First, let me say that I am not venting against all CNA's or even most...I've been one myself. I know how hard they work. I applaude the good ones.
My problem is the majority of the ones at where I work. They talk back, they leave people in messes...it's really making me mad. Just this morning, I told a CNA that was going to get my blood sugars at 5:30, to wait until at least 6:00 because I didn't feel comfortable giving insulin at 7:00 on a 5:30 accucheck. I had originally told her 6:30, but, after she explained to me that she couldn't at that time, I told her I would compromise and make it 6:00. (Sometimes our patients don't get their breakfast trays until almost 8:00 and 11-7 is responsible for the insulin at 7:00) She flat out refused. She told me that the boss said it was ok. I told her, she's not here right now, is she? You're working on MY license, not her's.
She told me no and went and got them at quarter of 6 in defiance.
I told the 'boss' when she came in, but, this is the same boss that let another CNA get away with telling me to 'shut the hell up', as well as, telling a patient to shut up. (Which is why the CNA told me to shut up...I was getting on to her for doing that)
I am so SICK of not being backed up when I tell a CNA to do something. I know I am just a little 'ole LPN at this time, but, I still expect the CNA's to do what I tell them.
I try to be fair. Like I said, I was a CNA, I know how hard the work can be....but, I didn't talk to my nurses any old way I feel, much less, tell them no when they told me to do something.
If the big bosses won't do anything, what am I to do? Go over their heads?
This is my last night tonight. I've done decided that the next place I work, I am not going to be so nice. I've got an interview tomorrow and I am going to explain to the administrator that I DEMAND back up. If I tell someone to do it, and, they snap off, I EXPECT there to be repercussions.
I hate to be so down and dirty, but, I had an spiritual experience a couple of weeks ago that made me see that every patient I come in contact with, is someone's loved one. I don't expect to see them laying in pee or dried food for hours. That is soooo undignified. If I don't take up for them, who will?
Any advice? Should I go to the ombudsman if the bosses won't do anything about these CNA's with an attitude?
I hope any CNA's that read this don't take offense. If you do your job honorable, I am not talking about you.
Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Originally posted by Flo1216
What the heck is an RPN? And speaking of breaks, I hate when I have a pt screaming in pain and the RN says, " He'll have to wait-I'm on break" and the covering RN says, " Wait until Nancy gets back from break," and the pt blames ME. That's not cool.
A conscientious and well organized nurse will attempt to anticipate her pts needs before she goes to break ...and a co-worker is always left to cover those pts when she is at break if they need anything-...If the nurse always goes to break leaving her group hollering for meds and her co-workers are refusing to cover for her then go to the nurse manager....
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Suzy yours must have been a FAT-STAFFED floor for you to have time to stand at glass doors, watching people smoke. WHERE I WORK there is NO TIME TO DO ALL WE HAVE TO DO in the way of teaching, beyond basics, let alone all the niceties, like TRUE labor support..(beyond getting an epidural started for someone)........let ALONE escorting a smoker out to do something I am totally against, healthwise. Like I said before, on my radar screen of priorities, this is not even a blip.
Suzy yours must have been a FAT-STAFFED floor for you to have time to stand at glass doors, watching people smoke. WHERE I WORK there is NO TIME TO DO ALL WE HAVE TO DO in the way of teaching, beyond basics, let alone all the niceties, like TRUE labor support..(beyond getting an epidural started for someone)........let ALONE escorting a smoker out to do something I am totally against, healthwise. Like I said before, on my radar screen of priorities, this is not even a blip.
No Deb, we were as short-staffed as the rest. We were also an LDRP; if labor was slow, we'd help with post-partum. The POINT I am making is someone had to escort the patient, per our hospital policy - whether it's for smoking or for discharge. I am not a smoker, I hate smoke and am against smoking; I also hate epidurals too but monitor my patients who have one. My point is, someone on our floor had to do it, and if we all cried "it's bad for our health" or "I don't agree with it" I guess I'm not sure what would've happened or who would've gotten it done.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
NO--- NO ONE *HAS* TO escort smokers ANYwhere....all we need do is say we will NOT....it's no different to me than others refusing to participate and/or assist with other things that are not in line with their most basic principles. Really, WHAT hospital makes it a NURSING responsibility ABOVE all the OTHER things we have to do, to take people out to smoke? When we come here frequently to complain how people are not even getting BASIC nursing care ...we make it a priority to take people out to do an unhealthy thing like smoke? It's insane!
I agree with you Deb, but I guess where I worked, we all viewed it as a necessary evil (along with many other things we had to do) and just did it as fairly as possible.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
What's fair, is offering an alternative...such as gum or a patch and informing them upon arrival, no one will be available to take them to smoke...if they must do so, they must be escorted by s/o or family and NOT nursing. Or even more fair; having a policy in place that disallows smoking on hospital grounds, period. But I have to hand it to you, those that do this...you are nicer than me. I just can't. NO time, NO inclination.
Suzy yours must have been a FAT-STAFFED floor for you to have time to stand at glass doors, watching people smoke. WHERE I WORK there is NO TIME TO DO ALL WE HAVE TO DO in the way of teaching, beyond basics, let alone all the niceties, like TRUE labor support..(beyond getting an epidural started for someone)........let ALONE escorting a smoker out to do something I am totally against, healthwise. Like I said before, on my radar screen of priorities, this is not even a blip.
i too have never worked at a facility were i had time to do this , must be nice to have all that down time. and suzy, you say you worked ob and that your pst came to the hospital to have their babys, right? what were these people smoking for anyway? by you taking them out to smoke, it makes it look like you advocate smoking in pregnancy. i thought that was a big no-no? even if these people just had their baby, if they have to go right out and smoke, prob meens that they smoked through their pregnancy. looks like that would be a good time to start the pt education. ie:smoking is bad for both the pt and the her baby.
At least Susy had a glass partition between her and the smoke. At my facility we had to physically go outside with them and sit in the smoking area which was ridiculous...our nurses rarely got a break anyway for themselves, let alone with smoking patients... our one smoking aide couldn't get her work done either with the patient demands to smoke, even with 'group smoking' trips, which she sometimes tried to do to organize her workload...LOL!
Best solution: policy to turf the responsibility to family and away from staff.
I know this doesn't work in LTC...those pesky residents' rights..LOL! I don't know how LTC and home health staff nonsmokers can handle this duty to be honest. I have heard there are now even 'smoking assist devices' to assist handicapped patients in their 'right' to smoke.
Gee...we've morphed to a smoking thread now....LOL!
If you give a dementia PT a chance to smoke, do they try to light fires, or other stuff we used to do as kids? It's common for dementia PT's to regress, I heard, so I'd like to know if anyone has a story about "fire-bug" PT's. I'm sorry, I'm a CNA.
If I don't take up for them, who will?
ktwlpn, LPN
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