... after their work to show you gots authority... next, send someone home right smack dab in the middle of the dinner hour to show you gots game. now, start parking your car in different spots that are well observed. be ready for reprisals even by management. refresh you're resume and begin job shopping.

least common denominator rules... not you.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
A good CNA is worth her weight in gold. I love, love, love working with the CNA's who do their jobs well.

The CNA I had today was something out of a dream. She was wonderful. Very attentive to the patients. Made sure they were turned and fed. Got one of my patients up in the cardiac chair without me having to ask her. It was such a good day.

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Specializes in NICU.

Today... a patient called on the call light for assistance ambulating to the restroom. I had connected him to a Mg bolus so I told him to call if he need to get up.. He was quite unsteady on his feet. I was at the Pyxis pulling meds and I heard the secretary ask the CNA, who was leaning against the counter with her chin on her fist.... So and So needs assistance to the bathroom.. The CNA stated, I'm not helping him, he has 2 legs and can walk, I saw him walk this morning. I walked over there and said, actually he is unsteady and needs help, are you going to help him or am I going to have to? She literally walked off mumbling something... I went into the room and the patient was trying to get up.. his IV was stretched to the max and almost pulled out... I should have written it up... but i didn't have time. That is what is so sad...

I'm just going to write everything up from now on... EVERYTHING. I've already spoken to them about it numerous times... Either I'm going to write it up.. Or I'm going to say.. Okay well let's walk to the DON's office and take it up with her....

Tiger

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sounds like you guys are under-staffed. it's very hard to do everything..answer call lights, turn patients, take residents to the restroom when you don't have enough CNAs. I got sick of all the pressure and don't plan on going back to another nursing home. I will be doing Home Health work from now on for this very reasons. CNAs are over worked and under appreciated

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Today... a patient called on the call light for assistance ambulating to the restroom. I had connected him to a Mg bolus so I told him to call if he need to get up.. He was quite unsteady on his feet. I was at the Pyxis pulling meds and I heard the secretary ask the CNA, who was leaning against the counter with her chin on her fist.... So and So needs assistance to the bathroom.. The CNA stated, I'm not helping him, he has 2 legs and can walk, I saw him walk this morning. I walked over there and said, actually he is unsteady and needs help, are you going to help him or am I going to have to? She literally walked off mumbling something... I went into the room and the patient was trying to get up.. his IV was stretched to the max and almost pulled out... I should have written it up... but i didn't have time. That is what is so sad...

I'm just going to write everything up from now on... EVERYTHING. I've already spoken to them about it numerous times... Either I'm going to write it up.. Or I'm going to say.. Okay well let's walk to the DON's office and take it up with her....

Tiger

Sometimes you just have to be a big B-----(you figure out the rest). I'm running around crazy cuz i need to draw stat labs for my patient with a waterfall of a nosebleed and my other patient comes back from ultrasound. The aides are all sitting at the desk and see that patient roll on by in the stretcher. Not one of them moved and I was irritated. "Um, hello, patient in stretcher that needs to be put back in bed, are you gonna go do it or are you going to make me do it while my patient bleeds to death." They got up fast.

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Specializes in NICU.
CNAs are over worked and under appreciated

Well we really aren't that understaffed.... Each CNA has 7 patients. I have 6. I've worked as a CNA on my floor many times, including part time before I was a nurse. It is not impossible to take care of 7 patients as a CNA.

Also I greatly appreciate a good CNA. I love a good CNA. A CNA will make you or break you. And when I have a good CNA they are thanked and appreciated by me constantly.

I guess I just need to be more assertive and aggressive. I'm a nice person and it is very hard for me to be a b*.

Tiger

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I guess I just need to be more assertive and aggressive. I'm a nice person and it is very hard for me to be a b*.

Tiger

Being firm, assertive, in control and not taking any BS is not being a female canine. Its called being WOMAN, hear me roar! My CNAs don't have to like me, but I do demand the respect due in a professional setting. (Actually, I only have issues with one). Once we've established that, we get to be friends, but that isn't the highest priority.

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Well we really aren't that understaffed.... Each CNA has 7 patients. I have 6. I've worked as a CNA on my floor many times, including part time before I was a nurse. It is not impossible to take care of 7 patients as a CNA.

Also I greatly appreciate a good CNA. I love a good CNA. A CNA will make you or break you. And when I have a good CNA they are thanked and appreciated by me constantly.

I guess I just need to be more assertive and aggressive. I'm a nice person and it is very hard for me to be a b*.

Tiger

I'm pretty sure you are an excellent nurse. :nuke:

I've worked in two nursing homes as a CNA, and I was under the impression that the RNs/LPNs did not have to answer call lights/change briefs or do any of the work that we did. I've gotten so used to seeing many RNs/LPNs walk right pass a resident's room whose call light was going off for 20 minutes or more that I presumed this was just how the facility operated. I worked with several midnight RNs/ and mostly LPNs who would sit in close proximity to a resident's room and they would sit there and let the call light go off for nearly 30 minutes or more w/o answering it. Some of them will tell on us to the DON or whoever is in charge, and we'd get written up when in reality we couldn't get to the call light because we were assisting another resident. That is why I do not want to work in another nursing home as a CNA ever again. There were too many circumstances to get written up and fired. I notice a lot of CNAs have a short life expectancy in nursing home facilities too

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