My Rude Awakening!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm a new graduate of about 6 months and it has been a challenge. Finding a new position and just getting interviews has been an up hill battle. I decided to take a per diem position a few months ago at a nursing home in the city, I live in NY now. Well the hiring process went smooth and I went through orientation and it all seemed like a wonderful opportunity to gain some experience, but the grass isn't always as green as it looks.

I work in a facility in Manhattan, and that is as much as I will say. I'm sure some will read this and probably guess the facility. Anyway, I took whatever shifts I can day and evening in attempt to be flexible. I became a nurse because I LOVE THIS work. It's sad to say that after a few months working in this facility I am starting to hate nursing. I know this isn't what it's all about. It's better.

It appears to me that the facility is run by the CNA's. Some of the CNA's have been working in the facility for a very long time (10-20 years) and they have the run of the place. They talk back to the charge nurses when they are given directives, they are rude, disrespectful and choose what they will do and what they won't. The first time I saw this, I was so shocked because I never witnessed anything like this in the hospitals where I trained. Nothing is done about it, it's like a norm.

The place is divided between the Filipinos and everyone else. I am often called at all hours of the day and night and asked to come to work. During these past holidays, I took pity on them and I worked on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. I put in a lot of hours because they were short staff, and with nurses quitting, it left them desperately in need.

No matter how nice I am, polite, and respectful, it makes no difference. I am met with disrespect, spoken to very rudely and treated very badly. My favorite is the "Can you stay till 7pm because a nurse doesn't show up on time", but it's really a trap to make you work a double shift because the late nurse NEVER comes in.

I am a very CLEAN nurse and I work neat and clean. I give meds some days and I like to work from a clean med cart and I have my routine: clean when I start my shift, throw out the garbage, and stock up my meds and supplies and neat things up. I just can't work on other people's dirt, as I say to myself. The favor is never returned. If I kindly insist that others do the same as it is the policy to do it, I am met with a lot of attitude, bad lip service and bad eye contact.

When I charge the floor, I often have had situations with CNA's hiding in the resident's room, not answering call bells in a timely manner or at all, telling me to answer them myself because they are too busy. Lately, my absolute favorite, is being left on the floor alone with 3 or 4 CNA's and 40 residents. If you have questions and need support and call for help, you are met with bad attitudes, or your calls are ignored. You are treated as if they are doing you a favor.

When you work per diem, you are a guest in someone else's home and should be respected and feel welcomed. I often feel like trash and like less of a human. Like I said, I LOVE NURSING. In order to continue loving nursing, I am leaving this facility and will never return. I enjoy the residents, as they are amazing some of them and I had a few challenging ones. I kept going back because I was able to hone in on my skills with med administration and learn charging and I love the work.

If I could rank this facility on professionalism, I would give it a 4. This divide between nationality/races is very bad for morale. CNA's should not be given choice of floors because the work is easier on one floor than another. Nurses should treat each other with respect and dignity, not just do it because you are my race, or from my country. It should be done because it is the right and professional thing to do and its expected in this business.

Another thing----SPEAKING IN YOUR NATIVE TONGUE IN FRONT OF OTHERS WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WRONG AND DISRESPECTFUL. THE PERSON WILL THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THEM AND/OR HIDING INFORMATION FROM THEM. YOU CANNOT JUSTIFY THIS. IT IS WRONG ON ALL LEVELS!!!!

I will pray for this facility!

You just posted every reason why I would never return to LTC! I left it 12 years ago and nothing has changed.

But it is the same in Acute Care. The banding together and the non use of English. My country has two official languages, English and French. Management posted a sign on every unit clearly stating English is the language of the workplace. One group continues to ignore it.

It got so bad at one point, on one unit, report was being given in Tagalog and casual staff were refusing to go to that unit. That's when the signs and emails wen out

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Now that you have experience under your belt, OP, go get a job at another facility and be done with it!

Thank you for sharing with me your experience. I felt like maybe I was going crazy or just making this up in my head. It brought tears to my eyes as I read that because it means nothing has changed in 12 years and maybe I went into the wrong profession.

Not defending in any sort of way but I imagine this group of CNAs have seen many nurses come and go, even if they were great coworkers most of the nurses are likely temporary trying to gain the experience to open other doors.

That must not only be demoralizing and just plain old, but the nursing staff never gain a leadership foothold.

What I'd bet needs to happen is for each one of you nurses to stick and build a strong team with some stay in you, then you'd gain your leadership roles with corresponding respect and courtesy. Not only with the CNAs but with management as well.

As a new grad many years ago, I worked in a similar situation. It was chronic, and administration was well aware of what was happening, but did nothing.

I also worked at a Critical Access hospital that had the same problem. I was there for one year, and nothing changed regardless of what was said and done. The DON intervened more than once, and the CNA's would simply laugh at her behind her back.

In my experience it never mattered how long the nurses worked with the CNA's, their behavior remained the same. Countless meetings, write-ups, inservices, discipline, etc, never made a bit of difference in their attitude or performance.

I love nursing, too, and please remember that most facilities are not like this!

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

You have no right to tell others not to speak in their own native language if they're chatting among themselves and not interfering with patient care. It's downright prejudicial and the workers are not responsible for your presumption that they are talking negatively about you.

Workplaces like yours are always hiring for a reason. Once you get some experience, plan to move on to something better.

I work ICU, and do not have to depend on CNAs for patient care. A no-show nurse would never be tolerated; there are better jobs out there.

Why do you feel the need to cover your employers staffing problems? The more you tolerate, the less respect you will get in a dysfunctional workplace. Unless you are needing the overtime to pay some bills, say no sometimes.

Best of luck in your next job; when your first job is in a dysfunctional environment, you enjoy a better workplace more.

You have no right to tell others not to speak in their own native language if they're chatting among themselves and not interfering with patient care. It's downright prejudicial and the workers are not responsible for your presumption that they are talking negatively about you.

My management clearly states that English IS the language of the workplace and if they are paying you they expect English to be used.

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
My management clearly states that English IS the language of the workplace and if they are paying you they expect English to be used.

Then your employer is lucky that nobody has sued. Check out department of labor's guidelines. Unless you never have causal conversations with your coworkers while you're getting paid, you can't expect others to not have causal conversations on the job. And when two people who speak a different language want to engage in a casual conversation in that language, you have no right to not allow it.

As someone who is bilingual and is fluent in 2 languages, I can tell you that being told "English only!" when I'm having a conversation with a friend or parent is one of the most discriminatory acts. If you can't tolerate it, go somewhere else. I can assure you that 99.9% of the time we are not talking about you.

Lady, get a hold of yourself!!!!!

Nobody here is dictating to people what language they are supposed to speak, so READ carefully before you comment next time. I'm highlighting the proper time and place for this behavior and giving report in a language that half the present staff does not understand like a woman mentioned earlier, is NOT cool!!!

Perhaps you also do this sort of thing and think it's okay. Please do not use the word prejudice here. I speak THREE languages and never do this at work---work the professional setting!!!

THANK YOU!!!

I am not returning as mentioned. I have another job so I am able to leave.

+ Add a Comment