Do CNA's in a union ever get fired?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I work at a place where the CNA's are in a union. I was shocked at the behavior of one of the CNA's. She was rude to her patients and to the RN supervisor on duty. She is super aggressive and really needs an "attitude adjustment" that's for sure. My patient said he doesn't want her to take care of him anymore. I told the RN supervisor about my patient's request and she said she would take care of it.

It can be done but it is very difficult. The RN supervisor needs to document all of these behaviors in the form of verbal, then written counsellings. The supervisor needs to engage the assistance of the DON to help sit with this employee during the counsellings. The employee will be allowed to have a union representative present during the counsellings but they are not allowed to keep their job if they are violating the facility's abuse prevention policy by being rude to residents and failing to provide care, and other making residents uncomfortable and frightened. But documentation is the key, each and EVERY instance. Eventually, there will be enough written evidence to suspend and terminate, without union recourse.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

people get fired from a union all the time. it is not protection against being a jerk. as the above nurse said, enough documentation and warnings in the file should do it. what will happen is they will strike a deal where the worker is let go, but nothing will be on her 'permanent' record. keep after it.

This place is unreal. Now there are 2 more CNA'S disrespecting the RN supervisor constantly. Whenever she asks someone to do something they tell her to quit bossing them around and making comments such as "You're not my mother. You can't tell me what to do." It is unbelievable here.:eek: I guess the supervisor is not writing up anyone here and the CNA's must know it.

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Yes. I've worked in union buildings and have fired CNAs and nurses.

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
This place is unreal. Now there are 2 more CNA'S disrespecting the RN supervisor constantly. Whenever she asks someone to do something they tell her to quit bossing them around and making comments such as "You're not my mother. You can't tell me what to do." It is unbelievable here.:eek: I guess the supervisor is not writing up anyone here and the CNA's must know it.

I would expect any nurse to be able to write up an aide. If the nurse is instructing the aide on what care needs done then by definition aren't they supervising the aide?

The CNA's are definately "in charge" at this facility. A CNA showed up for work today and found out she was not scheduled to work on her usual station so she clocked out and went home stating "If I am not on "my station" then I'm not working today". Off she went she clocked out no write up no nothing. The other CNA got stuck doing a "double shift" because she left.:eek:

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Well, the whole point of a union is protection of jobs, benefits, compensation, etc. against management that would otherwise seek to take them away. Unions are about the eternal give and take between labor and management. This results in union employees being more difficult to terminate. Yes, even those who do a less than stellar job. It's a very necessary evil when you consider the alternative.....

Yes I think being in a union is a good thing. However, for CNA's to just do as "they damn well please" and to refuse to take any instructions from their RN supervisors is not good. I guess the CNA's will remain in charge here until the RN supervisors realize that they must write up these people.

Are the RN supervisors using all the disciplinary routes available? Where I work, bad aides and nurses CAN be fired, but the supervisors need to establish a legitimate and verifiable paper trail first to establish just cause.

I'm fairly new here at this LTC but I don't see any kind of paper trail being done here at all. The CNA's just do what they want here and nothing is done about it.

I also work in a LTC. Where I work, if an aide came and clocked in, got her assignment, and then got mad and clocked out, she would be fired. MY DON says that is neglect and abandoment and she would pursue there license if they had one!

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