Cna Gone Wild

Nursing Students General Students

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Last week I had to give my first SS enema to a male patient. My instructor gave a couple of the students patients with lots of issues and lots of meds so she didn't have time to show me how to administer this enema. This is a CNA responsibility at the hospital that were at. So my instructor told me to ask the CNA to help because the CNA has been at this hospital for 20+ yrs and my instructors said she wouldn't mind helping me. So I go to the CNA and ask her if she could show me how to do it. She said "Don't you students help each other?" I said none of us know how to do this. She said "Oh well you gone have to wait because I'm goin on my break and I gots to have my break." I said that's no problem, I can do it when you come back. She said " Where's your instructor, why isn't she helping you?" I said she can't because she's helping other students and by the time she gets to me it would take too long. She said "Well that's not my problem because I don't get paid to instruct nobody that's what she gets paid to do." I said isn't this your job? She said "Yes but it's all of our job on this floor". (The patient that I was giving the enema to was her patient so technically if I didn't have to do this she would have). I said I don't need you to touch the patient, I just need you to show me what to do. She said "well you're gonna have to wait." So I went to my instructor and told her what happened. She said she's usually a nice CNA so we'll just chalk this one up to her having a bad day.

The next day we come in the Nursing Coordinator pulls my instructor into the office and proceeds to let her have it about the fact that she has the CNA instructing students and that's not their job. The CNA went to the coordinator and complained about us!!!!! I couldn't believe it! Come to find out the old nurse and the old CNA are in cahoots with each other because before my instructor came along, the students answered all the lights on the floor and did all of the aide work but my instructor said we are not there to learn to be aides or to do their job. Our priority is assessing and treating the patients. So now the students are target practice basically. I can't wait to leave this hospital.:angryfire

Actually, what struck me was the OP's replication of Black English usage by the CNA.

And the nursing admin had every right and responsibility for coming down on your instructor. Your instructor is responsible for the students, not the hospital's unlicensed personnel. Should something have happened there would have been hell to pay.

Actually, what struck me was the OP's replication of Black English usage by the CNA.

And the nursing admin had every right and responsibility for coming down on your instructor. Your instructor is responsible for the students, not the hospital's unlicensed personnel. Should something have happened there would have been hell to pay.

[bANANA]Ditto[/bANANA]

Actually, what struck me was the OP's replication of Black English usage by the CNA.

.

That bothered me too.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
I think that both the CNA and the nursing instructor were in the wrong in this situation.

But, I think that a facility allowing CNAs to give enemas is the most wrong thing about the whole situation.

CNA's give enema's. I was a CNA for 4 years.

Specializes in ICU.
Whatever.

An enema is not medication unless it's a medicated enema and it's administration is within a CNA's allowed duties. I really think that all skills should be checked off in skills lab before being performed in clinical. If not for that, I think the CNA had a nasty attitude and if she had spent all the time she had trying to get out of showing her something, she could have shown her the dang skill. I HATE people who have this attitude. It's got to be jealousy or something.

I agree with the poster about the houskeepers complaining about beds. Good grief, it takes two seconds to rip sheets off. Get over it.

Lord, when did people get so ridiculous?

I agree that it's some type of jealousy thing. There was absolutely no reason for that tone or attitude. I would have let her perform the enema herself since it was "her job" and tried to get the experience with another patient.

Specializes in ICU.
Actually, what struck me was the OP's replication of Black English usage by the CNA. QUOTE]

I did notice that.

Gotta go with the CNA as well. CNA's have alot on their plate and the only members of the nursing team that are just flat NOT paid enough. The schools may pay alot of money for clinical rotations but the aides dont see a dime of that. So she could have been nicer but it is the instructors job to instruct and if she has too many students then the school needs to hire another instructor or pay the aide independently to help out.

Though the CNA may have been a little.... coorifice? with you but she has a point. If she is not trained to teach you how to do something and you end up doing it wrong... who's responsibility would it have been? :( Tough luck my friend. :(

:eek:

I'm confused aren't we all in this to help the patient? The CNA was wrong from my take on this. What is more important assisting in a patients comfort and medical assessment needs or taking a 15min break, by the way which could have been taken after the procedure. The CNA's delivery of how she felt was all WRONG. This is a partner in the health facility asking for assistance. If this had occurred in the hospital I work the CNA would have been looking for another job. She/He would have been informed that she/he were unapproachable and had a bad attitude.

If this CNA felt it was outside of his/her responsibility there is a way to say this with out all the attitude and negative energy. There is a great deal to be said for tact.

:eek:

I'm confused aren't we all in this to help the patient? The CNA was wrong from my take on this. What is more important assisting in a patients comfort and medical assessment needs or taking a 15min break, by the way which could have been taken after the procedure. The CNA's delivery of how she felt was all WRONG. This is a partner in the health facility asking for assistance. If this had occurred in the hospital I work the CNA would have been looking for another job. She/He would have been informed that she/he were unapproachable and had a bad attitude.

If this CNA felt it was outside of his/her responsibility there is a way to say this with out all the attitude and negative energy. There is a great deal to be said for tact.

I don't think this was a STAT enema. I highly doubt the patient's well being was at risk. This seems to be more about a routine procedure that the student wanted the CNA to take extra time to instruct and supervise her on. It would have been nice of the CNA to do it, but I really don't blame her for not wanting to. Of course, she could have been nicer about it.

Also, as far as patient comfort, it's much better to take your break before the enema than after, if you know what I mean.

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