Gossiping CNA

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Back in November a new CNA grad started orienting in the ER. The first few days she seemed very enthusiastic, but then her true colors started to show. She complained often about the tasks our CNAs are responsible for, frequently asking "Why do we have to do this? (fill in blank) should be doing this, not us!"

One day I went to the boss because her complaining and poor work ethics were getting on my nerves. A few days later I overheard her complaining to the night tech about the day tech that was orienting her, saying the day tech was complaining about her for no reason, etc. Basically trashed the day tech. I closed the door and told her to back off because I had been the one to say something.

She also lied through her teeth about many things, but then when confronted would say "I never said that. Nobody listens to me."

As time went on, whenever someone tried to show her a new task she would refuse to learn, saying, "I'm not staying in the ER, I don't need to learn that."

Last week she got her eval and came out of the boss's office crying. Yesterday she was booted to med surg. We all hoped a different environment might help. Yesterday afternoon an off duty ER nurse stormed in and demanded a meeting with the M/S manager. Apparently the new CNA, yesterday, had proclaimed loudly to staff members -- in front of pts -- that the nurse had come in over the weekend "high". She's apparently been very busy dissing everyone in the ER, including me. She said I had gotten in her face and screamed at her about something. What she's too stupid to realize is that we are a small hospital and we all know each other. She's saying this stuff to people who know better than to believe her.

Today I had to go to M/S to get something and passed her in the hall. She actually told me, "Hi! I really miss you guys (in the ER)!"

Huh????

Okay, vent over

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiac med-surg.

did you get the knife out of your back ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know from your previous posts that your hospital is small enough that I'm floored she's trying to play one person against another, or one unit against another. It doesn't work in facilities three times the size!

Most of the stuff you're venting about is stuff that happens with various techs here from time to time, too...one will declare she "doesn't get paid enough to do that" (fill in the blank on whatever 'that' is). Or that this person or that is "out to get me", meaning she'll claim that the discussions about her lack of employment worth are totally false.

At any rate, where your moron crossed the line to the UNEMPLOYMENT line (at least around here) was when she stated to staff in front of patients that a particular nurse had come to work "high". Slander is not to be taken lightly, and if the allegations are false (I'm going with the obvious assumption they are) she's guilty not only of that but of inappropriate behavior that should absolutely get her a$$ canned.

I put up with alot of crap from alot of CNAs, because there's not enough of them to do the job so we're always short and they don't get fired NEARLY enough when they deserve it. But challenge my professional license by declaring me under the influence while on the job? I'll have her lying butt on the curb within the hour, or they'd see MY backside out the door. Guess who'd win?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree, you can't say things like that in front of pts. Big no-no, she deserves the axe.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
did you get the knife out of your back ?

Yeah, but I couldn't reach it, I had to ask for help. The "high" nurse and I doctored each other!

RN, you're right that the allegations are false. That nurse has one of the best work ethics I've ever seen.

The CNA is definitely one who needs to learn how to accept responsibility....she would often complain about how her entire CNA class hated her and was out to get her. Weird thing is, she is actually a good CNA when she performs her assigned tasks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We have a nurse like that . . . :o

steph

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

What is administration waiting for? She needs to be fired yesterday.:trout:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i have had many cnas like that..could not understand why nurses were sitting down charting while the cnas were out on the floor doing bed checks

one thing that i will tell you for sure: if someone says I KNOW MY JOB AND I ALWAYS DO IT that means i am lazy and stupid

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

she needs the boot. out of the hospital. just plain useless. too bad no one has the teeth, apparently, to make it happen. one day, she will really cause a serious problem/liability for that place.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Gosh..she sounds mentally ill for sure!!!! Classic splitting of staff......everything is great while it's going her way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

From what I understand, there needs to be a certain number of documented incidents before HR can terminate. We're hoping that the quick complaint from the "high" nurse makes her realize that we ain't puttin' up with it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

No way would I put up with such a slanderous comment -were it made at myself, I'd tell management that she would either be GONE by my next shift, or I'd be back with a lawyer as regards a hostile workplace. People get sued over stuff like this. It could potentially cause the slandered person a LOT of damage.

She really crossed over the line -especially when she said things like that in front of patients (the line was crossed when she said it to co-workers, but she went back, drew another line and crossed it again when she did it in front of patients). People talk -and "dirt" travels fast and can certainly come back to haunt.

No, nothing short of fireing would be good enough -and even THEN she had better hope I cooled off enough not to pursue legal options.

This cannot be tolerated.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment